Revision of the Alutacea Group of Genus Schistocerca (Orthoptera: Acrididae: Cyrtacanthacridinae)
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The North American Alutacea Group of the genus Schistocerea is revised based on phylogenetic analysis and morphological comparison. Phylogenetic analysis suggests that Schistocerca alutacea sensu Dirsh is paraphyletic because S. alutacea albolineata sensu Dirsh is sister to S. obscura. Here, I recognize the monophyletic Alutacea Group consisting of six species: S. alutacea, S. rubiginosa, S. lineata, S. shoshone, S. albolineata, and S. obscura. Previous taxonomic confusion on these species is discussed, and their taxonomic ranks are accordingly raised from subspecies to species level. Neotypes of S. alutacea and S. rubiginosa are designated, and S. insignis is synonymized under S. albolineata syn. nov. Also, I argue for the validity of the name S. lineata and discuss the previous misapplication of nomenclature. Discussion of color variation and an identification key for all North American Schistocerca species are presented. 2004 Entomological Society of America.
