388 NEW NORTH AMERICAN MELANOPLI (ORTHOPTERA) 



Melanoplus bernardinae new species (Plate XVII, figs 9 and 10 ) 



This species is an aberrant member of the Saltator Group, and 

 the smallest of the species there included. It shows no close 

 relationships, and only a weakly defined development of the type 

 of male supra-anal plate which is so distinctive a feature in males 

 of the other species of the group. 



The small size of the insect and brilliant coloration of its 

 caudal limbs constitute striking features. 



Type. — c^; Vivian Creek, San Bernardino Mountains, River- 

 side County, California. Elevation, 7200 feet. August 29, 1919. 

 (Rehn and Hebard.) [Hebard Collection, Type no. 554.] 



Size small for the genus, form slightly more slender than the other species 

 of the Saltator Group. Vertex little produced, sulcation narrow and lateral 

 carinae rather strongly developed, frontal costa with surface weakly concave 

 from median ocellus ventrad, lateral margins slightly raised to fastigio-facial 

 angle. Eye large, oVer twice as long as infra-ocular sulcus. Pronotum with 

 medio-longitudinal carina distinct though not strongly developed, except 

 between the principal and median sulci; sulci distinct, the principal sulcus 

 deep; caudal margin of disk broadly obtuse-angulate produced. Prosternal 

 spine longer than broad, moderately transverse, the sides showing little con- 

 vergence to the bluntly rounded apex. Tegmina slightly shorter than pro- 

 notum (in the series varying to slightly longer than that dimension), slightly 

 overlapping (varying to attingent in the series), broad oval, rounding distad 

 but showing a slight angulation at the immediate apex. Furcula represented 

 by two minute rounded projections no longer than broad. Supra-anal 

 plate triangulate shield-shaped, the lateral margins moderately raised, 

 straight and weakly convergent in proximal half, thence deplanate, straight 

 and more strongly convergent to the sharply rounded apex; medio-longitu- 

 dinal sulcus and margining carinae equally pronounced and occupying proxi- 

 mal three-fifths of plate, the lateral portions of the plate there moderately 

 concave, disto-lateral carinae more lateral than usual in position, converging 

 and blending distad with the lateral margins, thus rounded depressed areas 

 beyond the raised portions of the lateral margins of the plate are formed, 

 upon which rest the apices of the cerci. Cerci less than twice as long as 

 basal width, bent weakly inward in distal third, with external surface weakly 

 convex except along the ventral margin, where a weak linear depression 

 occurs; ventral margin almost straight, dorsal margin weakly and broadly 

 concave to apex which is truncate, with angles rounded and distal margin 

 showing feeble convexity, the dorsal angle appreciably the more produced 

 and sharply rounded, the marginal contour such that the distal portion of 

 the cercus is very slightly wider than the narrowest portion of the shaft. 

 Subgenital plate with a weak median production of the free margin, due 

 to a weak lateral concavity of that margin, the free margin thickened latero- 

 proximad and in the briefly transverse produced portion. 



