Huaylasacris, Cigliano & Pocco & Lange, 2011

Cigliano, María Marta, Pocco, Martina E. & Lange, Carlos E., 2011, Grasshoppers of the Andes: new Melanoplinae and Gomphocerinae taxa (Insecta, Orthoptera, Acrididae) from Huascarán National Park and Callejón de Huaylas, Ancash, Peru, Zoosystema 33 (4), pp. 523-544 : 535-537

Genus Huaylasacris n. gen.

TYPE SPECIES. — Huaylasacris maxicerci n. gen., n. sp.

ETYMOLOGY.— Huaylasacris n. gen. referring to the Callejón de Huaylas; akris (Greek): locust, grasshoppers.

DISTRIBUTION. — Peru, Ancash (see geographic distribution in OSF).

DIAGNOSIS. — Easily identified from any other genera of Dichroplini by the unique shape of the male cerci widely developed, embracing the paraprocts ( Fig. 3C, D ) and the large lophi of the epiphallus ( Figs 3I ; 7E ).

DESCRIPTION

Males

Small sized brachypterous insects. Head sub-globose, with fastigium slightly declivent with lateral carinae evident; face subvertical. Antennae filiform; eyes sub-circular ( Figs 3A ; 7A ). Prosternum with wide triangular process (spur throated). Pronotum short, without lateral carinae; transverse sulci indicated on disk; mid-longitudinal carina not indicated on pronotum; hind margin emarginated ( Fig. 3B, E ). Tegmina lobiform, with rounded apex, barely reaching the third abdominal segment. Legs with femora robust, specially the hind one ( Fig. 3A ). Subgenital plate ( Fig. 3C, D ) very short, with dorsal margin openly rounded; pallium thick with internal lobes reduced. Epiproct triangular with rounded apex, with deep mid-longitudinal sulcus on proximal area. Furculae very short ( Fig.3C ). Cerci widely developed, embracing the paraprocts, apex blunt, with a notch ( Fig. 3C, D ). Phallic complex ( Figs 3 G-L; 7C-E) with epiphallus large, highly developed lophi, bridge narrow. Cingulum capsule like with long rami, wide apodemes and widely developed zygoma. Valves of aedeagus short and straight, arch of cingulum developed; sheath of aedeagus bilobed.

Females

Similar to males with pronotum constricted at the middle ( Fig.3E ); eyes subtrigonal ( Fig.3F ); ovipositor valves short and robust with acute apex ( Fig. 7B ).

RELATIONSHIPS

Based on the characteristics of the external morphology and phallic complex, Huaylasacris n. gen. seems to be related to the Dichroplini genus Chibchacris Hebard, 1923 from which it is distinguished by the shape of the tegmina not touching each other dorsally, the pronotum with hind margin emarginate, male cerci embracing the paraprocts and differences in the phallic complex.

Huaylasacris maxicerci n. gen., n. sp. ( Figs 3 A-L; 7; 10)

TYPE MATERIAL. — Peru. Ancash, Callejón de Huaylas, Yungay, road to Pque. Nac. Huascaran, 17 km W Lagunas Llanganuco, 3379 m, 09°06’26.0”S, 77°41’16.2”W, 12. V.2004, Cigliano & Lange, holotype ♂, allotype ♀, MLPA.

PARATYPES. — Peru. Ancash, Cordillera Huayhuash, 1 km E detour Chiquian, 4305 m, 10°05’33.0”S, 77°10’57.4”W, 15. V.2004, Cigliano & Lange, 3 ♂♂, 3 ♀♀ ( MNHN), 10 ♂♂, 15 ♀♀ ( MLPA). — Ancash, Pque. Nac. Huascarán, Laguna Querococha on roado to Chavin, 4168 m, 09°43’06.3”S, 77°18’55.2”W, 15. V.2004, Cigliano & Lange, 1 ♂ ( MLPA). — Ancash, Callejon de Huaylas, Yungay, on road to Pque. Nac. Huascaran, 17 km W Lagunas Llanganuco, 3379 m, 09°06’26.0”S, 77°41’16.2”W, 12. V.2004, Cigliano & Lange, 2 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀ ( MNHN), 6 ♂♂, 10 ♀♀ ( MLPA). — Ancash, Callejon de Huaylas, Conococha, 4146 m, 10°07’42.2”S, 77°17’52.7”W, 11. V.2004, Cigliano & Lange, 1 ♂, 1 ♀ ( MLPA). — Ancash, Callejón de Huaylas, 7 km S Huaraz, 3182 m, 09°36’17.5’’S, 77°30’33.8’’W, 23.II.2008, Cigliano & Lange, 1♂ ( MLPA). — Ancash, 4 km detour to Chiquian, 4062 m, 10°06’32.1”S, 77°11’08.9”W, 15. V.2004, Cigliano & Lange, 2 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀ ( MNHN), 8 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀ ( MLPA).

OTHER MATERIAL EXAMINED. — Peru. Ancash, Callejón de Huaylas, 7 km S Huaraz, 3182 m, 09°36’17.5’’S, 77°30’33.8’’W, 23.II.2008, Cigliano & Lange, 15♂♂, 16 nymphs (MLPA). — Ancash, 4 km detour to Chiquian, 4062 m, 10°06’32.1”S, 77°11’08.9”W, 15.V.2004, Cigliano & Lange, 2 ♂♂, 4 ♀♀ (MLPA). — Ancash, Cordillera Huayhuash, 1 km E detour Chiquian, 4305 m, 10°05’33.0”S, 77°10’57.4”W, 15.V.2004, Cigliano & Lange, 4 ♂♂, 3 ♀♀ (MLPA). — Ancash, Callejon de Huaylas, Conococha, 4146 m, 10°07’42.2”S, 77°17’52.7”W, 11.V.2004, Cigliano & Lange, 11 ♂♂, 8 ♀♀ (MLPA). — Ancash, Callejon de Huaylas, Yungay, on road to Pque. Nac. Huascaran, 17 km W Lagunas Llanganuco, 3379 m, 09°06’26.0”S, 77°41’16.2”W, 12.V.2004, Cigliano & Lange, 1 ♂, 4 ♀♀ (MLPA). — Ancash, Pque. Nac. Huascarán, Laguna Querococha on road to Chavin, 4168 m, 09°43’06.3”S, 77°18’55.2”W, 15.V.2004, Cigliano & Lange, 6 ♂♂, 4 ♀♀ (MLPA).

TYPE LOCALITY. — Peru. Ancash, Callejón de Huaylas, Yungay, road to Pque. Nac. Huascaran, 17 km W Lagunas Llanganuco, 3379 m, 09°06’26.0”S 77°41’16.2”W.

ETYMOLOGY. — “Maximus” (Greek), greatest; referring to the large size of the male cercus.

DISTRIBUTION. — Peru, Ancash ( Fig. 10 ).

HABITAT. — In puna grassland areas with a resilient mat of high grass and tussock species of Festuca , Calamagrostis and Stipa with occasional islands of scrubby elfin woodland of Polylepis (queñua) and along the grassland valleys in areas with traditional subsistence farming.

DIAGNOSIS. — Male cerci widely developed, embracing the paraprocts, apex blunt, with a notch ( Fig. 3C,D ). Phallic complex with epiphallus large with highly developed lophi ( Fig. 3I, J ).

DESCRIPTION

Males

In addition to the features of the genus, body ground colour green, chestnut or burgundy with a wide cream mid-longitudinal dorsal stripe on the abdomen, on some specimens this stripe continues on the pronotum.Tegmina with mid-dorsal portion cream. Hind femur with the dorsal marginal area cream, ventral marginal area yellow. Venter of abdomen yellow or burgundy or bright orange. Hind tibiae orange or purple.

Measurements (in mm): body length to end of hind femur: 12.5 (11.5-13.5); hind femur length: 7.41 (6.8-8).

Females

Similar to males ( Figs 3E, F ; 7B ), body ground colour mostly chestnut or burgundy with a whitish stripe on dorsum of body occurring as in males. Pronotum constricted at the middle; eyes sub-trigonal; oviposi - tor valves short and robust with acute apex.

Measurements (in mm): body length to end of hind femur: 16.01 (15-18); hind femur length: 10 (8.7-11.5).

Figures

FIG. 3. — Huaylasacris maxicerci n. gen., n. sp.: A, male habitus, lateral view; B, male head and pronotum, dorsal view; C, D, male distal abdominal segments, dorsal and lateral views; E, F, female head and pronotum, dorsal and lateral views; G, phallic complex, lateral view; H, K, endophallic plates, cingulum and aedeagal valves with sheath, dorsal and lateral views; I, J, epiphallus, dorsal and lateral views; L, distal portion of aedeagus and aedeagal valves, ventral view. Scale bars: 1 mm.

FIG. 7. — Huaylasacris maxicerci n. gen, n. sp.: A, male habitus, lateral view; B, female habitus, lateral view; C, D, endophallic plates, cingulum and aedeagal valves with sheath, lateral and dorsal views; E, epiphallus, dorsal view. Scale bars: 5 mm.

FIG. 10. — Geographic distribution of species collected in this study: Huaylasacris maxicerci n. gen., n. sp. (□); Maeacris ayasqa n. sp. (■); M. chilikuti n. sp.(△); M. saytu n. sp.(▲); Orphulella chumpi n. sp.(☆); Pediella ancashensis Cigliano, Amédégnato,Pocco & Lange, 2010 (★); Trimerotropis andeana Rehn, 1939 (◇); Tiyantiyana sunipenis n. gen., n. sp. (◆).