Maeacris ayasqa, Cigliano & Pocco & Lange, 2011

Cigliano, María Marta, Pocco, Martina E. & Lange, Carlos E., 2011, Grasshoppers of the Andes: new Melanoplinae and Gomphocerinae taxa (Insecta, Orthoptera, Acrididae) from Huascarán National Park and Callejón de Huaylas, Ancash, Peru, Zoosystema 33 (4), pp. 523-544 : 533-535

Maeacris ayasqa n. sp.

( Figs 2 Q-U; 6G-I; 10)

TYPE MATERIAL. — Peru. Ancash, 3 km from detour to Chiquian on road to Conococha, 4226 m, 10°04’53.3”S 77°12’53.8”W, 1.III.2008, Cigliano & Lange, holotype ♂, allotype ♀ ( MLPA).

PARATYPES. — Ancash, 3 km from detour to Chiquian on road to Conococha, 4226 m, 10°04’53.3”S 77°12’53.8”W, 1.III.2008, Cigliano & Lange, 2 ♂♂, 4 ♀♀ ( MNHN), 3 ♂♂, 4 ♀♀ ( MLPA).

OTHER MATERIAL EXAMINED. — Peru. Ancash, 3 km from detour to Chiquian on road to Conococha, 4226 m,

10°04’53.3”S 77°12’53.8”W, 1.III.2008, Cigliano & Lange, 9 ♀♀ (MLPA).

ETYMOLOGY. — “Ayasqa” means ear-shaped in native Quechua language and it refers to the shape of the valves of the aedeagus.

DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT. — Same as described for Maeacris chilikuti n. sp. ( Fig. 10 ).

DIAGNOSIS. — Similar to M. chilikuti n. sp. from which it can only be distinguished by characters of the phallic complex ( Figs 2 Q-U; 6G-I).

DESCRIPTION

Males

Similar to those of M. chilikuti n. sp. from which they are distinguished by the following characters of the phallic complex:aedeagal valves upcurved ( Fig. 2Q ), diverging caudally, strongly convex in ventral view ( Fig. 2S ); arch of cingulum bilobed ( Fig. 2R ).

Measurements (in mm): body length to apex of hind femur: 11.51 (11.3-12), hind femur length: 5.86 (5-6.5).

Females Similar to males but with fastigium more prominent; eyes subtrigonal; ovipositor valves long, slender, without pre-apical tooth.

Measurements (in mm): body length: 12.75 (12- 14); hind femur length: 7.26 (7-8).

Figures

FIG. 2. — A-K, Maeacris chilikuti n. sp.; A, male habitus, lateral view; B, male head and pronotum, dorsal view; C, D, male distal abdominal segments, dorsal and lateral views; E, F, female head and pronotum, dorsal and lateral views; G-U, phallic complex of Maeacris, species as indicated;G, L, Q, endophallic plates,cingulum and aedeagal valves with sheath,lateral view;H, M, R, endophallic plates, cingulum and aedeagal valves with sheath, dorsal view; I, N, S, distal portion of aedeagus and aedeagal valves, ventral view; J, K, O, P, T, U, epiphallus, dorsal and lateral view. Scale bars: 1 mm.

FIG. 10. — Geographic distribution of species collected in this study: Huaylasacris maxicerci n. gen., n. sp. (□); Maeacris ayasqa n. sp. (■); M. chilikuti n. sp.(△); M. saytu n. sp.(▲); Orphulella chumpi n. sp.(☆); Pediella ancashensis Cigliano, Amédégnato,Pocco & Lange, 2010 (★); Trimerotropis andeana Rehn, 1939 (◇); Tiyantiyana sunipenis n. gen., n. sp. (◆).