Diponthus pycnostictus Pictet & Saussure, 1887

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 : 46

Diponthus pycnostictus Pictet & Saussure, 1887

( Figs. 2c, d, 6e, f, 7a, b, 8b, 9a, b, 10b, 11b, 12a, b, and 13)

For references on this species see Pocco et al. (2014) and Cigliano et al. (2023).

Diagnosis. This species is distinguished from D. argentinus by the following characters: whole body mottled black, ground body color reddish orange ( Figs. 2c, d, and 6f) or yellow and dark grey ( Fig. 6e); phallic complex: valves of cingulum with anterior margin curved and distal portion oblong ( Fig. 10b).

Chromatic variation. At least two discrete color morphs can be found: color morph reddish orange and dark grey, and color morph yellow and dark grey, in both whole body black mottled ( Pocco et al. 2014).

A complete redescription of this species and the description of the color morphs are in Pocco et al. (2014)

Measurements (in mm). Body length: males: 25.5 (21–33); females: 35.2 (30–40); femur III length: males: 13.8 (12–17); females: 18.3 (15–21); tegmen length: males: 22.1 (19–28); females: 29.2 (26–32).

Material examined: see Appendix 1

Distribution. This species is widely distributed in central and northern Argentina (Buenos Aires, La Pampa, Santa Fe, Entre Ríos, Córdoba, San Luis, La Rioja, Mendoza, Tucumán, Salta) ( Fig. 13).

Habitat. In grassland areas with forbs, shrubs, and in edges of low forests.