Aganacris sphex ( Rehn, 1918 )

Aganacris sphex ( Rehn, 1918) View in CoL

( Figs 195–199 View Figs 195–205 )

Material studied. FRENCH GUIANA: 2 males, “Guyane Fr., 5–15 km W Saül , 3°38'N 53°14'–17'W, 250–300 m, Gussarov, 26–27 July 1995 ” .

Remarks. This species was described from the Para State of Brazil located near Surinam and French Guiana. Later it was synonymized with Scaphura nitida Perty, 1832 , A. micans Walker, 1871 and A. pseudosphex Grant, 1958 (Nickle 2012), but recently it was restored as a separate species (Sovano et al. 2018). I have possibility to compare the above-mentioned males with my numerous specimens from Peru and Bolivia, and I support the latter opinion because Peruvian and Bolivian males differ from those of A. sphex in the following characters: their tegmina have a somewhat longer mirror (for comparison see Figs 195, 196 and 200, 201 View Figs 195–205 ), smaller dark apical spot and distinct (thickened and darkened) crossvein between RS proximal part and MP+CuA1 (this crossvein is absent in A. sphex ; see Figs 195 and 200 View Figs 195–205 ); hind wings are with a shorter dark subapical spot; genital plate is with the posterolateral lobules larger, widened in the apical part and somewhat curved medially, as well as with posteromedian notch having almost transversally straight or angularly convex (but not roundly concave) anterior edge (see Figs 197, 199 and 202, 204, 205 View Figs 195–205 ); male genitalia have a clearly visible semisclerotized medial area (vs. almost without such area; see Figs 198 and 203 View Figs 195–205 ).

Also it is useful to note that A. nitida was described for one female from another zoogeographical region (Southeast Brazil: Minas Gerais State), but A. micans and A. pseudosphex , from Western South America (Amason Region and Peru, respectively); the two latter names probably belong to my Peruvian-Bolivian species, but A. nitida may be a separate species or subspecies and is in need of an additional study.