Diponthus porphyreus ( Gerstaecker, 1873 )

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 : 61-63

Diponthus porphyreus ( Gerstaecker, 1873)

( Figs. 4g, h, 7a, b, 8p, 9a, b, 10p, 11p, 12a, b, and 13)

Acridium porphyreum Gerstaecker, 1873 (holotype, female, Brazil, ZMHB Berlin Mus.); Carbonell, 1994.

Diponthus porphyreum: Otte, 1995: 44 ; Cigliano et al., 2023.

Diponthus paulista Rehn, 1939 n. syn.

Diponthus paulista Rehn, 1939: 204 (holotype, male, Brazil, S„o Paulo , Dourado, ANSP Philadelphia); Liebermann, 1955: 336; Cigliano et al., 2023.

Nomenclatural comments. Based on the comparison of the original descriptions, morphology of type specimens, and materials examined from the distribution range ( Brazil), we consider that Diponthus porphyreus and D. paulista constitute the same species since there are no differences in the characters that were originally established as diagnostic (color pattern of head, pronotum, and tegmina) for them. Therefore, the synonymy between D. porphyreus and D. paulista is established herein.

Diagnosis. General body coloration greenish brown, with light burgundy tints ( Fig. 4g, h), with a wide mid-dorsal longitudinal band on head and pronotum ocher or cream colored that extends along the discal area of the tegmina ( Figs. 4g, h, and 7a, b). Prosternal tubercle straight, with rounded apex. Tegmina light burgundy with discal area yellow and veins dark colored ( Figs. 4g, and 8p); transverse veins delimiting irregular cells ( Fig. 8p). Hind wings with remigium light burgundy and anal area hyaline to very light green. Male epiproct oval, with pointed tip and tubercles on distal half; furculae lobed, with acute apex ( Fig. 9b). Male cerci long, with wide and blunt apex, slightly incurved, widely surpassing the end of epiproct ( Fig. 9a). Dorsal valves of aedeagus short and wide ( Fig. 10p). Valves of cingulum similar to D. salvadorii sp. nov. with less expanded distal portion ( Figs. 10p, and 11p). Epiphallus with small lophi, parallel to the bridge, with acute apex, extended but without reaching the posterior processes of lateral plates ( Fig. 12a, b).

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

Measurements (in mm). Body length: males: 28.5 (27–30); females: 37.3 (35–39). Hind femur length: males: 16.5 (16–17); females: 20.5 (19.5–21). Tegmina length: males: 20.7 (19–22.5); females: 25.3 (23.5–26.5).

Distribution. This species is distributed in Brazil (Santa Catarina, San Pablo) ( Fig. 13).