Gymnoscirtetes morsei Hebard, 1918

Hill, JoVonn G., 2022, Revision of Gymnoscirtetes (Orthoptera, Acrididae, Melanoplinae): a genus endemic to the grasslands of the southeastern North American Coastal Plain, ZooKeys 1134, pp. 101-127 : 101

Gymnoscirtetes morsei Hebard, 1918

Figs 3A, B , 4A , 5A , 6A-J , 12 , 14C

Gymnoscirtetes morsei Hebard, 1918: 142-143.

Diagnosis.

Most easily differentiated from the other species in the group based on the shape of the male cerci, which in G. morsei are decurved apically to an acute point (Fig. 6A, B ), and by the shape of the male genitalia which have the dorsal valves rounded apically (Fig. 6G ). The tubercle of the subgenital plate is often broader in most individuals of G. morsei , especially those in the western portion of the range.

Male measurements.

(mm): (n = 14) Body length 13.2-17.0 (mean = 14.6); pronotum length 1.9-2.6 (mean = 2.26); hind femur length 6.1-7.9 (mean = 6.9); cerci length 1.2-1.5 (mean = 1.3); basal width of cercus 0.4-0.7 (mean = 0.6); mid-cercal width 0.2-0.3 (mean = 0.2); cerci apex width 0.3-0.4 (mean = 0.4). tubercule length 0.3-0.4 (mean = 0.3); tubercule width 0.2-0.3 (mean = 0.2).

Female measurements.

(mm): (n = 7) Body length 19.5-21 (mean = 20.3); pronotum length 3.0-3.2 (mean = 3.1); hind femur length 9.0-9.8 (mean = 9.3).

Type information.

Florida, Walton County, Defuniak Springs, 30 August 1915, Rehn and Hebard (1♂).

Specimens examined.

Alabama, Baldwin County, 5.6 mi W Ala / Fla St. line on US 90, 13 September., 1954. T.H. Hubbell an I.J. Cantrall (14♂, 3♀) ; 6.2 mi SW Perdido on US Hwy 31, 13 Sept. 1954, T.H. Hubbell and I.J. Cantrall (1♂) ; Splinter Hill Bog , 31°01'30"N, - 87°41'07"W, 19 July 2012, J.G. Hill, M.J. Thorn, Pitcher plant bog (1♂) . Florida, Bay Co., 4.9 mi S Ebro , 16 October 1948, I.J. Cantrall (5♂) , 9 mi E West Bay , 16 October 1948, I.J. Cantrall (1♂) . Holmes Co., 0.4 mi E Ponce DeLeon , 14 September 1948, I.J. Cantrall (17♂) ; Westville , 23 August 1941 (7♂, 6♀) ; 0.6 mi E Bonifay , 14 October1948, I.J. Cantrall (6♂) . Jackson Co., 1.4 mi W Cottondale 14 October 1948, I.J. Cantrall (1♂) . Okaloosa Co., 3 mi E Crestview , 15 October 1949, I.J. Cantrall (3♂) ; 3.1 mi W Florosa , 15 October 1946. I.J. Cantrall (7♂) . Santa Rosa Co. , 2.3 mi S Junct. U.S. Hwy 90 and Hwy 87, 15 October 1949, I.J. Cantrall (4♂) ; 4.4 mi S Whitfields , 21 August 1951, I.J. Cantrall (7♂, 5♀) ; Milton , 15 August 1955, I.J. Cantrall (1♂) . Walton Co., 2.3 mi N Freeport , 15 October 1948, I.J. Cantrall (1♂) . 3.8 mi N Defuniak Springs , 14 October 1948, I.J. Cantrall (14♂) .

Distribution.

Mobile Bay (Baldwin County, AL) east through the panhandle of Florida to Bay and Jackson counties (Fig. 12 ).

Habitat.

Hebard (1918) describes the type locality at De Funiak Springs, Florida as being "a boggy area of wire-grass and bog plants, which was not more than fifteen yards wide by forty yards long". At Splinter Hill Bog, in Baldwin County, AL (Fig. 13A ), G. morsei occurs in a large bog dominated by Sarracenia leucophyllia Raf. and other carnivorous plants.

Figures

Figure 3. Dorsal and lateral SEM of Gymnoscirtetes male terminalia A G. morsei (dorsal) B G. morsei (lateral) C G. rex (dorsal) D G. rex (lateral) E G. pusillus (dorsal) F G. pusillus (lateral). Note: G. pageae, G. wadeorum, and G. georgiaensis are similar to G. pusillus.

Figure 4. Partial silhouettes of Gymnoscirtetes male terminalia: A subgenital plate in caudal view B cerci in lateral view. Note: G. pageae, G. wadeorum, and G. georgiaensis are similar to G. pusillus. Within species groups there may be overlap in the shape of the cerci, and the shape is highly dependent on angle of view. Those pictured here are drawn from single individuals.

Figure 5. Caudal view of Gymnoscirtetes male aedeagi A G. morsei B G. rex C G. pusillus D G. pageae E G. wadeorum F G. georgiaensis. Scale bars 0.2 mm.

Figure 6. Gymnoscirtetes morsei: 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 12. Distribution of Gymnoscirtetes species. Green dots = G. morsei, yellow dots = G. rex, dark blue dots = G. pageae, orange dots = G. wadeorum, Light blue dots = G. georgiaensis, red dots = G. pusillus.

Figure 13. Plant communities at the collection localities of Gymnoscirtetes A pitcher plant bog (Splinter Hill Bog, Baldwin Co., Alabama) B Sandhill (Ecofina Creek Wildlife Management Area, Bay County, Florida) C long leaf pine savanna (Wade Tract, Thomas County, Georgia) D Mesic sandhill (6 mi S Old Town, Dixie County, Florida) E Cutthroat grass seep (Royce, Highlands County, Florida) F Florida dry prairie (Avon Park Air Force Range, Highlands County, Florida).

Figure 14. A Seasonal wetland (Lake Wales Ridge National Wildlife Refuge, Polk County, Florida) B seasonal wetland (Disney Wilderness Preserve, Osceola County, Florida) C Gymnoscirtetes morsei, male D Gymnoscirtetes pageae, male E Gymnoscirtetes rex, pair in copula F Gymnoscirtetes pusillus, female G Gymnoscirtetes pageae, male H Gymnoscirtetes pusillus, male.