Tergoceracris, Perez-Gelabert, Daniel E. & Otte, Daniel, 2003

Perez-Gelabert, Daniel E. & Otte, Daniel, 2003, Tergoceracris, a new genus and six new species of montane grasshoppers (Orthoptera: Acrididae: Ommatolampinae) from Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico, Zootaxa 155, pp. 1-31 : 2-4

TERGOCERACRIS new genus

Diagnosis.— All Tergoceracris are similar to the cerropunta and luquillensis which are shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The genus is distinguished from all other Hispaniolan and Neotropical acridids by its heavily sclerotized, exaggeratedly long, and vertically elevated furculaein the males. No other grasshopper with similarly developed furculae is known to us. Another unique character that distinguishes both sexes is a dark annular area on the pronotum ( Fig. 4 ), which is centrally light colored and demarcated by concentric light colored bands.

Description. Male. Body length 13 - 18 mm, with general light green coloration together with cream yellow and black to brown areas. Head: Round with bulging eyes. Face, fastigium and occiput green with surface markedly pitted. Interocular distance smaller than width at front of head. Antennae filiform, more than 2X the head length, with 21 - 22 cylindrical segments. Head and pronotum green and darker than the rest of the body. Pronotum: Non-carinated, with anterior and posterior margins only slightly notched medially, transversally cut by 3 deep sulci. Dorsally marked by distinctive dark annular area that is surrounded by cream yellowish bands and hues of black. The combination of dark and light bands as well as the amount of green and black on the pronotal side varies among the species. Posterior pronotal disk markedly pitted, continuing the pattern of the Tegmina which show marked venation.Wings: tegmina rounded in outline, slightly longer than pronotum, and with surface markedly reticular. Colored reddish pink with some black on posterior edges in five of the species, while completely green with some black on posterior edges in T. luquillensis . Most commonly not overlapping on dorsum midline. Abdomen: Tympanum present, covered by the tegmina. Posterior segments markedly bulging in relation to middle portion. Male furculae cylindrical, heavily sclerotized and exaggeratedly long, elevating together from dorsum of tenth abdominal segment, flattening anteroposteriorly and widening on top. Legs: Hind tibia blue, slightly shorter than bright green hind femora. Posterior tarsi long and reddish. External genitalia: Supraanal plate (epiproct) pentagonal, somewhat flattened and with irregular surface, terminated by a widely tipped area. Cerci short and conically simple, thick and slightly flattened laterally, not surpassing the rounded abdominal end.Internal genitalia: See Figs. 10­21 .

Female. Larger and more robust than males (18 ­ 22 mm). General coloration very similar to that of males. Annular mark on pronotum also present. Tenth abdominal segment without furculae. Valves of ovipositor short, with very small teeth. Subgenital plate trilobed ( Fig. 8 D).

Etymology.— Tergoceracris , is a masculine name that combines tergum = abdominal segment, ceros = horn and acris = grasshopper, to designate the grasshopper with elongated structures on the abdominal tergites.

Type species.— Tergoceracris ocampensis n.sp.

Figures

FIGURE 4. Dorsal view of pronotum in T. ocampensis showing annular mark characteristic of the genus.

FIGURE 8. Ovipositors of; A, T. ocampensis; B, T. ebanoverde, and C, T. guajataca. D, female subgenital plate of T. ebanoverde (other species are similar).

FIGURE 10. Genitalia complex of T. ocampensis. A, B, entire complex (epiphallus removed) showing lateral and dorsal views. C, D, epiphallus showing dorsal and posterior views. Abbreviations: bpf, basal phallic fold; ls, lateralsclerite of basal phallic fold; apc, apodeme of cingulum; ap, anteriorplate of epiphallus; lo, lophi of epiphallus; en, endophallic plate.

FIGURE 11. Genitalia complex of T. ocampensis. A, B, C, genitalia with epiphallus and basal phallic fold removed (lateral, dorsal, and ventralviews). D, E, F, genitalia with cingulum removed. bpf, basal phallic fold; ls, lateral sclerite of basal phallic fold; apc, apodeme of cingulum; sh, sheath of aedeagus; rc, ramus of cingulum; gp, gonopore plate; en, endophallic plate; ejs, ejaculatory sac; a, arch of aedeagus; dv, dorsalvalve of aedeagus; vv, ventral valve ofaedeagus.

FIGURE 12. Genitalia complex of T. ebanoverde. A, B, entire complex (with epiphallus removed) showing lateral and dorsal views. C, D, epipallus showing dorsal and rear views.

FIGURE 13. Genitalia complex of T. ebanoverde. A, B, C, genitalia with epiphallus and basal phallic fold removed (lateral, dorsal, and ventral views). D, E, F, genitalia with cingulum removed.

FIGURE 14. Genitalia complex of T. guajataca. A, B, entire complex (with epiphallus removed) showing lateral and dorsal views. C, D, epiphallus showing dorsal and posterior views.

FIGURE 15. Genitalia complex of T. guajataca. A, B, C, genitalia with epiphallus and basal phallic fold removed (lateral, dorsal, and ventral views). D, E, F, genitalia with cingulum removed.

FIGURE 16. Genitalia complex of T. cerropunta. A, B, entire complex (with epiphallus removed) showing lateral and dorsal views. C, D, epiphallus showing dorsal and posterior views.

FIGURE 17. Genitalia complex of T. cerropunta. A, B, C, genitalia with epiphallus and basal phallic fold removed (lateral, dorsal, and ventral views). D, E, F, genitalia with cingulum removed.

FIGURE 18. Genitalia complex of T. cayay. A, B, entire complex (with epiphallus removed) showing lateral and dorsal views. C, D, epiphallus showing dorsal and posterior views.

FIGURE 19. Genitalia complex of T. cayay. A, B, C, genitalia with epiphallus and basal phallic fold removed (lateral, dorsal, and ventral views). D, E, F, genitalia with cingulum removed.

FIGURE 20. Genitalia complex of T. luquillensis. A, B, entire complex (with epiphallus removed) showing lateral and dorsal views. C, D, epiphallus showing dorsal and posterior views.

FIGURE 21. Genitalia complex of T. luquillensis. A, B, C, genitalia with epiphallus and basal phallic fold removed (lateral, dorsal, and ventral views). D, E, F, genitalia with cingulum removed.