Maeacris Ronderos, 1983

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 : 531

Genus Maeacris Ronderos, 1983

TYPE SPECIES. — Maeacris aptera Ronderos, 1983

DISTRIBUTION. — Peru, Junín, Lima (Cerro de Pasco) and Ancash departments in high-altitude puna grassland areas (see geographic distribution in OSF).

The genus Maeacris was described by Ronderos (1983) who included only one species, M. aptera , from the “Abra de Anticona”, Junín, Peru.

DIAGNOSIS. — Among Jivarini , Maeacris is characterized by the hind tibiae with the external apical spine reduced or absent.

REDESCRIPTION

Small sized apterous insects. Head conical with subtrigonal, flat eyes; face slanted; fastigium slightly prominent, weakly grooved dorsally, and rounded at the joint of frontal costa ( Figs 2A, B, E, F ; 5A, B ). Antennae short, with flattened segments. Midlongitudinal carina indicated on pronotal disk and on dorsum of abdomen. Pronotal disk short, trapezoidal with lateral carinae weakly indicated all throughout; hind margin emarginated ( Figs 2B, E ). Transverse sulci only indicated on lateral lobes ( Figs 2A, F ; 5A, B ). Prosternum with lamelliform process. Hind femur robust ( Figs 2A ; 5A, B ). Apical external spine of hind tibiae when present extremely reduced. Male subgenital plate short, with blunt apex, open dorsally ( Fig. 2A, C ). Epiproct with triangular apex, with mid longitudinal sulcus. Furculae prominent ( Fig. 2C ). Male cerci tapering towards the compressed distal portion; apex rounded ( Fig. 2D ). Phallic complex ( Figs 2 G-U; 6): ectophalic membrane with plastron; cingulum with large zygoma, apodemes with the tips downcurved, rami short, arch well developed; valves of aedeagus upcurved, with triangular sclerotized apex in ventral view or straight; sheath of aedeagus wide, bilobed. Epiphallus with lophi widely developed, obliquely placed in relation to the bridge; ancorae fingerlike.

Figures

FIG. 2. — A-K, Maeacris chilikuti 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-U, phallic complex of Maeacris, species as indicated;G, L, Q, endophallic plates,cingulum and aedeagal valves with sheath,lateral view;H, M, R, endophallic plates, cingulum and aedeagal valves with sheath, dorsal view; I, N, S, distal portion of aedeagus and aedeagal valves, ventral view; J, K, O, P, T, U, epiphallus, dorsal and lateral view. Scale bars: 1 mm.

FIG. 5. — Maeacris chilikuti n. sp.: A, male habitus, lateral view; B, female habitus, lateral view. Scale bars: 5 mm.