Wing Polymorphism in Gryllus (Orthoptera: Gryllidae)

The assassin bug tribe Metapterini belongs to the subfamily Emesinae (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Reduviidae). Morphologically, it is characterized by the conspicuous basal process of the posteroventral series in the foreleg and the presence of wing polymorphism, with a high proportion of the genera with micropterous or apterous species. Here, the male and female ectodermal genitalic structures are documented for ten genera and twenty-three species of Metapterini, including eight species of the speciose genus Ghilianella Spinola, 1850. Descriptions and digital macrophotographs are provided for abdominal segment 8, pygophore, parameres, and phallus of the male, and for tergite 8, tergite 9, gonocoxae, gonapophyses, gonoplac, and bursa copulatrix of the female. The asymmetric male genitalia within Emesinae are discussed. From this morphological documentation sixty six phylogenetic characters are coded, presented as a data matrix and analyzed cladistically, and their potential usefulness for resolving relationships among Metapterini is discussed.

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A new discovery of a long-winged form of Mexican endemic grasshopper Melanotettix dibelonius Bruner, 1904 (Orthoptera: Acrididae: Gomphocerinae) and notes on wing polymorphism and geographic distribution

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.4838.4.5 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4838 (4) ◽

pp. 515-524

Author(s):

RICARDO MARIÑO-PÉREZ ◽

SALOMÓN SANABRIA-URBÁN ◽

BERT FOQUET ◽

MARTINA E. POCCO ◽

HOJUN SONG

Keyword(s):

Geographic Distribution ◽

Morphological Variation ◽

Distribution Range ◽

Statistical Analyses ◽

Museum Specimens ◽

Extensive Review ◽

Distribution Map ◽

Wing Polymorphism ◽

Winged Form ◽

New Discovery

The species Melanotettix dibelonius Bruner, 1904 was previously recorded from Michoacán and Guerrero states in Mexico. This species is characterized by its tegmina, which are always shorter than head and pronotum together and sometimes shorter than the pronotum. After recent field expeditions (2015-2019) and an extensive review of museum specimens from the most important Orthoptera collections in Mexico and USA (291 specimens), we discovered a long-winged form of this species south of its previous known range, which effectively expanded its distribution range into Oaxaca state. We discuss some aspects regarding the patterns of geographic distribution and morphological variation among the long-winged and short-winged morphs. We conduct statistical analyses and observed that on average, the tegmina of long-winged individuals (both females and males) are slightly longer than twice the length of pronotum; whereas in short-winged individuals the tegmina are nearly as long or slightly longer than the length of the pronotum. Moreover, on average, females appear to have longer tegmina than males in both morphotypes. We provide photographic records of both forms live and mounted, the most comprehensive distribution map to date and a discussion of evolutionarily interesting patterns found in this species.

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