Latest Articles from Journal of Orthoptera Research Latest 3 Articles from Journal of Orthoptera Research https://jor.pensoft.net/ Thu, 28 Mar 2024 17:52:19 +0200 Pensoft FeedCreator https://jor.pensoft.net/i/logo.jpg Latest Articles from Journal of Orthoptera Research https://jor.pensoft.net/ Sexual dimorphism in the badlands cricket (Orthoptera, Gryllinae, Gryllus personatus) https://jor.pensoft.net/article/93513/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 32(2): 119-126

DOI: 10.3897/jor.32.93513

Authors: Esperance M. Madera, Kevin A. Judge

Abstract: Sexual dimorphism (SD) is a common phenomenon in sexual species and can manifest in a variety of ways. Sexual size dimorphism (SSD) is commonly investigated, but it can be confounded with sexual shape dimorphism (SShD) if multivariate measures of size are not used. Univariate studies may also overestimate the prevalence or direction of SSD when the sexes are strikingly different in shape, which may be an issue in taxa such as Orthoptera and other terrestrial arthropods where maximum body size is strongly constrained. Here we tested for the occurrence of both SSD and SShD in the badlands cricket Gryllus personatus (Orthoptera, Gryllinae). We measured four body size dimensions—maxillae span, head width, pronotum length, and mean hind femur length—and used multivariate methods to test whether male and female adult badlands crickets were sexually dimorphic in size and/or shape. All the univariate dimensions were sexually dimorphic, with males having wider heads and maxillae than females and females having longer pronota and hind femora than males, which indicates SShD. However, multivariate methods failed to detect SSD, instead confirming that the sexes primarily differ in body shape. We show how a simple ratio of head width to pronotum length captures SShD in badlands crickets and apply it to iNaturalist, a citizen science platform, to broaden our findings. We propose that orthopterists studying SD minimally measure head width, pronotum length, and hind femur length as a standard that will allow a more repeatable and generalizable assessment of the prevalence and direction of both SSD and SShD.

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Research Article Mon, 12 Jun 2023 18:02:11 +0300
A new species of tree cricket (Orthoptera, Gryllidae, Oecanthinae) from Chihuahuan Desert gypsum dunes in the United States and a key to the nigricornis species group https://jor.pensoft.net/article/79036/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 31(2): 181-189

DOI: 10.3897/jor.31.79036

Authors: Nancy Collins, David C. Lightfoot

Abstract: A new species of tree crickets, Oecanthus beameri sp. nov., is described from the gypsum dunes of White Sands National Park in New Mexico, United States. The new species is currently known only from the type locality, where it appears to be specific to the gypsophile plant hoary rosemary mint (Poliomintha incana). This new species has the narrowed tegmina and calling song that are found in the nigricornis species group. Although it has morphological similarities to O. quadripunctatus and O. celerinictus, there are differences in the subgenital plates, tegminal measurements, coloring, tibial markings, song frequency, and song pulse rate. This new species has been given the common name White Sands tree cricket. We provide a key to all species in the nigricornis group. Video and song recordings are available online as Suppl. materials 1–8.

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Research Article Tue, 1 Nov 2022 14:01:31 +0200
First natural history observations of the canyon pygmy mole cricket, Ellipes monticolus (Orthoptera: Tridactylidae) https://jor.pensoft.net/article/33413/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 29(1): 1-7

DOI: 10.3897/jor.29.33413

Authors: Brandon Woo

Abstract: The first live photos of the canyon pygmy mole cricket, Ellipes monticolus Günther, are presented, with preliminary observations on the habitat and behavior of populations in the Chiricahua Mountains of southeastern Arizona. The species was previously known solely from the original description in 1977, which included only drawings of the structure of the genitalia and almost no natural history information. This paper provides the first look at this species’ biology and provides a framework for future studies on Tridactylidae of the southwestern United States.

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Research Article Fri, 10 Jan 2020 02:02:58 +0200