Melanoplus balcones, Hill, 2023

Hill, JoVonn G., 2023, Diversification deep in the heart of Texas: seven new grasshopper species and establishment of the Melanoplus discolor species group (Orthoptera, Acrididae, Melanoplinae), ZooKeys 1165, pp. 101-136 : 101

publication ID

https://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1165.104047

publication LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:pub:0F260E39-BDA6-4243-85AB-BCBF6D8F8D0D

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/91E030AE-061E-4762-92C8-62ABDCB30F93

taxon LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:act:91E030AE-061E-4762-92C8-62ABDCB30F93

treatment provided by

ZooKeys by Pensoft

scientific name

Melanoplus balcones
status

sp. nov.

Melanoplus balcones sp. nov.

Figs 2F View Figure 2 , 3I View Figure 3 , 4I View Figure 4 , 9A-J View Figure 9 , 14 View Figure 14 , 19 View Figure 19

Type material.

Holotype: 1♂, USA, TEXAS, Travis Co., 5.7 mi NW Lago Vista, 30.5041, -98.0678, 23 July 2021, J.G. Hill; Collected in live oak savanna and diverse grassland. Deposited in the Mississippi Entomological Museum.

Other specimens examined.

Texas: Travis Co., 5.7 mi NW Lago Vista, 30.5041, -98.0678, 23 July 2021, J.G. Hill (2♂) GoogleMaps .

Diagnosis.

Male cerci that are broadly falcate (Figs 2F View Figure 2 , 9A, B View Figure 9 ), and the internal male genitalia with the aedeagal sheath that does not project to the distal edge dorsal valves. Dorsal valves are thin plates that have a caudal margin that is perpendicular to the sheath and then slopes downward apically to point, and are produced laterally to the ventral valves, giving the aedeagus a narrow or thin appearance in caudal or dorsal views (Figs 3I View Figure 3 , 4I View Figure 4 ). The ventral valves are slightly shorter than the dorsal valves (Fig. 9F View Figure 9 ). Most similar to M. kendalli and M. susdentatus , but M. balcones is easily separated from M. kendalli by having an aedeagal sheath that does not reach the distal margin of the dorsal valves and the shape of dorsal valves (Fig. 9C-G View Figure 9 ), and from M. susdentatus by the longer, more arching dorsal aedeagus valves found in that species (Fig. 8C-G View Figure 8 ).

Male measurements.

(mm): (n = 3) Body length 19.4-20.6 (mean = 20); pronotum length 4.0-4.6 (mean = 4.3); tegmen length 4.0-4.6 (mean = 4.3); hind femur length 10.6-11.2 (mean = 10.9); cerci length 0.8-0.9 (mean = 0.9); basal width of cercus 0.6-0.7 (mean = 0.7); mid-cercal width 0.4-0.6 (mean = 0.5); cerci apex width 0.3 (mean = 0.3).

Habitat.

Live oak savanna or juniper oak savanna (Fig. 19A-C View Figure 19 ).

Distribution.

East central Balcones Escarpment in the vicinity of Travis County (Fig. 14 View Figure 14 ).

Etymology.

Named after the Balcones Canyonlands and Escarpment where this species is endemic.

Suggested common name.

Balcones pouncer.

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Insecta

Order

Orthoptera

Family

Acrididae

Genus

Melanoplus