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 : 80-81

Diponthus virgatus (Gerstaecker, 1873)

Redescription. Medium to large sized insects ( Fig. 4e, f ). Male: fastigium excavated, apex slightly concave, or straight. Interocular distance as or slightly wider than the apex of fastigium. Eyes prominent and oval, exceeding the level of vertex in lateral view. Frons slightly oblique to straight; union frons-fastigium rounded. Mid-dorsal longitudinal carina obsolete, cut by four deep transverse sulci. Anterior margin of pronotum emarginate, posterior margin angulate, lateral edges of metazona disc elevated. Metzona slightly longer and wider than prozona. Integument of prozona strongly rugose on dorsum; faveolated laterally; integument of the metazona reticulated. Integument of meso-metapleurae strongly rugose, tending to reticulate. Prosternal tubercle straight, with rounded apex. Tegmina and hind wings reaching the end of abdomen. Tegmina with transverse veins delimiting irregular cells. Anterior and middle legs with robust femora and tibiae. Hind femora thin. Cerci slightly curved downwards, with blunt apex, barely exceeding the tip of epiproct. Epiproct oval, with pointed tip, tubercles on distal half; furculae lobed, with pointed tips. Phallic complex ( Figs. 10o , 11o , and 12a, b ): dorsal valves of aedeagus with distal portion strongly curved downwards, expanded apex. Valves of cingulum as in D. porphyerus , with posterior margin of the distal portion straight. Epiphallus with lophi parallel to the bridge, subrectangular, expanded towards the posterior processes of lateral plates.

Chromatic characters. Body coloration tan with dark brown ( Fig. 4e, f ). Head brown with a mid-dorsal band dark brown. Antennae light brown. Pronotum brown with a mid-dorsal longitudinal band, anterior and posterior margins of disc, areas between the transverse sulci, and lateral lobes of metazona brown color. Meso and metapleurae brown. Anterior and middle legs tan colored. Hind femora with a thin black line on outer face; inner face black. Tegmina with greenish or light brown background, longitudinal veins cream colored in discal region; cubital posterior longitudinal vein (Cu2) prominent strong yellow; brown transverse veins; Hind wings green with dark veins. Abdomen light brown, subgenital plate and cerci light brown; epiproct light brown with tubercles black.

Females. Similar to males but more robust. Tegmina and hind wings not reaching the end of the abdomen.

Material examined. BRAZIL: 1 male, Teresópolis, Santa Catarina, Fruhstorfer leg., MLP ; 1 female, Sao Jose , Santa Catarina, 16/01/1960, Biezanko leg., MLP ; 1 female, Cauna, Santa Catarina,12/1945, Maller A., F. Johnson leg., MLP ; 1 male and 1 female, Santa Catarina, 28 km SW Mafra , 31/01/1992, A. Mesa & R. García leg., MZSP .

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 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.