Diponthus virgatus ( Gerstaecker, 1873 )

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 : 64-65

Diponthus virgatus ( Gerstaecker, 1873)

( Figs. 4e, f , 7a, b , 8o , 9a, b , 10o , 11o , 12a, b , and 13 ).

Acridium virgatum Gerstaecker, 1873 (holotype, female, Brazil, Salto Grande , ZMHB Berlin Mus.)

Diponthus virgatus: Carbonell, 1994 ; Otte, 1995: 44; Cigliano et al., 2023.

Diponthus bilineatus Rehn, 1920 n. syn.

Diponthus bilineatus Rehn, 1920: 246 (holotype, male, Brazil, Santa Catarina, ANSP Philadelphia); Liebermann, 1955: 337; Cigliano et al., 2023.

Diponthus invidus Carl, 1916 n. syn.

Diponthus invidus Carl, 1916: 507 (hololectotype, male, Brazil, MHNG Geneva Museum; allolectotype, female, Brazil, Santa Catarina, Teresopolis ; these specimens were selected as lectotypes by CSC, and here designated); Liebermann, 1955: 337; Cigliano et al,. 2023.

Nomenclatural comments. Based on the comparison of the original descriptions, morphology of type specimens, and from materials examined from the distribution range of the species ( Brazil), we consider that Diponthus virgatus , D. bilineatus , and D. invidus constitute the same species since there are no differences in the characters that were originally established as diagnostic (pattern of coloration of head, pronotum, and tegmina) for them. Therefore, the synonymy between them is established herein.

Diagnosis. Disc of pronotum brown with mid-dorsal longitudinal band, anterior and posterior margins and lateral lobes of metazoan light brown ( Figs. 4e, f , and 7a, b ). Tegmina with greenish or light brown background, longitudinal veins cream colored in discal area; longitudinal vein cubital posterior (Cu2) prominent and strong yellow (figs. 4e, f, and 8o); transverse veins brown delimiting irregular cells ( Fig. 8o ). Hind wings green with dark venation. Prosternal tubercle straight, with round apex. Male epiproct oval, with pointed tip, tubercles on distal half; furculae lobed with pointed apex ( Fig. 9b ). Male cerci slightly curved downwards, with blunt apex, barely exceeding the end of epiproct ( Fig. 9a ). Dorsal valves of aedeagus with distal portion strongly curved downwards, expanded apex ( Figs. 10o , and 11o ). Valves of cingulum as in D. porphyerus , with posterior margin of the distal portion straight ( Figs. 10o , and 11o ). Epiphallus with lophi parallel to the bridge, subrectangular, expanded towards the posterior processes of lateral plates ( Fig. 12a, b ).

Redescription and chromatic characters, and material examined. See Appendix 1

Measurements (in mm). Body length: male: 30; females: 42.5 (40–47). Hind femur length: male: 16; females: 22.5 (22–23). Tegmina length: male: 21; females: 26.2 (26–26.5).

Distribution. This species is distributed in Brazil (San Pablo, Santa Catarina) ( Fig. 13 ).

Figures

FIGURE 4. Diponthus species, as indicated. Males, habitus lateral views (a, c, e, g) and dorsal views (b, d, f, h). Scale bar= 1 cm. Numbers indicate characters and states used in the cladistics analysis.

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.