Melanoplus balcones sp. nov.

Figs 2F, 3I, 4I, 9A-J, 14, 19

Type material.

Holotype: 1♂, USA, TEXAS, Travis Co., 5.7 mi NW Lago Vista, 30.5041, -98.0678, 23 July 2021, J.G. Hill; Collected in live oak savanna and diverse grassland. Deposited in the Mississippi Entomological Museum.

Other specimens examined.

Texas: Travis Co., 5.7 mi NW Lago Vista, 30.5041, -98.0678, 23 July 2021, J.G. Hill (2♂) .

Diagnosis.

Male cerci that are broadly falcate (Figs 2F, 9A, B), and the internal male genitalia with the aedeagal sheath that does not project to the distal edge dorsal valves. Dorsal valves are thin plates that have a caudal margin that is perpendicular to the sheath and then slopes downward apically to point, and are produced laterally to the ventral valves, giving the aedeagus a narrow or thin appearance in caudal or dorsal views (Figs 3I, 4I). The ventral valves are slightly shorter than the dorsal valves (Fig. 9F). Most similar to M. kendalli and M. susdentatus, but M. balcones is easily separated from M. kendalli by having an aedeagal sheath that does not reach the distal margin of the dorsal valves and the shape of dorsal valves (Fig. 9C-G), and from M. susdentatus by the longer, more arching dorsal aedeagus valves found in that species (Fig. 8C-G).

Male measurements.

(mm): (n = 3) Body length 19.4-20.6 (mean = 20); pronotum length 4.0-4.6 (mean = 4.3); tegmen length 4.0-4.6 (mean = 4.3); hind femur length 10.6-11.2 (mean = 10.9); cerci length 0.8-0.9 (mean = 0.9); basal width of cercus 0.6-0.7 (mean = 0.7); mid-cercal width 0.4-0.6 (mean = 0.5); cerci apex width 0.3 (mean = 0.3).

Habitat.

Live oak savanna or juniper oak savanna (Fig. 19A-C).

Distribution.

East central Balcones Escarpment in the vicinity of Travis County (Fig. 14).

Etymology.

Named after the Balcones Canyonlands and Escarpment where this species is endemic.

Suggested common name.

Balcones pouncer.