Brachybaenus domingensis sp. nov. of gryllacridids (Orthoptera: Stenopelmatoidea: Gryllacrididae) from Dominican Republic, Hispaniola

Abstract

The gryllacridid Brachybaenus domingensis sp. nov. is described and illustrated from specimens collected in various localities of the Dominican Republic. The morphology of the new species is compared to that of the Cuban species Brachybaenus cubensis (Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1888), which may be its closest relative. Although these species are similar, diagnostic features of B. domingensis are the yellowish coloration of the face, spines on the anterior tibiae shorter than the eye length, and wings that markedly surpass the abdominal end. In B. cubensis the face is mostly black, the spines in the anterior tibiae are as long or longer than the eye length and the wings barely surpass the abdominal end. This is only the second species of gryllacridids reported from Hispaniola, the fourth species of Brachybaenus Karny in the Caribbean and the 17th species of the genus.