Revision of the Genus Paraidemona Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1893 (Acrididae, Melanoplinae)

Abstract

The genus Paraidemona is a completely apterous member of the subfamily Melanoplinae (Acrididae) known only from Texas and northern Mexico. Prior to the present study seven species were known: cohni Fontana and Buzzetti, ruvalcabae Buzzetti et al., fratercula Hebard, latifurcula Hebard, punctata (Stal), olsoni Yin and Smith, mimica Scudder and nuttingi Yin and Smith. Under Paraidemona nuttingi I describe eight new subspecies: hiltoo, jeya, pekwi, tatsinubi, tomoobi, tabu, hanipu and sunipu. Paraidemona species are confined to grasslands, from grassy coastal margins to dry thorn scrub and oak woodlands of central and western Texas, and prefer short grasses, sometimes intermixed with various broadleaf forbs. The radiation of this genus appears to be recent. Although the genitalia are the principal characters used to define the species, differences can be small and difficult to dissect. Speciation has probably not gone to completion in many cases.