Presence and seasonal appearance of Orthoptera in a lowland and a mountain area in the prefecture of Attica

This study refers to the qualitative and quantitative composition of Orthoptera fauna in a lowland (Athens International Airport, Α.Ι.Α.) and a mountain region (at the mountain Parnitha). In A.I.A. two places were used, one at the East and one at the West side. The samples were taken at 7-10 days intervals during the year 2007. At the East and West side of the A.I.A. eighteen and twenty species were found respectively. At the mountain area sixteen species were found. According to the dominance and frequency criteria at the East side of the A.I.A. the species Calliptamus barbarus barbarus were found dominant and constant, Dociostaurus maroccanus and Decticus albifrons dominant and accessory, Pezotettix giornae, Chorthippus sp., Oedipoda miniata and Platycleis affinis affinis influent and accessory and all the others recedent and accidental. At the West side of the A.I.A. the species Calliptamus barbarus barbarus, Dociostaurus maroccanus and Chorthippus sp. were found dominant and accessory, Pezotettix giornae, Decticus albifrons, Platycleis affinis affinis and Tettigonia viridissima dominant and accidental, Oedipoda miniata and Mogoplistes brunneus influent and accidental and all the others recedent and accidental. At the mountain area the species Chorthippus biguttulus were found dominant and constant, Euchorthippus pulvinatus, Pezotettix giornae and Poecilimon propinquus dominant and accidental, Platycleis albopunctata influent and accidental and all the others recedent and accidental. The species belonging to the family Tettigoniidae appeared early in spring. They increased their population densities on April-May in the lowland and on May-June in the mountain area and stopped appearing on late June and mid July respectively. The species belonging to the family Acrididae were showed up later in the mountain than the lowland area. The species of this family showed up later than the Tettigoniidae species in both areas. They showed high population densities from May to July in the lowland and from May to September in the mountain area and stopped appearing on late October in both areas.