Oecanthus texensis: A new species of tree cricket from the Western United States

Abstract

This article describes and names a new species of Oecanthus Serville, 1831 from the western United States. Oecanthus texensis n. sp. Symes & Collins is currently known from southern Oklahoma, Texas, southern Arizona, and southwestern Idaho. Habitats include desert, prairie, weedy fields, and woody secondary growth. O. texensis has been collected in oak, walnut, pinyon pine, and mesquite, as well as a variety of landscaping hedges and shrubs. The Oecanthus genus contains four clusters of species. The tegmina shape, song structure, and antennal markings suggest that O. texensis falls within the varicornis group. The structure of the call is similar to the other members of the varicornis species group, but the pulse rate is unique. Song analysis shows that at 25 °C, O. texensis produces a continuous trill with approximately 41 pulses per second and a dominant frequency of 3.8 kHz, making it the slowest pulsing member of the varicornis group.