Rowellscopia, Cadena-Castañeda, 2025

Rowellscopia gen. nov.

Description. Male. Body dark brown, slender, and finely granulate, mainly on the thorax and legs ( Fig. 1A View FIGURE 1 ). Head elongated, constricted behind the eyes ( Figs. 1B, C View FIGURE 1 ); fastigium conical, with widened based in lateral view, not surpassing the antenna length, inclined to the front ( Fig. 1C View FIGURE 1 ), edges carinate, dorsoventrally compressed, and apex almost truncate ( Fig. 1B View FIGURE 1 ). Eyes globular and conspicuous; ocelli inconspicuous ( Fig. 1B View FIGURE 1 ). Antennae groves located close to the mid of the inner edge of the eyes ( Fig. 1B View FIGURE 1 ); antenna with seven segments, antennal organs present on the sixth and seventh segments. Clypeus rectangular, wider than high; labrum rounded with posterior edge with a shallow median notch ( Fig. 1B View FIGURE 1 ); palpi flattened dorsoventrally, first segment of the maxillary palpi twice longer and wider than the others ones, last three segments sub-quadrangular and similar in size ( Fig. 1C View FIGURE 1 ). Thorax. Prothorax cylindrical, granulated, with a well-developed pleural suture. Pronotum almost nine times longer than mesonotum ( Fig. 1A View FIGURE 1 ). Mesonotum in dorsal view with two plates, the anterior trapezoidal, posterior margin wider than the anterior; posterior plate rectangular, a little longer than wide ( Fig. 1D View FIGURE 1 ). Metanotum with an ovoid plate in dorsal view, and other quadrangular posterior plate almost as long as wide ( Fig. 1D View FIGURE 1 ). Legs. Fore and middle legs slim and elongated. Hind femur moderately inflated at the base, and hind tibia with small dorsal spines ( Fig. 1A View FIGURE 1 ). Wings absent. Abdomen smooth, first tergite similar to the meso- and metathorax length. Penultimate tergite medially constricted; last tergite divided and moderately separated at the middle ( Fig. 1E View FIGURE 1 ); epiproct lanceolated; cerci simple, conical, and short ( Fig. 1F View FIGURE 1 ); subgenital plate short and rounded, pallium quadrangular (only R. panamenis comb. nov. slightly produced in ventral view) ( Fig. 1F View FIGURE 1 ). Genitalia. Epiphallic sclerite U-shaped, curving noticeably inward ( Fig. 2A View FIGURE 2 ), transverse sclerite (TS) and lophi (Lo) fuse without any division or separation ( Fig. 2B View FIGURE 2 ); hooks (Hk) digitiform and not pointed ( Figs. 2A, C View FIGURE 2 ). Epiphallic rim (EpR) with an accessory plate (EpRP) that merges with the lateral plates (EpLP), forming a ribbon-like structure that surrounds the anterior part of the epiphallus ( Figs. 2B, D View FIGURE 2 ). Phallotreme (Ph) with a simple ridge surrounded by ectophallic valves ( Fig. 2B View FIGURE 2 ). Ectophallic valves (EcV) reduced and separated from the sclerotized membrane (SM) by a translucent, non-sclerotized area ( Fig. 2B View FIGURE 2 ); sclerotized membrane thin and divided posteriorly ( Figs. 2A, B View FIGURE 2 ). The endophallus with sclerotized structures ( Figs. 2E, D View FIGURE 2 ). Distal sac (DS) containing two lateral plates: lateral articulation (LA) connected with the anterior supplementary plate (ASP); this last plate is laterally compressed, placed under the ectophallic valves and the sclerotized membrane ( Figs. 2C, D View FIGURE 2 ). Distal sac strongly connected to the sclerite of the ejaculatory duct (EjDS), preventing it from separating from the ventral section of the genitalia ( Figs. 2D, E View FIGURE 2 ). Posterior supplementary plate (PSP) reduced. The sclerite of the ejaculatory duct is tubular and is covered by a membrane that fully envelops it, that membrane corresponding to the ejaculatory duct ( Fig. 2E View FIGURE 2 ).

Female. Similar to the male, but noticeably longer and robust ( Fig. 3A View FIGURE 3 ). Head conical and elongated, moderately constricted behind the eyes; fastigium conical, slender compared to the male, antenna with seven or eight segments. Thorax similar to the male, not inflated dorsally; pleura granulated. Abdomen robust; penultimate and last tergites dorsally divided; epiproct lanceolate with a rounded apex; cerci conical and reduced. Ovipositor valves strong and almost smooth, with minute denticulations; subgenital plate rectangular, longer than wide, apex straight, or with a medial projection. Spermatheca. One or two spermathecae present. Copulatory chamber (CC) completely membranous. Ducts (Dt) are simple, with some moderately sized digitiform projections that do not branch. Apical diverticula (AD) generally globose, with two unequal lobes ( Fig. 3C View FIGURE 3 ); in the case of R. panamensis , with other apical diverticula in the other spermatheca, elongated and slender, reaching up to three times the length of the other one ( Fig. 3D View FIGURE 3 ).

Species included. Rowellscopia septentrionalis ( Bruner, 1905) comb. nov. ( type species) and Rowellscopia panamensis ( Bentos-Pereira & Rowell, 1999) comb. nov.

MAP 1. Distributional map of Rowellscopia gen. nov. and Albascopia species

Distribution. Central America, Costa Rica, and Panama (Map 1).

Comparison. Rowellscopia gen. nov. is superficially similar in external morphology to Pseudoproscopia species, where they were previously classified. Both sexes’ measurements and head shape are comparable between Rowellscopia gen. nov. and Pseudoproscopia , except for the fastigium in females. Rowellscopia gen. nov. female’s fastigium is conical, subtriangular in lateral and dorsal views, with a rounded apex. In contrast, some females of Pseudoproscopia and Milenascopia possess a rectangular fastigium with thickened or moderately elevated edges, while others exhibit a slender triangular fastigium with an acute apex.

Regarding coloration, Rowellscopia gen. nov. males range from dark brown to light brown, with some individuals displaying a brownish-green hue, lacking conspicuous spots or stripes ( Figs. 1A View FIGURE 1 , 3B View FIGURE 3 ). In contrast, Pseudoproscopia males are typically greenish, marked by yellowish spots on the genae, the lateral margin of the pronotum near the forelegs, and the pleura of the meso- and metanotum. The coloration pattern of Pseudoproscopia resembles that of some Paraproscopia Bentos-Pereira, 2006 , and Milenascopia species. However, in the latter genus, the general coloration is blackish-brown, with whitish spots occupying similar positions to those in Pseudoproscopia . Pseudoproscopia scabra ( Klug, 1820) males ( type species of Pseudoproscopia ) exhibit a distinct coloration pattern, being predominantly brown with a whitish head and longitudinal whitish stripes extending from the anterior thoracic margin to the last abdominal segments; their legs are typically green or brown, distinguishing them from the new genus described here. Rowellscopia gen. nov. females display a blackish-brown or dark greenish-brown coloration, with the lateral edges of the first five or six abdominal tergites outlined in white ( Fig. 3 View FIGURE 3 ). In contrast, females of Pseudoproscopia , Milenascopia , and some species of Paraproscopia are light brown or ochre, exhibiting multiple black or gray markings across the body.

The most significant diagnostic differences between Rowellscopia gen. nov. and related genera are found in male and female genital morphology. The phallus of Rowellscopia gen. nov. shares the presence of sclerotized, tubular ejaculatory ducts ( Fig. 2E View FIGURE 2 ) with Pseudoproscopia . However, it differs in that Pseudoproscopia exhibits a non-sclerotized section in the ejaculatory duct at its connection with the distal sac, allowing the sclerotized portion of the duct to detach from the internal region of the phallus. In contrast, the phallus of Rowellscopia gen. nov. lacks this membranous connection, with the ejaculatory duct being directly fused to its sclerite, thereby restricting mobility or detachment from the ventral region of the phallus ( Fig. 2C, E View FIGURE 2 ). The epiphallus of Rowellscopia gen. nov. is robustly fused, with thickened lophi, and non-pointed hooks ( Fig. 2B View FIGURE 2 ), in contrast to Pseudoproscopia and Milenascopia , where the lophi are connected to the transverse sclerite, which is narrower or partially separated. The epiphallic membrane of Rowellscopia gen. nov. features additional sclerotized structures, namely the epiphallic rim plate and epiphallic lateral plate, which are fused and surround the epiphallus anteriorly in the epiphallic rim region ( Figs. 2B, D View FIGURE 2 ). These structures are absent in Pseudoproscopia and Milenascopia . The ectophallus of Rowellscopia gen. nov. is characterized by closely phallotrema folds, with ectophallic valves and sclerotized membranes distinctly separated by a membranous region ( Fig. 2B View FIGURE 2 ). Pseudoproscopia and Milenascopia exhibit widely separated phallotrema folds with a prominent, well-defined ridge extending to the apex in dorsal view; the ectophallic valves cover entirely the dorsal region adjacent to the phallotreme and lack traces of a sclerotized membrane. The endophallus of Pseudoproscopia and Milenascopia is largely membranous except for its connection to the sclerite of the ejaculatory duct. However, Rowellscopia gen. nov. possesses additional sclerotized structures, including the lateral articulation and the anterior supplementary plate ( Figs. 2C, E View FIGURE 2 ).

The spermatheca of females also differs between Rowellscopia gen. nov. and the other genera compared ( Figs. 3C, D View FIGURE 3 ). To Milenascopia , the spermathecal duct is sinuous, without lateral prolongations along its length, and terminates at the proximal edge of the apical diverticulum. In Pseudoproscopia females, the spermathecal duct may bear small lateral prolongations and opens at the center of the anterior margin of the apical diverticulum. A similar condition is observed in Rowellscopia septentrionalis comb. nov., although its ejaculatory duct is broad, with three lateral prolongations, the two medial or proximal ones merging at a single section. Rowellscopia panamensis comb. nov. represents an atypical case within Proscopiini , as it possesses two spermathecae, each with thin ducts that feature sparse and short prolongations along their course.

Etymology. Dedicated to Charles Hugh Fraser Rowell, who has contributed enormously to the knowledge of grasshoppers, and for always being willing to help and support the research of these insects in different ways. The termination - scopia is the common termination for several genera of this insect family.

Comments. The type species was initially placed in Taxiarchus Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1890 , then transferred to Proscopia Klug, 1820 , after both genera were synonymized ( Hebard 1924). Later, it was reassigned to Corynorhynchus Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1890 ( Jago, 1989). Subsequently, during the revision of Central American proscopiid species, Proscopia panamensis Bentos-Pereira & Rowell, 1999 , was described, and Proscopia septentrionalis was removed from Corynorhynchus again ( Bentos-Pereira & Rowell, 1999). Recently, Bentos-Pereira (2006a, b) included both species in Pseudoproscopia , where they have remained until now.

According to Bentos-Pereira & Rowell (1999), only two species are currently recognized for Central America. However, a possible third species may exist, though the material examined by the authors was not in suitable condition for formal description. The genitalia of the only available male had been dissected and was apparently lost, while another male and a female, which could be associated with the mentioned specimen, are juveniles. This prevented a proper examination for a formal description ( Rowell 2013). Based on the authors’ observations, the external morphology of this potential species differs notably from the other two and appears to be more closely related to Albascopia gen. nov., the other genus redescribed later in this contribution.

The species of this genus are not commonly observed and are rare in entomological collections. It is presumed that they inhabit the upper parts of trees in the canopy, making it challenging to obtain specimens ( Rowell 1998, 2013). In such cases, citizen science records (iNaturalist) are helpful for gathering data on these species ( Fig. 3 View FIGURE 3 ).

Below, an identification key is provided for both male and female Rowellscopia gen. nov. species.