Agroecotettix Bruner 1908
Creators: name: Hill, JoVonn G.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2024
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Orthoptera
Acrididae
Agroecotettix

description: Agroecotettix Bruner 1908
Diagnosis.
A genus of medium-sized (18–31.1 mm) brachypterous grasshoppers (Fig. 1). Head large and as broad or slightly broader than the prozona; vertex between the eyes slightly wider than the basal antennomere; fastigium broadly rounded being more pronounced dorsally than ventrally, with a shallow medial depression throughout. Eyes somewhat prominent, especially in males. Three ocelli present. Antennae filiform, usually with 23 flagellomeres, but occasionally 24 or 25; nearly cylindrical, but slightly flattened dorso-ventrally; equal in width throughout, except two basal articles. Thorax with prosternal spine well-developed; subquadrate basally and acutely pointed distally. Pronotum slightly convex, anterior and caudal margins sub-truncate, lateral margins sub parallel. Prozona mostly smooth, with light punctation along the apical margin, then smooth throughout; lateral lobes quadrate (more so in females) with parallel lateral margins and the ventral margin sloping ventrally caudally. Metazona punctate throughout, with humeral margins rounded, slightly diverging posteriorly in dorsal view. Median carina low, but distinct throughout, except where the sulci cross it. Anterior, median, and posterior sulci are apparent due to their black coloration, and all dissect the median carina and nearly reach the ventral margin of the lateral lobes. Lateral pronotal margins broadly rounded on the prozona and slightly angular on the metazona. Interspace between mesosternal lobes nearly twice as long as broad. Tegmina broadly oval; dorsal margins only slightly separated dorsally; strongly veined; extending little past the anterior margin of the first abdominal tergite. Pro and meso thoracic legs robust, inflated, and bowed. Hind femur enlarged with basal end bi-lobed. Hind tibia with 11 or 12 pairs of spines, but typically 11. Tympanum present under tegmina, appearing as an opaque whitish disk. Abdomen cylindrical with distal portion distinctly, but not greatly enlarged. Terminalia of male with bifurcate cerci (Figs 2 A – T, 3 A, B), longer than wide, but the length and angle of the branches varies between species, the dorsal branch is rounded distally and flattened ventrally, the ventral branch is produced as straight and slender spike. Subgenital plate with a low but even margin. Furcula (Fig. 3 A) typically broadly rounded protuberances, projecting slightly beyond the end of the segment from which they originate; well separated. Supra-anal plate (Fig. 3 A, B) of male broadly triangular, length equal to the width of the base, with the median groove anteriorly distinct with elevated sides that fade caudally; with a small median tubercule lateral to the groove. Pallium evident, sometimes prominent (Fig. 7 B) and covering the dorsally projecting internal genitalia. Phallic structures (Fig. 3 C – F). The valves of the aedeagus are quite variable between species, but in Agroecotettix the dorsal and ventral valves appear to be fused into a single structure that when paired bilaterally form a central channel. In the aristus group, the sheath of the aedeagus is produced as thickened, fleshy projections on the dorsal side of the valves (Figs 4 A – F, 5 A – F). The valves in the aristus group are entire in lateral profile (Fig. 5 A – F). In the crypsidomus group, the sheath of the aedeagus is produced as thin projections on the dorsal side of the valves (Figs 4 G – R, 5 G – R). The valves of most species in the crypsidomus group are often lobate or undulate in lateral profile, though some are entire (Fig. 5 G – R). The epiphallus is of the typical melanoploid shape, having lophi, ancorae, and an undivided bridge, but more precisely, members of Agroecotettix have a concave bridge, broadly rounded lophi, convexly curved lateral plates that are subdeltate in shape with a rounded anterior lobe and an acuminate caudal tip, and ancorae that are triangular, often tapering to a point (Fig. 3 C, D).
Females are similar to the males, but differ in being larger, more robust, with proportionately broader tegmina, and in the shape of the terminalia (Figs 1 B, 6, 15 C, E, 16 D, 17 E, F, 18 G, H, 19 D, 21 C). Terminalia of female with triangular cerci and ovipositor valves that are subequal in length. The dorsal valves with their dorsum being nodose to slightly serrate proximally and concave and upcurving to a tip distally. The ventral valves with their ventral margins straight basally and then arching distally (Fig. 6).
Coloration.
Ochraceous (brownish yellow) overall, with individual variation that can be either a tawny or cinereous hue (see Figs 26 – 35), with a conspicuous round, lighter tawny spot laterad on the metathorax near the bast of the tegmina. Head with black markings, including a band along the dorsum, flecks on the genae and a post-ocular stripe. Pronotum with the post-ocular stripe continuing onto the prozona and mesosoma and then disappearing on the metazona; median carinae and sulci black. The wings are dark brown with a network of ochraceous veins. Abdomen with proximal tergites suffused with black spots. Ventral surface of the body pale with black sutures between the sternites. Male subgenital plate with a medial black spot. The fore and middle legs unmarked. The hind femur with two thick transverse bands laterally and suffused with black dorsally; genicular area black with ochraceous lobes; inner face bright yellow, and coral-red ventrally and crossed by black bands distally. Hind tibia with the first third ochraceous proximally, then with a ring of black, remaining two-thirds bright coral red with black tipped spines.
Etymology.
Agro Latin = open country, eco Greek home, tettix Greek grasshopper.
Suggested common name.
Aridland scrub jumpers. In reference to the arid habitat and plant community in which these grasshoppers are found.
Agroecotettix superficially resemble Phaulotettix, but can be differentiated as follows:
Agroecotettix
Tegmina broad and oval; attingent, nearly touching dorsally
Metathorax with a pale-colored spot
Cerci bifurcated
Hind tibia gray or yellow proximately, turning bright red distally
Inside of hind femur red
Furculae short and broad, and well separated from each other
Phaulotettix
Tegmina linear; their dorsal margins widely separated dorsally
Metathorax with a pale-colored stripe
Cerci falcate, simple
Hind tibia blue proximately, turning red distally
Inside of hind femur not red
Furculae short, obvious, linear; attingent or touching
Key to Agroecotettix
Agroecotettix species checklist
Incertae sedis
1. Agroecotettix modestus Brunner, 1908, stat. nov. — Figs 6, 25
A. aristus group
2. Agroecotettix silverheelsi sp. nov. — Figs 2 B, 4 A, 5 A, 7 A – J, 23 A – C, 25, 26 A
3. Agroecotettix aristus Hebard, 1922, stat. nov. — Figs 2 A, 4 B, 5 B, 8 A – J, 25, 26 A, 28 A – E, 29 A – E
4. Agroecotettix xiphophorus sp. nov. — Figs 2 C, D, 4 C, 5 C, 9 A – J, 25, 26 B
5. Agroecotettix glochinos sp. nov. — Figs 4 D, 5 D, 10 A – J, 25, 26 B
6. Agroecotettix texmex sp. nov. — Figs 2 E, 4 E, 5 E, 11 A – J, 25, 26 B
7. Agroecotettix cumbres sp. nov. — Figs 2 F, 4 F, 5 F, 12 A – J, 25, 26 B
A. crypsidomus group
8. Agroecotettix crypsidomus Hebard, 1922, stat. nov. — Figs 2 G, 4 G, 5 G, 13 A – J, 25, 26 A, 31 A – F
9. Agroecotettix burtoni sp. nov. — Figs 2 J, 4 H, 5 H, 14 A – J, 25, 26 A, 31 A – D
10. Agroecotettix moorei sp. nov. — Figs 2 M, 4 I, 5 I, 15 A – J, 25, 26 A, 32 A – D
11. Agroecotettix chiantiensis sp. nov. — Figs 2 N, 4 J, 5 J, 16 A – J, 25, 26 A, 33 A – C
12. Agroecotettix dorni sp. nov. — Figs 2 I, 4 M, 5 M, 17 A – J, 25, 26 A, 34 A – D
13. Agroecotettix chisosensis sp. nov. — Figs 2 H, 4 N, 5 N, 18 A – J, 25, 26 A, 36 A – E
14. Agroecotettix turneri sp. nov. — Figs 2 K, 4 K, 5 K, 19 A – J, 25, 26 A, 36 A – D
15. Agroecotettix quitmanensis sp. nov. — Figs 2 L, 4 P, 5 P, 20 A – J, 25, 26 A
16. Agroecotettix vaquero sp. nov. — Figs 2 T, 4 P, 5 P, 21 A – J, 25
17. Agroecotettix forcipatus sp. nov. — Figs 2 O, 4 O, 5 O, 22 A – J, 25
18. Agroecotettix idic sp. nov. — Figs 2 S, 4 Q, 5 Q, 23 A – J, 25, 26 B
19. Agroecotettix kahloae sp. nov. — Figs 2 Q, 4 R, 5 R, 24 A – J, 25, 26 B
description: Published as part of Hill, JoVonn G., 2024, Desert diversification: revision of Agroecotettix Bruner, 1908 (Orthoptera, Acrididae, Melanoplinae) with descriptions of sixteen new species from the United States and Mexico, pp. 177-230 in ZooKeys 1218 on pages 177-230, DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1218.133703