Gryllus regularis Weissman & Gray, 2019

Weissman, David B. & Gray, David A., 2019, Crickets of the genus Gryllus in the United States (Orthoptera: Gryllidae: Gryllinae), Zootaxa 4705 (1), pp. 1-277 : 97-101

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.4705.1.1
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:F534C43A-AB09-4CB3-9B08-FD5BDFD90298
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/182387A8-0901-FFF6-51F6-FAD90443FE85
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Gryllus regularis Weissman & Gray
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Gryllus regularis Weissman & Gray , n. sp.

Southwest Regular-Trilling Field Cricket

Figs 71–73 View FIGURE 71 View FIGURE 72 View FIGURE 73 , 91–95 View FIGURE 91 View FIGURE 92 View FIGURE 93 View FIGURE 94 View FIGURE 95 , 168 View FIGURE 168 , Table 1 View TABLE 1

‘ Gryllus #14’ in DBW notebooks.

‘ Arizona triller’ of Sakaguchi & Gray (2011).

‘G. #14’ of Blankers et al. 2015.

Distribution. Known from central-southeastern Arizona, southwestern New Mexico, and western Texas.

Recognition characters and song. Medium to large, usually short hind winged crickets with a broad and usually shiny pronotum. Song ( Fig. 91 View FIGURE 91 , R 99-211 View FIGURE 99 View FIGURE 100 View FIGURE 101 View FIGURE 102 View FIGURE 103 View FIGURE 104 View FIGURE 105 View FIGURE 106 View FIGURE 107 View FIGURE 108 View FIGURE 109 View FIGURE 110 View FIGURE 111 View FIGURE 112 View FIGURE 113 View FIGURE 114 View FIGURE 115 View FIGURE 116 View FIGURE 117 View FIGURE 118 View FIGURE 119 View FIGURE 120 View FIGURE 121 View FIGURE 122 View FIGURE 123 View FIGURE 124 View FIGURE 125 View FIGURE 126 View FIGURE 127 View FIGURE 128 View FIGURE 129 View FIGURE 130 View FIGURE 131 View FIGURE 132 View FIGURE 133 View FIGURE 134 View FIGURE 135 View FIGURE 136 View FIGURE 137 View FIGURE 138 View FIGURE 139 View FIGURE 140 View FIGURE 141 View FIGURE 142 View FIGURE 143 View FIGURE 144 View FIGURE 145 View FIGURE 146 View FIGURE 147 View FIGURE 148 View FIGURE 149 View FIGURE 150 View FIGURE 151 View FIGURE 152 View FIGURE 153 View FIGURE 154 View FIGURE 155 View FIGURE 156 View FIGURE 157 View FIGURE 158 View FIGURE 159 View FIGURE 160 View FIGURE 161 View FIGURE 162 View FIGURE 163 View FIGURE 164 View FIGURE 165 View FIGURE 166 View FIGURE 167 View FIGURE 168 View FIGURE 169 View FIGURE 170 View FIGURE 171 View FIGURE 172 View FIGURE 173 View FIGURE 174 View FIGURE 175 View FIGURE 176 View FIGURE 177 View FIGURE 178 View FIGURE 179 View FIGURE 180 View FIGURE 181 View FIGURE 182 View FIGURE 183 View FIGURE 184 View FIGURE 185 View FIGURE 186 View FIGURE 187 View FIGURE 188 View FIGURE 189 View FIGURE 190 View FIGURE 191 View FIGURE 192 View FIGURE 193 View FIGURE 194 View FIGURE 195 View FIGURE 196 View FIGURE 197 View FIGURE 198 View FIGURE 199 View FIGURE 200 View FIGURE 201 View FIGURE 202 View FIGURE 203 View FIGURE 204 View FIGURE 205 View FIGURE 206 View FIGURE 207 View FIGURE 208 View FIGURE 209 View FIGURE 210 View FIGURE 211 ) a long trill with pulses evenly spaced, PR 30–45 at 25°C. Distinguished from the two other sympatric, trilling Gryllus , as follows: from G. cohni , the latter is smaller and has an irregular trill with groupings of 2 to 11 pulses that results in a slower CR, usually has long hind wings, and a narrower ( Fig. 92 View FIGURE 92 ), hirsute and slightly dull pronotum.

Trilling G. texensis is sympatric with sister species G. regularis only at Alpine, TX (S07-41), but the former has a PR above 70 at 25°C. The only other western US trilling Gryllus is the always allopatric, sister species G. rubens from central Texas to Florida and which, while also medium to large in body size, has a higher PR (45–65), non-overlapping file teeth number, and narrower pronotum. Rarely, Arizona males of G. armatus trill (see Fig. 109 View FIGURE 109 , p. 115 View FIGURE 115 ), but can be separated from G. regularis by their higher pulse rate (60–100), narrower pronotum and file characters.

Holotype. Male ( Fig. 93 View FIGURE 93 ). USA, Arizona, Yavapai Co., Sedona , Sky Ranch Lodge Motel grounds by Sedona Airport. 15-vi-2007. 5120’. 34° 51.146’, -111° 47.415’. D.B. Weissman, D.C. Lightfoot. S07-61, R07-11, DNA sample G1098. 16 S GenBank accession # MK 446613 View Materials . BL 20.48, HF 11.43, RC 10.21. Right tegmen removed: 120 teeth, file length 3.35, TL 12.1, TW 4.55. Type deposited in CAS, Entomology Type #19270.

Paratypes. (Total: 25♂ 11♀). Arizona. Coconino Co., Sedona , north end of town, 4400’, 25-vi-1980 (S80-45) 3♂ 2♀ ; 15-vi-1990 (S90-49) 1♂ ; 5-viii-1991 (S91-78) 2♂; 30-vi-1994 (S94-35) 1♂. Gila Co., Globe , 3544’, 25- viii-1982 (S82-103) 1♂. Graham Co., Hwy 366 near intersection Hwy 191, 3333’, 32° 43’ 04.6” -109° 43’ 34.9” 28-vii-2015 (S15-102) 1♂. Yavapai Co., Agua Fria National Monument 3705’, 34° 14’ 25.0” -112° 01’ 33.4”, 19-ix- 2011 (S11-105) 1♂ ; 12-vi-2012 (S12-24) 1♂ . Agua Fria National Monument 3200’, 34° 14’ 50.2” -112° 03’ 28.5”, 12-vi-2012 (S12-25) 1♀ . Camp Verde , 3151’, 21-viii-2012 (S12-107) 1♂ . Cordes Junction , gas station, 3802’, 18- viii-2004, 2004-115, 1♀ . Sedona, Sky Ranch Lodge Motel grounds by Sedona Airport , 5120’, 12-vi-1996 (S96-61) 5♂ 4♀ ; 15-vi-2007 (S07-61) 5♂ 2♀ . Forest Road 525 near Sedona , 4507’, 16-viii-2004, 34.91855° -111.91090°, 2004-111, 1♀ . 2.5 m W Clear Creek “Bull Pen”, 3502’, 11-viii-2011, 34.54646° -111.74417°, 2011-097, 1♂ . Texas. Brewster Co., Alpine , 12-vi-2007, 4270’ 30° 35’ 49.86” -103° 53’ 11.81” (S07-41) 1♂. Jeff Davis Co., Fort Davis, Fort Davis National Historic Site, 4852’, 30° 35’ 49.86” -103° 53’ 11.81”, 1-vii-2015 (S15-67) 1♂ .

Song records only. Arizona. Cochise Co., Apache Pass , 5106’, 10-vii-2002, Recording DAG2002-044. 1♂. Subsequent collecting here 2-vi-2013 yielded only nymphs of G. lightfooti . New Mexico. Hidalgo Co., Coronado National Forest Road 63 (Geronimo Trail), 5330’, 31.529° -108.897°, 12-iv-2013. No recording. 1♂ heard.

Derivation of name. “regularis” in reference to the regular spacing of pulses in the trilling song.

Geographic range. Fig. 94 View FIGURE 94 . Also into adjacent Mexico.

Habitat. Mostly known from areas of human disturbance (including rangeland disturbed by cattle grazing), usually in cracks in the soil or in shelter associated with structures, from 960-1560m. Population at type locality fairly dense with deep cracks providing good refuge for singing males.

Life cycle and seasonal occurrence. Adults known from June through October. The Double Tank area (34° 14’ 23.64” -112° 01’ 37.49”) of Agua Fria National Monument, AZ, has two large, man-made cisterns for cattle water in an area of open Sonoran Desert scrub. The 3 common species ( staccato , cohni , and regularis ) of Gryllus there have been part of a multiyear study on parasitoid tachinid Ormia flies ( Sakaguchi & Gray 2011). As such, we have multiple collection dates for this area which indicate that there are apparently two field generations/year based on the following collections: (1) adults and late instar nymphs collected in mid-June, 2012, and molting to adult late June and early July and (2) 9 male and 11 female late instars collected 9-x-2010 molting to adult mid-November through early December, 2010. Agreeing with this pattern, from the type locality (S96-61) on 12-vi-1996, adults and many late instars attracted to oatmeal with the nymphs molting to adult in late June/early July that same year. We also suspect that rainfall patterns can significantly affect these schedules. In the laboratory, no diapause at any developmental stage (Agua Fria, AZ) where they can have 3 or 4 generations/year.

Variation. Color: Generally black head and pronotum with dark brown tegmina. Hind wing length: Of 37 total field collected adults, only 1 male each from the Arizona localities of Globe (S82-103), Camp Verde (S12-107) Clear Creek (2011-097), and Graham Co. (S15-102) long winged. Late instars brought into the laboratory, usually molt to adult with short hind wings. In contrast, adults reared from eggs, in the laboratory, are all, or almost all, long hind winged. Song: Of 27 recorded males, all with 1 p/c except for a male ( Fig. 95, R11-167 View FIGURE 95 View FIGURE 11 View FIGURE 12 View FIGURE 13 View FIGURE 14 View FIGURE 15 View FIGURE 16 View FIGURE 17 View FIGURE 18 View FIGURE 19 View FIGURE 20 View FIGURE 21 View FIGURE 22 View FIGURE 23 View FIGURE 24 View FIGURE 25 View FIGURE 26 View FIGURE 27 View FIGURE 28 View FIGURE 29 View FIGURE 30 View FIGURE 31 View FIGURE 32 View FIGURE 33 View FIGURE 34 View FIGURE 35 View FIGURE 36 View FIGURE 37 View FIGURE 38 View FIGURE 39 View FIGURE 40 View FIGURE 41 View FIGURE 42 View FIGURE 43 View FIGURE 44 View FIGURE 45 View FIGURE 46 View FIGURE 47 View FIGURE 48 View FIGURE 49 View FIGURE 50 View FIGURE 51 View FIGURE View FIGURE 53 View FIGURE 54 View FIGURE 55 View FIGURE 56 View FIGURE 57 View FIGURE 58 View FIGURE 59 View FIGURE 60 View FIGURE 61 View FIGURE 62 View FIGURE 63 View FIGURE 64 View FIGURE 65 View FIGURE 66 View FIGURE 67 View FIGURE 68 View FIGURE 69 View FIGURE 70 View FIGURE 71 View FIGURE 72 View FIGURE 73 View FIGURE 74 View FIGURE 75 View FIGURE 76 View FIGURE 77 View FIGURE 78 View FIGURE 79 View FIGURE 80 View FIGURE 81 View FIGURE 82 View FIGURE 83 View FIGURE 84 View FIGURE 85 View FIGURE 86 View FIGURE 87 View FIGURE 88 View FIGURE 89 View FIGURE 90 View FIGURE 91 View FIGURE 92 View FIGURE 93 View FIGURE 94 View FIGURE 96 View FIGURE 97 View FIGURE 98 View FIGURE 99 View FIGURE 100 View FIGURE 101 View FIGURE 102 View FIGURE 103 View FIGURE 104 View FIGURE 105 View FIGURE 106 View FIGURE 107 View FIGURE 108 View FIGURE 109 View FIGURE 110 View FIGURE 111 View FIGURE 112 View FIGURE 113 View FIGURE 114 View FIGURE 115 View FIGURE 116 View FIGURE 117 View FIGURE 118 View FIGURE 119 View FIGURE 120 View FIGURE 121 View FIGURE 122 View FIGURE 123 View FIGURE 124 View FIGURE 125 View FIGURE 126 View FIGURE 127 View FIGURE 128 View FIGURE 129 View FIGURE 130 View FIGURE 131 View FIGURE 132 View FIGURE 133 View FIGURE 134 View FIGURE 135 View FIGURE 136 View FIGURE 137 View FIGURE 138 View FIGURE 139 View FIGURE 140 View FIGURE 141 View FIGURE 142 View FIGURE 143 View FIGURE 144 View FIGURE 145 View FIGURE 146 View FIGURE 147 View FIGURE 148 View FIGURE 149 View FIGURE 150 View FIGURE 151 View FIGURE 152 View FIGURE 153 View FIGURE 154 View FIGURE 155 View FIGURE 156 View FIGURE 157 View FIGURE 158 View FIGURE 159 View FIGURE 160 View FIGURE 161 View FIGURE 162 View FIGURE 163 View FIGURE 164 View FIGURE 165 View FIGURE 166 View FIGURE 167 ) from Agua Fria (S11- 105). This male had short bursts of a “pure” trill of 1 p/c and then switched to 2 p/c. His 16S gene (G2443) mapped with G. regularis from other Arizona localities.

DNA. Multilocus 2016-037 from Agua Fria National Monument, 9-viii-2016. Nearest multilocus relatives (Gray et al. 2019) are G. rubens and G. texensis . In the ITS2 gene tree ( Fig. 73 View FIGURE 73 ), the two samples from west Texas (G3154, S15-67, Jeff Davis Co.; and G1085, S07-41, Brewster Co.) appear closer to G. texensis . Without further data, we are not sure how to interpret this result.

Discussion. Singing males frequently located deep in extensive soil cracks at Agua Fria and Sedona Airport localities and almost impossible to flush with water. Oatmeal trails through the habitat of singing males can help pull in wandering adult females, nymphs, and occasionally adult males. At the north end of Sedona, Arizona, G. regularis occurs with 5 other species of Gryllus .

In Alpine, TX (S07-41), G. regularis occurred with both faster trilling G. texensis and 2p/c G. armatus . We have only collected G. regularis there once and its distinctive long trilling song and short hind wings were recognized when collected and documented in field notes.

Males are easy to approach in the field and sing well in the laboratory. Because of a similar dominant frequency and long, uninterrupted trills, we have confused this Gryllus , in the field, with sympatric trilling Oecanthus tree crickets.

Male G. regularis parasitized by tachinid Ormia ochracea at Agua Fria ( Sakaguchi & Gray 2011).