Tergoceracris, a new genus and six new species of montane grasshoppers (Orthoptera: Acrididae: Ommatolampinae) from Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico
Author
Perez-Gelabert, Daniel E.
Author
Otte, Daniel
text
Zootaxa
2003
155
1
31
journal article
10.5281/zenodo.156978
00310a4b-903a-454c-af64-7a1951e942fd
11755326
156978
Tergoceracris cerropunta
n. sp.
Figs. 1
,
3
,
5
D, 6F, 9, 16, 17
Diagnosis
.— This species may be separated from
T. guajataca
as follows: endophallic plate relatively longer (1.41.5X as long as ventral valve) (
Figs. 16
D); offcenter mounds of epiproct very short (
Fig. 6
F). It differs from
T. cayay
as follows: Furculae with narrow waist (
Fig. 5
D); epiproct lateral ridges unilobed and offcenter mounds very short; ventral valve of aedeagus thick (
Fig. 17
F).
Description
.—
Male
. General coloration bright green with some yellow. Pronotum dorsally marked by black ring that is centrally yellow, itself surrounded by yellow bands. Pronotal lateral lobe with wide green band followed below by yellow and then green area on the lower margin. Wings: Reddish pink and rounded, nonoverlapping and about the same length as pronotum. Legs: Anterior and middle legs all green, with darker green tibiae and tarsi.
Hind
legs with bright green femora and black knees.
Hind
tibiae with 6 external and 7 internal spines. Abdomen: Abdominal segments marked by wide and interrupted black streak on dorsum. Furculae vertically elevated, more homogeneously cylindrical (not markedly flaring on top) than those of the other species. Internal genitalia as in
Figs. 16
,
17
.
Etymology.—
Name in aposition, in reference to its
type
locality.
Type
material.—
Holotype
: Male,
PUERTO RICO
, Cerro de Punta,
17.x.2001
, D. E. PerezGelabert (
NMNH
).
Paratypes
: Eleven males and
10 females
, samedata as
type
(
NMNH
,
DEPG
, and
ANSP
). Five males,
5 females
,
PUERTO RICO
, Cerro de Punta,
24.x.2001
, D. E. PerezGelabert (
NMNH
), feeding on
Casearia guianensis
(Flacourtiaceae)
. Two males and
2 females
,
PUERTO RICO
, Cerro de Punta, Jayuya,
x.2000
, O. H. Garrido, J. A.Genaro (
MNHNC
).
Habitat.—
Cerro de Punta is the highest elevation in the island of
Puerto Rico
, and is of relatively easy access by a winding road to the communication facilities built at the top. The vegetation there corresponds to wet montane forest. The specimens collected by the senior author were predominantly found on
Casearia guianensis
(Flacourtiaceae)
. After dark, adult and juvenile individuals were actively feeding on this plant, even on occasion sharing the same leaves with individuals of
Schistocerca nitens
.