S. Mahunka szerk.: Folia Entomologica Hungarica 59. (Budapest, 1998)

RESULTS Distribution of species and structure of assemblages Altogether 59 species of Orthoptera (28 species of Ensifera, 31 species of Caelifera) were detected along the transect in 1997 (Table 1). The number of species varied from 8 to 36 per locality; it was determined by the character and size of the habitat and also by the intensity and success of sampling. Ten species were most frequent (F=more than 60%), another 10 species were medium frequent (F=30-60%) and the other 39 species were registered in less than 30% of the localities (Table 1). The most southern situated place, the xeric Tokaj Hill (TO) was proved to be as the most important locality from the orthopterological point of view, with 36 species (63% of all found species during the study). 40 species (8-36/locality, in average 18.4 species) were detected in the xeric localities, 41 (12-20/locality, in average 16 species) in mesic and 10-12 in the humid habitats (average 11.5 species). Generally, Phaneroptera falcata, Leptophyes albovittata, Tettigonia viridissima, Platycleis grisea, Metrioptera bicolor, Oecanthus pellucens, Calliptamus italicus and Chorthippus biguttulus hedickei were the most frequent species in the xeric and in the mesic habitats during the studies. As for the species composition of the Orthoptera fauna of the S-Z Mts, it has to be considered that earlier collections (between 1951 and 1988) resulted in species which were not found again during our 1997 study (Table 2). Thus, so the entire Orthoptera fauna of the S-Z Mts totalled as many as 33 Ensifera and 36 Caelifera species. Some of these species (e.g. Celes variabilis, Dirshius petraeus and Ruspolia nitidula) are accessoric elements occurring very seldom and scattered on in the peripheric xeric hills only, but others, such as Pholidoptera transylvanica, Arcyptera fusca are biogeographically very characteristic and valuable mountain species detected only in the central part of the investigated area. Due to the long N-S extension of the S-Z Mts, there are perceptible differences in the Orthoptera fauna and assemblages among the different parts of the range. There are several Mediterranean and Pontomediterranean species (Phaneroptera nana, Pholidoptera fallax, Rhacocleis germanica, Saga pedo, Ephippiger ephippiger, Pararcyptera microptera, Dociostaurus brevicollis, Dirshius petraeus, Stenobothrus nigromaculatus, S. eurasius, Euchortippus declivus, E. pulvinatus), which are represented in the southern (Hungarian) third part of the range. On the other hand, also the northern (Slovak) half of the range has its own, locally characteristic species (Isophya brevipennis, Pholidoptera frivaldskyi, Omocestus viridulus) which seem entirely missing from the southern (Hungarian) half. In spite of the relatively northern position, there are some locally restricted habitats (3, 9a, 11) which harbour small numbers of xerofrequent elements such as Oecanthus pellucens, Calliptamus italicus, Euchortippus declivus and E. pulvinatus. According to the vertical occurrence, most of the species detected here are vertically eurytop, however, there is a restricted number of the "mountain" species which do not occur here below 400-500 m a.s.l: Isophya modestior stysi, Barbitistes constrictus, Pholidoptera aptera, Ph. frivaldskyi, Ph. transylvanica, Tetratetrix bipunctata, Pseudopodisma nagyi, Psophus stridulus, Arcyptera fusca, Omocestus viridulus, and Glyptobothrus vagans. Species occurring here mostly below 300-400 m a.s.l. are - with some exceptions xerofrequent, such as: Phaneroptera nana, Conocephalus discolor, Tesselana vittata, Ephippiger ephippiger, Oecanthus pellucens, Oedipoda caerulescens, Stenobothrus crassipes, S. nigromaculatus.