288 NEW NORTH AMERICAN MELANOPLI (oRTHOPTERa) 



plentiful. It was, however, almost ubiquitous and in the heavy- 

 chaparral, where Orthoptera was not abundant, some of the 

 darkest examples were secured. 



One female was taken at Monterey on July 4, 1916, by G. P. 

 Englehardt, while a pair was secured by Hebard at Santa Cruz, 

 Santa Cruz County, on August 28, 1907. The male of this pair 

 is somewhat atypical in having the cerci straighter and more 

 slender distad than in any of the typical series. 



Melanoplus aspasmus^'^ new species (Plate XXX, figs. 9 and 10; plate 

 XXXI, fig. 4.) 



This is a striking species of the Marginatus Group. It shows 

 no close relationship to any of the other species. The fastigio- 

 facial angle is as blunt as in M. gracilipes Scudder, the furcula 

 resemble more closely those found in M. hesperus here described 

 and the cerci to some degree suggest those of M. 7nicrotatus here 

 described. 



The insect is the most robust of the group and is distinctive 

 in the form of the male genitalia, particularly that of the sub- 

 genital plate, which is rounded with free margin flaring outward 

 evenly throughout. 



Type. — cf ; Paso Robles, San Luis Obispo County, California. 

 August 21, 1909. (M. Hebard.) [Hebard Collection, Type no. 

 506.] 



Size small, slightly smaller than in gracilipes. Form moderately stout, dis- 

 tinctly the heaviest species of the Marginatus Group, many of the species of 

 which are very slender. Surface moderately well supphed with long pile, this 

 most noticeable on caudal limbs and subgenital plate. Head of the same type 

 as in gracilipes, but not as deep, the fastigio-facial angle even blunter, the face 

 distinctly less strongly retreating; the frontal costa wide, as wide as in graci- 

 lipes, showing only slight concavity toward the median ocellus.^^ Eye large, 

 distinctly broader than in gracilipes or the species closely related, about two 

 and one-quarter times as long as infra-ocular sulcus. Pronotum moderately 

 elongate, proportionately distinctly shorter than in gracilipes or the related 

 species; lateral carinae subobsolete, as in gracilipes; caudal margin of disk 

 obtuse-angulate produced, with angulation rather sharp, production greater 

 than in gracilipes or any other species of the Marginatus Group, but of the 

 same type found in M. marginatus Scudder. ■ Prosternal spine bluntly coni- 

 cal, distinctly shorter than in gracilipes. Tegmina attingent, broad oval with 



^^ From dcr3ra(r/Li6s = striking. 



^^ In one paratypic male the lateral margins of the frontal costa arc moder- 

 ately carinate, the surface of the frontal costa resultantly shallowly concave, 

 much as is normal in M. fuipoixus here descril)ed. 



