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Sperberacris, a new Neotropical genus of Amblytropidiini. Sperberacris muriciensis n. sp. (type species) from the municipality of Murici, State of Alagoas, Brazil is described. The new genus differs from other tribe congenera by the epiproct suboval, furculae divided into four long sclerotized lobes, cerci curved inward, apex truncated and sclerotized at the tip and convex bridge of the epiphallus with two large black sclerotized spots. The new species presents a diploid number of 2n = 23, X0♂/24, XX♀, and the karyotype is made up of telo/acrocentric chromosomes, with one dot-like B chromosome occurring in some nuclei. Morphological descriptions are provided along with illustrations emphasizing the most significant diagnostic features of external morphology and male genitalia. Information on type specimens, material examined, and distribution provided.

Cephalophlugis Gorochov, 1998 is a Neotropical genus of predatory katydids with two valid species, Cephalophlugis cephalotes (Bolívar, 1888) (from São Paulo, Brazil) and Cephalophlugis setosa Gorochov, 2012 (from Sucumbios, Ecuador). Herein, we describe a third species of the genus, Cephalophlugis gaucho sp. nov., from Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. This species is easily distinguished from the others by the color of the hind wings and the number of spurs on the fore and middle legs. The calling song is composed of a long phrase with a series of syllables that vary in emission rate from beginning to end, with a dominant frequency of 23.43 ± 0.6 (22.12–24.37, n=11) kHz. So far, the species sings at the lowest frequency among the Phlugidini. From the chromosomal perspective, C. gaucho sp. nov. presents the karyotype 2n=31, X0, with the complement conserved within Meconematinae.

The knowledge of bioacoustics of the Neotropical crickets (Orthoptera, Gryllidea) is incipient, despite the great species diversity in the region. There are few cricket song-files deposited in the major World Sound Libraries, compared to other groups such as birds and amphibians. In order to contribute to the knowledge of the bioacoustics of Brazilian crickets, we organize, analyze and make available at Fonoteca Neotropical Jacques Vielliard (FNJV) and Orthoptera Species File (OSF) our bank of cricket songs. We deposited 876 cricket’s song files in the FNJV, belonging to 31 species and 47 sonotypes. The songs were field/lab recorded, and all individuals were collected to improve species/sonotypes taxonomic determination accuracy. We present photos (in vivo) of most recorded crickets, as well as calling song spectrograms to facilitate the species/sonotype recognition. Samples of the songs can be found online on the FNJV website, using the codes available in this work, as well as on the OSF, linked to the species name. As a result, we advance the knowledge of the songs of crickets and the current perspective of the Brazilian cricket bioacoustics. We encourage researchers to share with the public their collections of their cricket file songs both in the FNJV and the OSF.

Tree Crickets, Oecanthus Serville, 1831 have a worldwide distribution, and are known as Tree Crickets because they are common in the treetops, even though many species occur in different strata of forest, and also in open fields. In this work we describe a new species of Oecanthus from Southern Brazil, based on the most significant diagnostic structures in the ocanthine taxonomy, such as the phallic sclerites and metanotal gland morphology, as well as calling song. The new species herein described has a distinct faint red spot between the eyes, a metanotal gland with a triangular posterior median lobe with the apex curved up and forward, the median lophi of pseudepiphallus slightly elongate with an U-shaped invagination, and the ectophallic distal arc prolongation with the posterior apex U-bifurcated. The calling song stands out among the local stridulating crickets for alternate a regular and an irregular train of chirps. Illustrations of the external morphology, information about type specimens, material examined, measurements, and spectrogram of the calling and courtship songs is provided.

Neopedies taimensis n. sp. is described as a new species of grasshopper from the genus Neopedies Hebard, 1931 collected in Taim Ecological Station, State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. This description is supported with photographs that detail the male and female external and internal morphological characteristics. The new species differs from the other species known by furculae developed and sclerotized, epiproct with two protuberances, cerci quadrangular indented and sclerotized, ancorae developed and lophi with posterior projections divergent. In addition, we present habitat notes, geographic distribution, key to the species of genus and chromosome complement. Chromosome analyses were performed using standard staining procedures, showing diploid number of 2n = 23, X0♂/24, XX♀ and the karyotype made up of exclusively acrocentric chromosomes.

New species of Pseudoscopas (Orthoptera, Acrididae, Melanoplinae). Pseudoscopas carbonelli n. sp. from São Francisco de Paula, State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil is described, and a key to the species of Pseudoscopas Hebard, 1931 is added. Morphological descriptions are provided together with illustrations emphasizing the most significant diagnostic features of external morphology and male genitalia. Pseudoscopas carbonelli n. sp. differs from the other species known by epiproct with six protuberances in the median region, and extremities of the apical region of the epiproct sclerotized, as well as the lophi with sclerotization. Chromosome analyses were performed using standard staining procedures, showing diploid number of 2n = 23, X0♂/24, XX♀, and the karyotype made up of exclusively acrocentric chromosomes, including a medium-size megameric chromosome. Information is given about type specimens, material examined and geographic distribution.

Phalangopsids are a diverse group of crickets found in all tropical and subtropical regions, and includes 1044 valid species. Up to now, only 22 species were studied cytologically, with the chromosome number ranging from 2n = 11 to 2n = 21. In this paper we studied the chromosomes of 12 phalangopsid species from different Brazilian biomes (eight of them reported for the first time), and we traced some trends on chromosomal derivation in this group, based on chromosome morphology and fundamental number. We found that in the phalangopsid species the karyotype concentrates a large amount of metacentric chromosomes, the result of successive centric fusions over evolutionary time. Moreover, pericentric inversions and translocations have been also important in the chromosomal derivation of these crickets.

Orthoptera is the most diverse order in Polyneoptera, with more than 28,000 species described. They are cosmopolitan, inhabitants of tropical and subtropical regions, and are also found at high altitudes and latitudes. Their populations are generally large, and the abundance of individuals makes them an important component of the Arthropoda fauna. Orthopterans are mostly terrestrial, with some groups inhabiting semiaquatic habit, and they use a wide range of environments, from underground to canopy. In this chapter, we present the diversity of habitats and behaviors of Orthoptera and the manner in which this diversity affects their sampling, presenting specific methods for Orthoptera sampling according to habitat, taxon, and study aims. We discuss sampling methodologies for orthopterans dwelling on the ground, on shrubs, in caves and semiaquatic environments. We also consider sampling according to study group, comprehending katydids, crickets, and grasshoppers. We dedicate a special section to studies on orthopteran behavior and breeding, bioacoustics, chromosomes, and DNA. We present recommendations for specimen preservation for scientific collections. We also discuss sampling design and cautions for data analysis in ecological studies, indicating appropriate statistical distributions, analytic techniques for nested data, spatial autocorrelation, and biodiversity metrics at broad geographic scales.

The courtship, copulation and post-copulatory behavior, as well as acoustic communication of the Neotropical cricket Endecous (Notendecous) onthophagus is described under laboratory conditions and compared with other phalangopsids whose mating system was studied so far. We found that E. onthophagus present predictable mating sequences including seven events: (1) prolonged courtship; (2) male spermatophore extrusion during courtship; (3) female-above copulatory position; (4) prolonged copulation; (5) male forewings flipped over his head, exposing metanotal region along copulation; (6) copulation without spermatophore transfer; and (7) absence of guarding behavior. We suggest these events (1 to 7) as a behavioral line shared by phalangopsids, and we highlight variations that reflect the behavioral diversity of these crickets. The males of E. onthophagus produce the calling song (chirps) to attract females to mate, and also stridulates intermittently during the entire courtship period with distinct acoustic parameters during the stages of pre- and post-spermatophore extrusion.

In this paper we improve the morphological description of the tree cricket Neoxabea brevipes Rehn, 1913 and a new occurrence record for the species at the São Francisco de Paula National Forest Conservation Unit, State of Rio Grande do Sul, southern Brazil. Morphological characterization is provided together with illustrations emphasizing the most significant diagnostic features, such as the metanotal gland, abdominal specializations and phallic sclerites. The calling song was field recorded, comprising a continuous trill with dominant frequency of 3.6 kHz (19.7°C). The karyotype was described for the first time to Neoxabea Kirby, 1906, including diploid number of 2n=26, with two sexual chromosomes.