Relationships and taxonomy of the genus Diponthus Stål (Orthoptera: Acridoidea Romaleidae) Author Pocco, Martina E. Centro de Estudios Parasitológicos y de Vectores (CEPAVE), CONICET - UNLP, La Plata, Argentina & División Entomología, Museo de La Plata - FCNYM-UNLP, La Plata, Argentina Author Lange, Carlos E. Centro de Estudios Parasitológicos y de Vectores (CEPAVE), CONICET - UNLP, La Plata, Argentina & Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas de la Provincia de Buenos Aires (CICPBA), Argentina Author Cigliano, María Marta Centro de Estudios Parasitológicos y de Vectores (CEPAVE), CONICET - UNLP, La Plata, Argentina & División Entomología, Museo de La Plata - FCNYM-UNLP, La Plata, Argentina text Zootaxa 2023 2023-08-21 5336 1 33 81 http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5336.1.2 journal article 10.11646/zootaxa.5336.1.2 1175-5326 8268533 F31F6A72-21B8-455D-8E64-3CE59613599C Key to species of Diponthus 1. Macropterous insects. Pronotum with a median longitudinal light-colored band….................................. 2 - Brachypterous insects ( Figs. 3k, l , and 5a–d ). Pronotum without a median longitudinal light-colored band ( Figs. 3l , and 5d )................................................................................... D. colorbellus sp. nov . 2. Prosternal tubercle with apex directed backwards. Interocular distance wide (wider than the width of fastigium apex)..... 3 - Prosternal tubercle with apex straight. Interocular distance wide or narrow........................................ 6 3. Pronotal disk with a longitudinal band and two lighter-colored oblique bands in prozona............................ 4 - Pronotal disk with three light-colored longitudinal bands..................................................... 5 4. Oblique bands not reaching the metazona ( Fig. 7b ); body color dark-brown, black and yellow-ocher, completely black-mottled ( Fig. 3c, d ); tegmina with background black and incomplete transverse veins yellow ( Figs. 3c, d , and 8e ); male furculae small ( Fig. 9b )................................................................................... D. cribratus - Oblique bands reaching the metazona ( Fig. 7b ); body color shiny black and yellow-ocher, not mottled ( Fig. 3e, f ); tegmina with background green and complete transverse veins delimiting irregular cells ( Figs. 3e, f , and 8f ); male furculae larger ( Fig. 9b )............................................................................................ D. festivus 5. Frons straight in lateral view ( Figs. 3g , and 7a ); male cerci very long, digitiform ( Fig. 9a ); larger body size (males: x̄ 35, 3 mm ; females: x̄ 46 mm ) ( Fig. 3g ); fore and middle femora robust ( Fig. 3g ); tegmina green ( Fig. 3g , h )................ D. dispar - Frons rounded in lateral view ( Figs. 3i , and 7a ); male cerci shorter, tapering towards the apex ( Fig. 9a ); smaller body size (males: x̄ 26, 8 mm ; females: x̄ 38, 3 mm ) ( Fig. 3i ); fore and middle femora thinner ( Fig. 3i ); tegmina with discal area greenish, medial area hyaline, anal area green ( Figs. 3i, j , and 8h )................................................ D. electus 6. Interocular distance wide ( Fig. 7b ); large insects (males: x̄ 45, 3 mm ; females: x̄ 57, 1 mm ) ( Fig. 3a ); median dorsal carina of pronotum cut by the main transverse sulcus ( Fig. 7b ); body completely mottled ( Fig. 3a, b )............. D. nigroconspersus - Interocular distance narrower; medium size insects (males from 19 to 33 mm ; females from 25 to 47 mm ); median dorsal carina of pronotum cut by more than one transverse sulcus; body mottled or not mottled.................................. 7 7. Pronotal disk with three light-colored longitudinal bands ( Fig. 7b ); body color yellow, black and orange-reddish ( Fig. 2e, f )........................................................................................... D. puelchus - Pronotal disk with one longitudinal band and continuous or discontinuous oblique bands; body color not as the pattern described above............................................................................................... 8 8. Transverse sulci of pronotum slightly deep; epiphallus with lophi perpendicular to the bridge......................... 9 - Transverse sulci of pronotum deep; epiphallus with lophi parallel to the bridge.................................... 13 9. Male cerci short, not surpassing the end of epiproct, conical (Fig. 9)............................. D. dilatatus sp. nov. - Male cerci longer, surpassing the end of epiproct, gradually tapering towards the apex.............................. 10 10. Caudal margin of pronotal disk obtuse-angular; male cerci with acute apex; valves of cingulum narrow at base, with subcircular ( Fig. 10a ) or oblong distal portion ( Fig. 10b ).............................................................. 11 - Caudal margin of pronotal disk nearly straight; male cerci with straight or blunt apex; valves of cingulum subtriangular ( Fig. 10i, j )............................................................................................. 12 11. Body always mottled, general color red or yellow and grey ( Figs. 2c, d , and 6e, f )...................... D. pycnostictus - Body not always mottled; color variable ( Figs. 2a, b , and 6a–c )...................................... D. argentinus 12. Body color dark green and yellow, not mottled ( Fig. 2g , h ); tegmina with transverse veins delimiting cells ( Figs. 8k )............................................................................................. D. paraguayensis - Body color red, black mottled ( Figs. 2i, j , and 5e, f ); tegmina with longitudinal veins well-marked, yellow ( Figs. 8l )......................................................................................... D. paranaensis sp. nov. 13. Disk of pronotum with a median longitudinal light-colored band ( Fig. 7b ); tegmina reddish ( Figs. 4g , h , and 8p ); male cerci long, with wide and blunt apex ( Fig. 9a )......................................................... D. porphyreus - Disk of pronotum with a median longitudinal light-colored band and with spots obliquely arranged in the prozona; tegmina of a different color; male cerci shorter, with thinner apex....................................................... 14 14. Tegmina with subcostal and radial veins cream-colored and posterior cubital strong yellow ( Fig. 4e, f )......... D. virgatus - Tegmina with all longitudinal veins of the same color........................................................ 15 15. Body color black and yellow-ocher ( Figs. 4a, b , and 6i ); tegmina with well-delimited cells, without spots or mottles on the transverse veins ( Figs. 4a, b , and 8m ); male cerci short and conical ( Fig. 9a ); valves of cingulum with distal portion expanded, anterior margin straight, upper margin slightly notched ( Fig. 10m )........................................ D. crassus - Body color dark brown ( Figs. 4c, d , and 5h ); tegmina with irregular transverse veins, not delimiting cells, and with spots on transverse veins ( Figs. 4c, d , and 8n ); male cerci longer ( Fig. 9a, b ); valves of cingulum of a C shape ( Fig. 10n ).............................................................................................. D . salvadorii sp. nov.