GRASSHOPPERS OF THE CONALCAEA COMPLEX — GURNEY 277 



Vertex of head only moderately elevated above level of x^ronotal 

 disk, produced in front of eyes, shallowly sulcate between eyes; 

 eyes well separated ; antennae filiform, extending about to middle 

 of tegmina ; pronotum without well-developed lateral carinae, me- 

 dian carina indicated but not elevated, posterior margin emargi- 

 nate; tegmina lobate, extending about to or slightly beyond base 

 of tergum 2,- apex rounded ; prosternal spine well developed, 

 straight or directed slightly posteriorly; mesosternal interspace 

 quadrate to slightly elongate (male), weakly transverse tc quad- 

 rate (female) ; metasternal interspace elongate; metasternal lobto 

 nearly contiguous (male) , well separated (female) ; legs of mod- 

 erate size ; hind femur extending about to or moderately beyond 

 apex of abdomen ; hind tibiae normally red, pinkish, purplish red, 

 or yellowish buff. Male with f urcula reduced to abbreviate lobes, 

 or scarcely present ; supra-anal plate triangular, middistai lateral 

 prominences of dorsal surface present and of variable size ; apex 

 of subgenital plate conical; male cercus with apex directed vent- 

 rad, often decidedly so produced, apical third varying from 

 scarcely wider than nfiddle width to considerably enlarged and 

 lobate dorsally. 



Melanopliis, Aeoloplus, HypocJilora, Agroecotettix, and many 

 other genera that include brachypterous species are at once dis- 

 tinguished from the present complex by not having the posterior 

 margin of the pronotum emarginate.-^ Phaedrotettix shows defi- 

 nite relationship to Conalcaea but typically has green hind tibiae, 

 the male cerci are of a different pattern, and the apex of the male 

 subgenital plate is not conical. The Mexican genus Sinaloa is 

 another close relative, and the resemblance to Barytettix is usually 

 enhanced by orange-colored antennae, but the males have differ- 

 ently shaped cerci, the furcula is represented by long, slender, 

 adjacent processes, and the aedeagus is of a different pattern from 

 that of the present complex. The key by Ball et al. (1942, p. 322) ^ 

 will be found helpful in recognizing the genera of United States 

 specimens likely to be confused with Conalcaea and Barytettix. 

 At present there is no adequate published key to the genera of 

 Mexican Melanoplini, 



The species of the Conalcaea complex have not been compre- 

 hensively treated since Scudder's original description of the gen- 



' First large visible segment behind pronotum is metr.notum. 



* Melanoplua aracilia (Bruner), which does not inhabit the territoiy occupied by Conr.lraea and 

 Barytettix, has the posterior margin of the pronotum weakly emarKinate. The apex of the sub- 

 genital plate in the male of aracilia is not cone-shaped, as in males of the Ctynaleaca complex, nor 

 are general body coloration and details of the }r»>nitaiia of either sex comparable. 



* Unless given directly in the text or in footnotes, references to literature will be found in the 

 •citations under the genera and species trent-d^ 



