The (Edipodinas of Kansas. 



INTRODUCTION. 



This paper is proposed as No. 2 of a series covering the Orthoptera of 

 Kansas; "The Melanopli of Kansas," by P. W. Claassen, to be taken as 

 No. 1. 



It is the object of the present paper to so treat this group of Kansas 

 'hoppers that even the casual observer may be able to recognize the vari- 

 ous species and the relation they bear to one another. Wherever pos- 

 sible, the original descriptions have been given, along with any notes on 

 variation of Kansas forms, habitat records, etc., which have seemed 

 necessary. The original descriptions are given in single-space form, while 

 the notes and comments by the author are given double spacing. 



Keys for separating the genera and species are those of former writers, 

 modified to suit the Kansas forms. It has been the intention to so illus- 

 trate these keys by means of photographs and drawings that they will 

 present the minimum amount of difficulty. It is exceedingly difficult, 

 however, to formulate an artificial key by which these species may be 

 easily separated, as, in some cases at least, they seem to merge from one 

 species directly into another, a series of specimens showing all degrees 

 of variation. 



It would seem that Kansas is so located that the Eastern and Western 

 fauna meet here and tend to merge into each other. We are thus con- 

 fronted with some very interesting taxonomic problems. 



The (Edipodinse present a much more difficult problem than the 

 Melanopli, as the male genitalia are of practically no value whatever 

 taxonomically, and there does not seem to be a set of nonvariable char- 

 acters to be found. The number of sulci that intersect the carina? of the 

 pronotum has been used quite extensively in separating both genera and 

 species. This character, at least in Kansas forms, is quite unreliable, as 

 all variations from one to two distinct intersections may be found both 

 in groups which normally have one and also in those which normally have 

 two intersections. The shape, depth and size of the scutellum of the 

 vertex is also used, and is found to be equally varying. In fact, all 

 characters used in separating the forms are extremely variable and un- 

 reliable. It is the opinion of the author, therefore, that there are quite a 

 few more names than there' are good species. It seems very probable, 

 however, that no very definite results can be obtained in the matter with- 

 out prolonged breeding and rearing experiments. 



The taxonomic literature in this group is both meager and badly 

 scattered. A few of the genera are fairly well treated, but in these 

 the authors have omitted the original descriptions and have made very 

 few if any drawings to help interpret their meaning. 



Contribution from Entomological Laboratory, No. 222. 



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