Melanoplus spiracor Woller, 2025, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Woller, Derek A.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2025
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Orthoptera
Acrididae
Melanoplus
Melanoplus spiracor

description: Melanoplus spiracor sp. nov. Woller and Kelly
(Figs. 1, 2B, 4A, 5C & D, 9–11)
General Description
A full list of unique anatomical components that separate this species from the other two new ones described here are found in Table 3. However, the primary character that separates this species from all other congeneric species is the shape of its ventral valves of aedeagus (see Fig. 15 for a comparison of all three new species), which, in dorsal view, resemble the shape of a triangle with a rounded base or a Hershey’s Kiss chocolate, while, in lateral view, they resemble a mesmerizing, spiraling version of the classic artistic heart shape (the origin of its name, see Etymology section). Described from 99 specimens total (adult male holotype, adult female allotype, and 97 paratypes): 44 males, 36 females, 13 nymphs, and 6 copulating pairs.
Detailed Description
Note that the descriptions for each body region below are for adults of both sexes unless otherwise noted.
General Body Coloration (Figs. 5C & D, 9): Males light brown-yellowish (medium to light brown in females), often with some lateral black striping and scattered splashes of black (less-so in females), although darker or mottled variations exist; in males, integument of pronotum’s dorsum, tegmina, and anterior abdominal areas tend to be slightly darker.
Head, Pronotum, and Thorax (Figs. 5C & D, 9): Antennae filiform and composed of 22 segments. Fastigium not overly pronounced, eyes very prominent and of variable coloration: usually yellow, red, brown, or a combination of these. Median carina obvious and raised slightly, intersected by three obvious sulci, one within the prozona’s posterior portion and the other two continuing on from the lateral sulci that delimit the meso/metazona. Prosternal process subconical and prominent, often extending ventrally enough to be in line with the sternum. This stripe then often continues on through the metazona, although at the same width or, more narrowly, along the dorsolateral edge, and crosses over onto the pleurites, either fully or partially (splotches), and then onto the abdomen after passing behind the tegmina. An often-faint, thin black stripe emerges from just behind the midpoint of the eye and crosses onto the lateral sides of the pronotum where it darkens greatly and initially doubles in width, almost reaching the anteroventral edge, and then immediately narrows again diagonally, ending at approximately the same width it began and usually at the posterior edge of the mesozona, although occasional bleeding-over into dorsolateral region of the metazona or, more rarely, at same full width across metazona. When viewed in isolation, the pronotal stripe roughly resembles a right-angled trapezoid (the right angle being the anterodorsal corner of the prozona). This black stripe (now more abstract and less stripe-like) emerges again at its full width on the pleurites just beyond the pronotum, passes behind the tegmen, and extends onto the abdomen. In females, the overall striping is less common and less obvious in general, particularly behind the eye (when present, most obvious on the pronotum).
Abdomen, Tegmina, Legs (Figs. 5C & D, 9): Both sides of abdomen’s anterior regions with the black stripe-like pattern that began on the thorax and head, typically ending at the posterior edge of tergite 2, with occasional black splashes beyond, mostly on tergites 3 and 4, and mostly on the anterior or posterior edges. In females, this pattern is less common and less obvious overall. Tegmina appear narrow, being moderately compressed dorsoventrally, and most often reaching at least the first quarter of tergite 2; covered in dense, raised reticulations. Fore and midfemora (most common) with occasional black splotches, mainly on dorsal side; hind femora quite variable, with assorted black splotches on dorsal side (almost always fewer in size and number compared to midfemora) and/or, rarely, along the medial area. In females, outer ventral edge of hind femora often a vivid yellow or, more rarely, reddish. Hind tibiae ventral coloration most often yellowish in males, matching rest of leg, but also occasionally muted purple, which can be faint (most common) or strong (quite rare); in females, yellowish-brown, sometimes with a hint of muted purple.
Terminalia:
Male, external (Fig. 10A &B): Furculae short and rounded strongly at apices. Supra-anal plate triangular to subtriangular with rounded apex and shallow, median groove that extends apically for approximately 1/3 to 1/2 the total length. Cerci shape approximately twice as wide at the base and tapering gently upwards towards a rounded apex, often coming short of reaching the apex of the supra-anal plate. Subgenital plate, semi-conical with a rounded apex in posterior view; pallium embedded slightly beneath inner edge.
Male, internal phallic complex (Fig. 10C–K): Overall, typical for a melanopline, particularly Puer Group sensu lato species, with the unique characters described below for the epiphallus, ectophallus, and endophallus, many of which are shared by M. amphora sp. nov. and M. ferrarius sp. nov., with the sheath of aedeagus and ventral valves of aedeagus being the two most unique structures for each of the three species (Fig. 15, Table 3):
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Epiphallus (Fig. 10J & K): Ancorae subtriangular, relatively elongate, bent slightly ventrally, and curving slightly inwards; lophi prominent, subrectangular, fairly narrow (laterally compressed), and covered in raised microstructures; anterior projections generally rounded with no defined shape; posterior projections, in dorsal view, either obscured by the lophi or slightly extending beyond posterior edges of lophi.
Ectophallus (Fig. 10C–F): Apodemes of cingulum elongate and zygoma shelf-like, meaning both resemble all other Puer Group species. Rami prominent, extending posteriorly at about a 45° angle and curving inwards slightly, with final 1/3 rd bent at a 90° angle that curves slightly upwards and usually running parallel to the ventral valves of aedeagus, terminating at approximately the midpoint of the valves or beyond, and tapering to a fairly sharp apex; when viewed laterally, the ramus resembles an upside-down scythe. Sheath of aedeagus taking the form of two halves that do not meet, each consisting of an apical lobe that arises from the apical, “scythe blade” region of the rami, which extends dorsally at a 45° angle, and usually terminates slightly beyond the dorsum of the ventral valves. These lobes are oblong in shape, laterally compressed strongly, and with the rounded apices enlarged to some degree and flared outwards strongly; covered in raised microstructures.
Endophallus (Fig. 10G–I): Apodemes of endophallus large and rounded like all other Puer Group species; arch of aedeagus well-developed. Dorsal valves of aedeagus do not meet flexures, are about 1/3 the length of ventral valves, with basal ½ more robust, and fused and fairly flat for almost entire length except for final ¼ (often ephemeral and very difficult to see), which has a y-shaped cleft, each half terminating bluntly near the apices of the lobes of the sheath of aedeagus. Ventral valves of aedeagus meet flexures, are thrice as long as the dorsal valves, with basal third more robust, and the remaining 2/3 forming a unique rigid pattern. When viewed dorsally (with valve apices oriented north, see Fig. 10H), the general pattern is as follows: each valve undergoes a single, tight corkscrew (right valve spirals counterclockwise, left valve spirals clockwise) that then immediately bends strongly outwards, either just beneath the lobes of the sheath of aedeagus or just beyond them; if the former condition, observing the telltale corkscrews can be difficult without KOH-clearing and can still be difficult even then without moving aside the lobes, but the effect can be seen well in posterior view (Fig. 10 I-1) or in dried, pre-KOH-cleared specimens (Fig. 10D). The final 1/4 th of each valve (the only portion often seen clearly in specimens due to the afore-mentioned lobe-obscurement) curves gently inwards until their apices are almost touching, usually for a relatively short distance; overall, the dorsal shape resembles either a triangle with a rounded base or a Hershey’s Kiss chocolate. When viewed laterally, the corkscrews (obscured by lobes or not) are essentially invisible (dry specimens being a possible exception) and the valves (just beyond the corkscrew) look like they curve downwards about 45° to about the midpoint of the lobes of the sheath of aedeagus, after which they bend almost 90° and extend posteriorly for a short distance; overall, the two valves are fairly parallel and line up well in lateral view. When viewed posteriorly, the apices of the ventral valves resemble a mesmerizing, spiraling version of the classic artistic heart shape (Fig. 10 I-2).
Female, external (Fig. 11A & B): Supra-anal plate subtriangular; cerci relatively small and subconical, not extending beyond posterior edges of paraprocts; subgenital plate similar in appearance to abdominal sternites. In lateral view, dorsal valves of ovipositor curved deeply upwards while ventral valves of ovipositor moderately curved downwards with small tooth at anteroventral edge, thus resembling a shallow claw.
Male measurements (in mm) (n = 11, including holotype): Body length 9.29–12.86 (average 10.88 ± 1.03); pronotum length 2.43–2.86 (average 2.62 ± 0.11); pronotum width 1.86–2.14 (average 1.99 ± 0.10); tegmina length 1.71–2.71 (average 2.06 ± 0.26); and hind femur length 6.43–7.43 (average 7.10 ± 0.31).
Female measurements (in mm) (n = 11, including allotype): Body length 11.86–17.86 (average 15.04 ± 1.66); pronotum length 2.86–3.86 (average 3.44 ± 0.278); pronotum width 2.71–3.57 (average 3.16 ± 0.31); tegmina length 1.71–3.00 (average 2.44 ± 0.38); and hind femur length 7.57–9.71 (average 8.91 ± 0.61).
Geographic Distribution (Fig. 1): This species is currently only known from a small region of southwestern Florida across three counties: Hillsborough, Manatee, and Sarasota, all of which are along the west coast. The nearest ridge of note is Lakeland Ridge, which is ~ 48.28 km (30 miles) northeast of the most eastward location for this species. No other Puer Group sensu lato or Puer Group sensu stricto species are yet known to overlap with this species. The closest one is M. seminole Hubbell, 1932, which is to the south and east (Fig. 1B), and strongly resembles this new species, especially the internal genitalia (Fig. 16, Table 4).
Known Habitat (Fig. 4A): Collected from sandhills habitat as well as sparse pine flatwoods habitat containing a mix of oaks (Quercus spp.), both overgrown and scrubby, and interspersed with swaths of saw palmetto (S. repens). All specimens collected by DAW and colleagues (Table 2) were in scrubby oaks.
Etymology: M. spiracor sp. nov. is named after a combination of the Latin words for “coil” (spira) and “heart” (cor) because its ventral valves of aedeagus in posterior view strongly resemble a mesmerizing, spiraling version of the classic artistic heart shape (Fig. 10I).
Holotype: Male (Fig. 9A & B). U.S.A.: FL: Brevard Co.: Hillsborough Co., Little Manatee River State Park, 5 miles S. of Sun City, on both sides of trail slightly NE of park entrance off of Lightfoot Rd., [27.658500, -82.374083] (Figs. 2B, 4A), 27-III-2013, coll. D.A. Woller & S.L. Kelly, Field #PG121-1-A, unusual habitat - resembles pine flatwoods with more oaks than pines, following up on a Hubbell lead. Deposited in the UCFC with the unique identifier UCFC 0 577 316. Measurements (mm): Body length 10.00; pronotum length 2.43; pronotum width 2.00; tegmina length 1.71; and hind femur length 6.57.
Allotype: Female (Fig. 9C & D). Same locality info as holotype (Figs. 2B, 4A). Deposited in the UCFC with the unique identifier UCFC 0 577 318. Measurements (mm): Body length 13.71; pronotum length 3.29; pronotum width 2.71; tegmina length 2.29; and hind femur length 8.71.
Additional Type Material: 97 paratypes: 43 males, 35 females, 13 nymphs, 3 copulating pairs. See Table 2 for locality details and other information.
description: Published as part of Woller, Derek A., 2025, Three new grasshopper species in the Florida Melanoplus Puer group (Orthoptera: Acrididae: Melanoplinae), pp. 269-307 in Zootaxa 5631 (2) on pages 290-297, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5631.2.3, http://zenodo.org/record/15370580