Agroecotettix aristus Hebard, 1922

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, ZooKeys 1218, pp. 177-230 : 177-230

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

Agroecotettix modestus aristus Hebard, 1922 . Trans. Amer. Entomol. Soc. 48 (1): 49.

Diagnosis.

Differentiated from other species in the genus by the combination of male cerci that have the lower branch longer than the dorsal branch and the male aedeagus that has a thickened sheath and valves that are longer than the sheath and have narrowly rounded apices (Figs 4 B , 5 B ). Most similar to A. silverheelsi and A. texmex but differ from those by the shape of the male genitalia which in caudal view, has the valves of the aedeagus longer and narrower than in A. silverheelsi (Figs 4 A , 5 A ) and parallel and narrowly rounded apices as opposed to the broad, latterly diverging apices of A. texmex (Figs 4 D , 5 D ). In lateral view, the distal edge of the valves is broadly rounded as in Fig. 5 B .

Male measurements (mm).

(n = 16) Body length 19.5–24.9 (mean = 22.4); pronotum length 4.4–6.2 (mean = 5.2); tegmen length 2.7–4.6 (mean = 3.4); hind femur length 10.4–14.0 (mean = 11.7); cerci length 1.2–1.7 (mean = 1.5); basal width of cercus 0.5–0.7 (mean = 0.6); mid-cercal width 0.4–0.5 (mean = 0.4); cerci dorsal fork length 0.3–0.5 (mean = 0.4); cerci dorsal fork apex width 0.1–0.3 (mean = 0.2) cerci ventral fork length 0.4–0.6 (mean = 0.5); cerci ventral fork apex width 0.1 (mean = 0.1).

Phallus measurements (mm).

(n = 16) Length 0.6–0.8 (mean = 0.7); apex width 0.3–0.5 (mean = 0.3); middle width 0.4–0.6 (mean = 0.5); basal width 0.5–0.8 (mean = 0.6); lateral apex width 0.2–0.3 (mean = 0.3); lateral medial width 0.3–0.4 (mean = 0.4); lateral basal width 0.5–0.6 (mean = 0.5).

Female measurements (mm).

(n = 9) Body length 25.5–27.6 (mean = 26.9); pronotum length 6.5–7.3 (mean = 7.0) tegmen length 3.3–6.5 (mean = 4.4); hind femur length 13.3–15.5 (mean = 14.7); Dorsal ovipositor valve length 1.5–2.0 (mean = 1.8); ventral ovipositor valve length 1.5–2.0 (mean = 1.8).

Holotype.

• 1 ♂, USA, Texas, Uvalde , 22 August 1912, Rehn and Hebard, 1000–1100 ft.

Specimens examined.

USA, New Mexico: • Eddy Co., Sitting Bull Falls , 22 August 1985, B. Ruish, Whiting, (1 ♂) • Lincoln National Forest, Sitting Bull Falls , 32.2461, -104.6979, 27 September 2024, J. G. Hill (2 ♂, 1 ♀) . Texas: • Culberson Co., Frijole , 4–16 July 1935, J. M. Brennan (1 ♂) • Jeff Davis Co., Davis Mountains State Park , 30.5992, -103.9075, 16 July 2023, J. G. Hill (1 ♂, 1 ♀) • Kimble Co., 5 mi SW Junction , 5 August 1955, T. J. Cohn, 1750 ft (1 ♂) • Kinney Co., 2 mi S Brackettville , 30 July 1959, T. J. Cohn, 1100 ft (1 ♂) • Mitchell Co., 1 mi W Colorado City , 9 July 1956, T. J. Cohn, E. Matthews, 2100 ft (2 ♂) • Odessa Co., Sheffield , 23 October 1931, L. Seaton (1 ♂, 1 ♀) • Sterling Co., 7 mi NE Sterling City , 27 June 1967, T. J. Cohn (1 ♂) • Upton Co., 8.8 mi W. Rankin , 31.1533, -102.0650, 16 July 2023, J. G. Hill, J. L. Seltzer (1 ♂) • Terrell Co., 18 mi S Sheffield , 1 June 1949, W. F. Blair (1 ♂, 1 ♀) • Uvalde Co., Concan , 6 July 1936, R. H. Beamer (1 ♂) • Pecos Co., 6 mi W Ft. Stockton , 8 August 1956, T. J. Cohn 3000 ft. (2 ♂) • Uvalde , 22 August 1912, Rehn and Hebard, 1000–1100 ft (Paratypes) (1 ♂, 1 ♀) • 21 mi N Uvalde , 29.4636, -100.01389, 29 July 2020, M. J. Thorn, J. G. Hill (1 ♂, 2 ♀) • Val Verde Co., 6.5 mi SE Comstock , 23 August 1956, T. J. Cohn, 1400 ft (1 ♂) • 22 mi NW (rd.) Loma Alta , 31 August 1958 T. J. Cohn (1 ♂) • Pecos River x HWY 90 , 29.705, -101.35084, 24 July 2020, J. G. Hill (1 ♂, 1 ♀) .

Habitat.

Often found on or associated with thorny leguminous shrubs. On the Edwards Plateau in Texas, this species is often found on stunted, low shrubs growing just above ground level amongst the limestone rocks (Fig. 28 A – F ). In the Davis Mountains and the northern Chihuahuan Desert, this species was observed on the interior branches of larger (> 2 m tall) Vachellia species (Fig. 29 A – E ).

Distribution.

Found across central and west Texas to southeastern New Mexico (Figs 25 , 26 A ).

Note.

Given that the only known specimen of A. modestus is female and it is a distributional outlier, with other species occurring between its distribution and that of its subspecies, A. modestus was raised to species level above. Additionally, due to the differences in the internal male genitalia, A. aristus and A. crypsidomus are each raised to species level.

Etymology.

Hebard (1922) did not indicate the etymology in the description of this species, but it is likely from Latin arista in reference to the aristate or awn-like point of the male cerci in this genus.

Suggested common name.

Aristate aridland scrub jumper.

Figures

Figure 2. Agroecotettix cerci in lateral view unless noted otherwise A A. aristus B A. silverheelsi C A. xiphophorus D A. xiphophorus ventral view E A. texmex F A. cumbres G A. crypsidomus H A. chisosensis I A. dorni J A. burtoni K A. turneri L A. quitmanensis M A. moorei N A. chiantiensis O A. vaquero P A. forcipatus Q A. kahloae R A kahloae ventral view S A. idic lateral view T A. idic dorsal.

Figure 4. Caudal view of the aedeagus of Agroecotettix A. A. silverheelsi B A. aristus C A. xiphophorus D A. glochinos E A. texmex F A. cumbres G A. crypsidomus H A. burtoni I A. moorei J A. chiantiensis K A. forcipatus L A. quitmanensis M A. dorni N A. chisosensis O A. turneri P A. vaquero Q A. idic R A. kahloae. Scale bars: 1.0 mm.

Figure 5. Lateral view of the aedeagus of Agroecotettix A A. silverheelsi B A. aristus C A. xiphophorus D A. glochinos E A. texmex F A. cumbres G A. crypsidomus H A. burtoni I A. moorei J A. chiantiensis K A. forcipatus L A. quitmanensis M A. dorni N A. chisosensis O A. turneri P A. vaquero Q A. idic R A. kahloae.

Figure 8. Agroecotettix aristus A dorsal view of male terminalia B lateral view of male terminalia C dorsal view of phallic complex D lateral view of phallic complex E dorsal view of aedeagus F lateral view of aedeagus G caudal view of the aedeagus H dorsal view of epiphallus I caudal view of epiphallus J habitus.

Figure 25. Distribution of Agroecotettix species.

Figure 26. Distribution of Agroecotettix species A Big Bend region of Texas B zoom in on the area around Monterrey, Mexico at the convergence of the Chihuahuan Desert, Sierra Madre Oriental, and South Texas Plains ecoregions.

Figure 28. Agroecotettix aristus A male, Upton Co, TX B male, Edwards Co., TX C female, Edwards Co., TX D male Edwards Co., TX E female, Edwards Co., TX F male, Uvalde, Co., TX.

Figure 29. Agroecotettix aristus A male, Jeff Davis Co., TX B female Edwards Co., TX C habitat in Edwards Co., TX D habitat in Uvalde Co, TX E habitat in Val Verde Co., TX.