New Records of Orthoptera and Dermaptera from the United States

Abstract

Three of the four species here recorded from Florida (two cockroaches and one earwig) are primarily West Indian, and the fourth, Conocephalus cinereus (Thunberg), a small widespread katydid, is more dominant there than in Central or South America. One of the cockroaches, Hemiblabera tenebricosa R. & H., was taken on Key Largo, Florida, more than 60 years ago, but a recent capture on Elliott Key is of interest in confirming its recent occurrence in Florida. Except for C. cinereus, which has been taken about 35 miles northwest of Lake Okeechobee, records of these four species in the United States are limited to Dade County or the Keys. The earwig, Pyragropsis buscki (Caudell), is represented by three specimens, all taken within about ten miles of Miami. This species is the first member of the family Pygidicranidae to be recorded from the United States. Except as noted, all specimens recorded are in the U. S. National Museum. I am grateful to the following scientists who have assisted materially by their generous cooperation in supplying specimens or collection data, or by making other specimens available for comparison: R. M. Baranowski, Subtropical Experiment Station, Homestead, Florida; H. H. Keifer, California Bureau of Entomology, Sacramento, California; J. A. G. Rehn, Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia; Albert Schwartz, Albright College, Reading, Pennsylvania; H. F. Strohecker, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida; Howard V. Weems, Jr., Florida State Plant Board, Gainesville, Florida.