Diponthus pycnostictus Pictet & Saussure, 1887

Pocco, Martina E., Lange, Carlos E. & Cigliano, María Marta, 2023, Relationships and taxonomy of the genus Diponthus Stål (Orthoptera: Acridoidea Romaleidae), Zootaxa 5336 (1), pp. 33-81 : 46

Diponthus pycnostictus Pictet & Saussure, 1887

( Figs. 2c, d , 6e, f , 7a, b , 8b , 9a, b , 10b , 11b , 12a, b , and 13 )

For references on this species see Pocco et al. (2014) and Cigliano et al. (2023).

Diagnosis. This species is distinguished from D. argentinus by the following characters: whole body mottled black, ground body color reddish orange ( Figs. 2c, d , and 6f ) or yellow and dark grey ( Fig. 6e ); phallic complex: valves of cingulum with anterior margin curved and distal portion oblong ( Fig. 10b ).

Chromatic variation. At least two discrete color morphs can be found: color morph reddish orange and dark grey, and color morph yellow and dark grey, in both whole body black mottled ( Pocco et al. 2014).

A complete redescription of this species and the description of the color morphs are in Pocco et al. (2014)

Measurements (in mm). Body length: males: 25.5 (21–33); females: 35.2 (30–40); femur III length: males: 13.8 (12–17); females: 18.3 (15–21); tegmen length: males: 22.1 (19–28); females: 29.2 (26–32).

Material examined: see Appendix 1

Distribution. This species is widely distributed in central and northern Argentina (Buenos Aires, La Pampa, Santa Fe, Entre Ríos, Córdoba, San Luis, La Rioja, Mendoza, Tucumán, Salta) ( Fig. 13 ).

Habitat. In grassland areas with forbs, shrubs, and in edges of low forests.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Diponthus species. Males, habitus lateral views (a, c, e, g, i, k) and dorsal views (b, d, f, h, j, l). Species as indicated. Scale bar= 1 cm. Numbers indicate characters and states used in the cladistics analysis.

FIGURE 6. a–c, Diponthus argentinus: male and female, color morph green (a), female (b), male (c); d, D. paraguayensis, male; e, f, D. pycnostictus: e, yellow and gray color morph; f, red and gray color morph, male; g, D. festivus, male (photo credits: Elio Castillo); h, D. puelchus, male; i, D. crassus, male and female

FIGURE 7. Head and pronotum, in lateral views (a) and dorsal views (b). Diponthus species as indicated. Numbers indicate characters and states used in the cladistics analysis.

FIGURE 8. Tegmina, color pattern of venation. Diponthus species, as indicated. Numbers indicate characters and states used in the cladistics analysis.

FIGURE 9. Male abdominal terminalia, in lateral views (a) and dorsal views (b). Diponthus species as indicated. Numbers indicate characters and states used in the cladistics analysis.

FIGURE 10. Distal portion of aedeagal valves, lateral view. Diponthus species, as indicated.

FIGURE 11. Distal portion of aedeagal valves, dorsal view. Diponthus species, as indicated.

FIGURE 12. Epiphallus, dorsal views (a) and frontal views (b). Diponthus species, as indicated. Numbers indicate characters and states used in the cladistics analysis.

FIGURE 13. Distribution map of Diponthus species.