Endecous onthophagus: A New Combination. Phallic Sclerites and Karyology of the Species (Orthoptera: Grylloidea)

Abstract

The species Dyscophogryllus onthophagus is transfered to genus Endecous. The male genitalia of this species and that of the syntype of Endecous arachnopsis are illustrated and described. Male meiosis of E. onthophagus from two localities was studied (Keywords: Chromosomes, Dyscophogrllus, Endecous, genitalia, Phalangopsidae) In 1874 Saussure described the genus Dyscophus based on the species saltator (originally collected in Brazil), and gave a short description of the male of that species from a speci- men collected in Peru. About the male tegmina, he states that they are corneus, squamiform and 2 mm long. In a second paper (1877-78) Saussure described the genus Endecous based on the species arachnopsis collected in Brazil Serra Gival (Geral?) without more precise locality. He also provided a more detailed description of the genus Dyscophus, stating now that the male of the species saltator was unknown. Berg in 1891 published the second species of the genus Dyscophus (onthophagus), based on specimens collected in a cave of Arequita Hill, Lavalleja Department, Uruguay. In 1901 Rehn proposed to change Dyscophus to Dyscophogryllus since the former generic name was preoccupied. The third species, castaneous, was described by Bruner in 1916 from specimens collectected in Rio Sapao Bahia State, Brazil. Kirby (1906), Chopard (1968) and Otte (1995), listed the known species of Dyscophogryllus. After examining the syntype of the species Endecous arachnopsis the authors propose to transfer the species Dyscophogryllus onthophagus to the genus Endecous Saussure, based external and male genital morphology. Some meiotic stages of this species were studied in specimens collected at the type locality and in a small cave approximately two hundred kilometres north-west.