Desert diversification: revision of Agroecotettix Bruner, 1908 (Orthoptera, Acrididae, Melanoplinae) with descriptions of sixteen new species from the United States and MexicoAuthorHill, JoVonn G.0000-0002-1892-7117Mississippi Entomological Museum, Department of Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Entomology, and Plant Pathology, Mississippi State University, Starkville, USAtextZooKeys20242024-11-211218177230journal article10.3897/zookeys.1218.1337031E047454-E700-4FE4-A8FE-5828F5797980Agroecotettix crypsidomusHebard, 1922stat. nov.Figs 2 G
,
4 G
,
5 G
,
13 A – J
,
25
,
26 A
,
31 A – FAgroecotettix modestus crypsidomusHebard, 1922
. Trans. Amer. Entomol. Soc. 48 (1): 53.
Diagnosis.
Differentiated from other species in the genus by the combination of male cerci with ventral branch equal or subequal in length to dorsal branch as in Fig.
2 G
; thin and lightly sclerotized sheath (Fig.
5 H
); valves of the aedeagus that are lobate with the basal lobe more produced in lateral view, extending beyond the sheath as in Fig.
4 G
, and with the dorsal lobe projected laterally in caudal view as in Fig.
5 G
.
Agroecotettix crypsidomusA
dorsal view of male terminalia
B
lateral view of male terminalia
C
dorsal view of phallic complex
D
lateral view of phallic complex
E
dorsal view of aedeagus
F
lateral view of aedeagus
G
caudal view of the aedeagus
H
dorsal view of epiphallus
I
caudal view of epiphallus
J
habitus.
Male measurements (mm).
(
n
= 11) Body length 18.0–21.5 (mean = 23.8); pronotum length 4.2–5.5 (mean = 4.7); tegmen length 2.8–3.9 (mean = 3.3); hind femur length 9.6–11.7 (mean = 11.0); cerci length 1.2–1.5 (mean = 1.4); basal width of cercus 0.5–0.7 (mean = 0.6); mid-cercal width 0.3–0.5 (mean = 0.4); cerci dorsal fork length 0.4–0.6 (mean = 0.5); cerci dorsal fork apex width 0.2 (mean = 0.2) cerci ventral fork length 0.3–0.5 (mean = 0.4); cerci ventral fork apex width 0.1 (mean = 0.1).
Phallus measurements (mm).
(
n
= 11) Length 1.0–1.1 (mean = 1.1); apex width 0.3–0.7 (mean = 0.5); middle width 0.4–0.5 (mean = 0.4); Basal width 0.6–0.7 (mean = 0.7); lateral apex width 0.4–0.6 (mean = 0.6); lateral medial width 0.5–0.6 (mean = 0.5); lateral basal width 0.5–0.7 (mean = 0.6).
Female measurements (mm).
(
n
= 14) Body length 21.0–25.7 (mean = 23.8); pronotum length 4.9–6.7 (mean = 5.8) tegmen length 3.1–4.5 (mean = 3.9); hind femur length 11.3–14.8 (mean = 13.2); Dorsal ovipositor valve length 0.9–2.0 (mean = 1.6); ventral ovipositor valve length 0.9–2.0 (mean = 1.6).
Holotype
examined.
•
1 ♂
,
USA
,
Texas
,
Marathon
,
Brewster Co.
,
Sept. 12–13, 1912
,
Rehn
and
Hebard
,
2000–4160 ft.Deposited
in the
Academy of
Natural Sciences of Drexel University.Specimens examined.USA
,
Texas
: •
Garden Springs
,
2 September 1912
,
Rehn
and
Hebard
(
1 ♂
,
1 ♀
)
•
4 mi
S
Marathon
,
11 October 1952
,
M. J. D. White
(
3 ♀
)
•
4.3 mi
S
Marathon
,
30.1530
,
- 103.2865
,
13 July 2023
,
J. G. Hill
,
J. L. Seltzer
(
2 ♂
,
2 ♀
)
•
Marathon
,
12–13 September 1912
,
Rehn
and
Hebard
(
9 ♂
,
9 ♀
)
.
Habitat.
Chihuahuan Desert scrub, often associated with thorny shrubs such as
Acacia
(Fig.
31 A – F
).
Distribution.
Found in the vicinity of Marathon,
Texas
and the Marathon basin (Figs
25
,
26 A
).
Note.
Given that the only known specimen of
A. modestus
is female and it is a distributional outlier, with other species occurring between its distribution and that of its subspecies,
A. modestus
was raised to species level above. Additionally, due to the differences in the internal male genitalia,
A. aristus
and
A. crypsidomus
are each raised to species level.
Etymology.crypsi
Greek = hidden,
domus
Latin = home: in reference to the cryptic nature of the species living in the inner branches of thorny shrubs.
Suggested common name.Seclusive aridland scrub jumper.