Gerarus Scudder, 1885
publication ID |
https://doi.org/ 10.5281/zenodo.156112 |
DOI |
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6278044 |
persistent identifier |
https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03A487F0-5715-FB78-FECA-8E6498BAA395 |
treatment provided by |
Plazi |
scientific name |
Gerarus Scudder, 1885 |
status |
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Genus Gerarus Scudder, 1885 .
Type species. Gerarus vetus Scudder, 1885 .
Composition. We restrict the genus to the species Gerarus vetus Scudder, 1885 , Gerarus bruesi Meunier, 1909 , Gerarus fisheri ( Brongniart, 1885) Burnham, 1983 , G erarus collaris Handlirsch, 1906, and Gerarus danielsi Handlirsch, 1906 (see above).
Diagnosis. Burnham (1983) compared Gerarus to Nacekomia, Progenentomum, Genentomum and Gerarulus. KukalováPeck & Brauckmann (1992) did not give a new diagnosis of the genus. Thus we propose a new diagnosis, based on forewings characters: ScP long, straight, anteriorly pectinate; branches of ScP simple or shortly ramified; RP with few distal branches; MA differentiated into MA1 and MA2; MA1 generally connected to RP by a short crossvein or shortly fused; MP ramified very proximally; CuPa present, more or less weak; CuPb ramified with an anterior branch long or reduced, and either connected or not to CuPa.
Note. The very long, spiny pronotum of numerous Gerarus spp. is a strong synapomorphy ( Burnham 1983; KukalováPeck & Brauckmann 1992) but is unknown in Gerarus bruesi , thus it is not possible to determine if it is at the family or genus level.
Discussion. Gerarus vetus as figured by KukalováPeck & Brauckmann (1992: figs. 4,10,13) has a simple MP, suggesting closer relationships with Orthoptera than with G. bruesi and G. danielsi , which have an MP which is clearly and very proximally ramified. In his composite reconstruction of the holotype of G. vetus, Burnham (1983: fig. 4) did not figure a simple but a forked MP vein. It is not certain if the holotype of G. vetus and the specimens studied by KukalováPeck & Brauckmann (1992) belong to the same species or even genus. Thus, the monophyly of this genus remains unclear.
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