Gymnoscirtetes wadeorum, Hill, 2022

Hill, JoVonn G., 2022, Revision of Gymnoscirtetes (Orthoptera, Acrididae, Melanoplinae): a genus endemic to the grasslands of the southeastern North American Coastal Plain, ZooKeys 1134, pp. 101-127 : 101

publication ID

https://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1134.94984

publication LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:pub:B94BDEAF-2B62-47B8-BDF7-D726D0A694D5

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/E3ED601A-90E3-486B-9D8D-C74C5333D025

taxon LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:act:E3ED601A-90E3-486B-9D8D-C74C5333D025

treatment provided by

ZooKeys by Pensoft

scientific name

Gymnoscirtetes wadeorum
status

sp. nov.

Gymnoscirtetes wadeorum sp. nov.

Figs 5E View Figure 5 , 10A-J View Figure 10 , 12 View Figure 12

Diagnosis.

Differing from other species in the group based on the shape of the internal male genitalia (Fig. 10C-I View Figure 10 ). In dorsal view, the dorsal valves form two translucent lobes that are equal to or slightly longer than the ventral valves and are truncated apically. The ventral valves are opaque short cylindrical protrusions that are rounded at their apices. In lateral view, the dorsal valves are broader than the ventral valves and taper to their apices. In caudal view, the dorsal valves extend above the ventral valves (Fig. 10G View Figure 10 ). This species is very similar to G. pusillus but is distinguished from that species by the length and angle of the dorsal valves which are longer and are angled more dorsally in G. wadeorum , and their separate geographic distributions (Fig. 12 View Figure 12 ).

Male measurements.

(mm): (n = 14) Body length 13.0-15.1 (mean = 14.1); pronotum length 1.8-2.3 (mean = 2.2); hind femur length 6.7-7.8 (mean = 7.0); cerci length 0.7-1.0 (mean = 0.9); basal width of cercus 0.3-0.4 (mean = 0.3); mid-cercal width 0.1-0.2 (mean =.02); cerci apex width 0.1 (mean = 0.1). tubercule length 0.1-0.2 (mean =.01); tubercule width 0.1-0.2 (mean = 0.1).

Female measurements.

(mm): (n = 9) Body length 18.5-21.8 (mean = 20.0); pronotum length 2.5-3.0 (mean = 2.8); hind femur length 8.6-9.6 (mean = 9.1).

Holotype.

GA., Thomas Co., Wade Tract, 30°45'35"N, - 84°00'01"W, 4 August 2011, J.G. Hill; Old growth longleaf pine savanna (1♂). Deposited in the Mississippi Entomological Museum.

Paratypes.

Same data as type (6♀).

Other specimens examined.

Georgia: Berrien Co., 1.1 mi S Appling , 11 Aug 1947, T.H. Hubbell (4♂, 2♀) . Colquitt Co., Doerun Nat. Area ., 31°17'17"N, - 83°53'03"W, 14 October 2010, J.G. Hill, longleaf pine savannah (2♂) GoogleMaps . Decatur Co., Silver Lake WMA, 30°49'44"N, - 84°45'14"W, 27 August 2010, J.G. Hill (1♂) GoogleMaps . Early Co., Williams Bluff NA, 31°11'58"N, - 85°04'43"W, 18 June 2011, J.G. Hill (2♂) GoogleMaps . Thomas Co., 4.3 mi N Metcalf , 30.7634, -83.9915, 8 September 2022, J.G. Hill, J.R. Fisher GoogleMaps ; Greenwood Plantation , 30°50'10"N, - 84°00'40"W, 4 August 2011, J.G. Hill (1♂) GoogleMaps ; Same data as above, except 26 August 2010 (2♂, 2♀) ; River Creek WMA, 30°51'40"N, - 84°04'04"W, 27 August 2010, J.G. Hill, longleaf pine savannah (3♂, 3♀) GoogleMaps ; Same data as above, except 30°51'35"N, - 84°04'37"W, 4 August 2011 (1♂, 5♀) GoogleMaps ; Florida : Baker Co., John Bethea State For. 30.4834, -82.3002, 2 June 2021, J.G. Hill (5♂, 5♀) GoogleMaps , Gasden Co., 2 mi N Ochlookonee , 14 October 1948, I.J. Cantrall (1♂) . Liberty Co., 5.3 mi S Telogia on Fla 65, 23 August 1951, I.J. Cantrall (7♂, 13♀) .

Distribution.

Found in southern Georgia and north Florida, from Berrien County, GA west to the Chattahoochee River, and south to Liberty and Baker Counties, FL (Figs 12 View Figure 12 , 13C View Figure 13 ).

Habitat.

Flatwoods and pitcher plant bogs. I observed this species feeding on Seymeria cassioides (J.F.Gmelin) S.F.Blake at Doerun pitcher plant bog.

Etymology.

Named in honor of the Wade Family who, in 1979, placed an 85-ha tract of old growth longleaf pine savanna into a perpetual conservation easement. Today, the "Wade Tract", is one of the most important remaining examples of the long leaf pine ecosystem in existence and is also the type locality of this species.

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Insecta

Order

Orthoptera

Family

Acrididae

Genus

Gymnoscirtetes