Diponthus nigroconspersus ( Stål, 1861 )

Pocco, Martina E., Lange, Carlos E. & Cigliano, María Marta, 2023, Relationships and taxonomy of the genus Diponthus Stål (Orthoptera: Acridoidea Romaleidae), Zootaxa 5336 (1), pp. 33-81 : 48

Diponthus nigroconspersus ( Stål, 1861) stat. resurr.

( Figs. 3a, b , 7a, b , 8d , 9a, b , 10d , 11d , 12a, b , and 13 ).

Acridium (Diponthus) nigroconspersum Stål, 1861 [1860]: 327 (Holotype, female, Uruguay, Montevideo, NHRS Stockholm).

Diponthus nigroconspersus: Walker, 1870: 637 ; Pictet and Saussure, 1887: 374; Bruner, 1900: 65; Kirby, 1910: 382; Liebermann, 1939: 187; Dirsh, 1965: 43 (junior syn. of Diponthus cribratus ); Carbonell et al. 2023 ( Diponthus cribratus ); Cigliano et al. 2023 ( Diponthus cribratus ).

Acridium nigroconspersum is the type species of the genus, subsequently designated by Kirby, W. F. (1910) in “A Synonymic Catalogue of Orthoptera ( Orthoptera Saltatoria , Locustidae vel Acridiidae )”, 3(2): 674 pp.

Comments. Dirsh (1965) considered Diponthus nigroconspersus (Stål) as junior synonym of Diponthus cribratus (Serville) . However, after examination of type specimens of D. cribratus and D. nigroconspersus , and based on the original descriptions, as well as the examination of specimens collected in the distribution area of the species, we consider that Diponthus nigroconspersus is a valid species.

Diagnosis. Pronotal disc with a median dorsal longitudinal yellow band, wide in prozona, thinner in metazona; prozona with two oblique bands and lower area of lateral lobes yellow-ochre; metazona with circular mottles darkcolored in lateral lobes and elongated in metazona ( Figs. 3a, b , and 7a, b ). Prosternal tubercle straight. Tegmina with longitudibnal veins light brown and transverse veins cream colored, delimiting irregular cells with central spots dark brown ( Fig. 8d ). Epiproct quadrangular, furculae large with rounded tips, with tubercle prominent along the median longitudinal groove ( Fig. 7b ). Male cerci long, surpassing the tip of epiproct; distal third down-curved with acute apex ( Fig. 7a ). Dorsal valves of aedeagus with down-curved apex; valves of cingulum sub-rectangular, with posterior margin of apex rounded, in lateral view ( Fig. 10d ). Sclerotized part of cingulum V-shaped; zygoma of cingulum with angulate borders ( Fig. 11d ). Lophi of epiphallus rectangular and wide with upper margins oblique, in frontal view ( Fig. 12b ), placed parallel to the bridge, in dorsal view, extended towards the posterior process of lateral plates ( Fig. 12a ).

Redescription and chromatic characters, and material examined. See Appendix 1

Measurements (in mm). Body length: males: 45.3 (45–46); females: 57.1 (55.5–59); femur III length: males: 18.6 (17–20); females: 24.3 mm (24–25); tegmen length: males: 34.3 (32–36); females: 42.1 (40–43.5).

Distribution. This species is distributed in Argentina (Buenos Aires), and Uruguay (Tacuarembó, Artigas, and Montevideo) ( Fig. 13 ).

Figures

FIGURE 3. Diponthus species. Males, habitus lateral views (a, c, e, g, i, k) and dorsal views (b, d, f, h, j, l). Species as indicated. Scale bar= 1 cm. Numbers indicate characters and states used in the cladistics analysis.

FIGURE 7. Head and pronotum, in lateral views (a) and dorsal views (b). Diponthus species as indicated. Numbers indicate characters and states used in the cladistics analysis.

FIGURE 8. Tegmina, color pattern of venation. Diponthus species, as indicated. Numbers indicate characters and states used in the cladistics analysis.

FIGURE 9. Male abdominal terminalia, in lateral views (a) and dorsal views (b). Diponthus species as indicated. Numbers indicate characters and states used in the cladistics analysis.

FIGURE 10. Distal portion of aedeagal valves, lateral view. Diponthus species, as indicated.

FIGURE 11. Distal portion of aedeagal valves, dorsal view. Diponthus species, as indicated.

FIGURE 12. Epiphallus, dorsal views (a) and frontal views (b). Diponthus species, as indicated. Numbers indicate characters and states used in the cladistics analysis.

FIGURE 13. Distribution map of Diponthus species.