Browsing by Author "MATOJO, NICODEMUS D."

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    Head dimorphism in the African python, Python natalensis (Squamata: Pythonidae) from Tanzania
    (International Journal of Life Sciences, 2018-01-01) MATOJO, NICODEMUS D.
    Very little is known about intraspecific variation in the Southern African rock python which is also referred to as the Natal rock python or simply the African python, Python natalensis Smith, 1833 (family Pythonidae of the Order Squamata) mainly due to limited reachability of some members of the species such as the underground types and those inhabiting dense rocks. A recent study has revealed head dimorphism in the snake based on two samples from Bwiru rocky area near Lake Victoria shore in northern Mwanza City of Ilemela District, Tanzania. One morph (the “wedge-headed type”) is the holotype, comprising short triangular head with U-shaped mouth. Another morph (the “shovel-headed type”) is a paratype, comprising a long shovel-shaped head of burrowing design.
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    Occurrence of European Rhinoceros Beetle, Oryctes nasicornis (L.) (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), in the Southern Highlands of Tanzania
    (Advances in Entomology, 2017-12-29) MATOJO, NICODEMUS D.
    The European rhinoceros beetle, Oryctes nasicornis (L.), is a large flying beetle in the subfamily Dynastinae of family Scarabaeidae and order Coleoptera. It is well-known to be a Palaearctic species, inhabiting Europe and Asia up to North Africa, with no reported material from the Sub-Saharan African region including Tanzania. The present work reports an occurrence of O. nasicornis in Tanzania specifically in Iringa region in the Southern Highlands zone of the country. The report is accompanied by description of the key morphological characters of the insect validating its diagnosis. The findings facilitate a basis for intervention of the existing records about O. nasicornis, including its biogeographical affiliation and the related undertakings. It is most likely that the species also ranges in other localities in Tanzania and the Sub-Saharan Africa region in general because of the existing proximity and interactions.
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    A Review Work on How to Differentiate the Longhorn Grasshoppers Ruspolia differens and Ruspolia nitidula (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae)
    (Journal of Applied Life Sciences International, 2017-12-02) MATOJO, NICODEMUS D.
    The record of potential characters differentiating the longhorn grasshoppers Ruspolia differens Serville, 1838 and Ruspolia nitidula Scopoli, 1786 in the family Tettigoniidae of the order Orthoptera is somewhat unapparent, being randomly featured in the general literature of the individual species without joint synchronization. The present work systematically re-examines and re-organises these characters with a main goal to harmonizing the various records where the two species are interchanged, misdiagnosed or incorrectly named, and sensitizing future workers to overcome the oversights. The couple of insects are evidently sister species that are well distinguished from each other by their respective species-specific biology and biogeography. R. differens inhabits the Sub- Saharan African region; the species has a swarming phase and colour polymorphism with six morphs, and a distinct sex dimorphism with males having longer antennae and a unique pair of metathoracic flaps. On the other hand, R. nitidula is exclusively solitary, greenish and Palearctic ranging in Asia, Europe and Northern Africa. Generally, each species is morphologically, behaviourally, genetically and thus taxonomically distinct from its counterpart.