NEW SPECIES RECORDS OF MANTODEA, ORTHOPTERA, AND PHASMATODEA IN THE STATE OF TEXAS (USA)

Abstract

With its large size and range of habitats, Texas has one of the most diverse insect faunas of the United States with many endemic species. Despite more than a century of active study, knowledge of the insect diversity in Texas remains incomplete. Here, we report 19 species and subspecies records of Mantodea, Orthoptera, and Phasmatodea for the first time in Texas (USA) based on museum specimens. These records include several significant geographic range extensions (from eastern, southern, and western species) such as the phasmid Diapheromera carolina Scudder, the band-winged grasshopper Arphia granulata Saussure, and the mantid Stagmomantis montana Saussure & Zehntner. These records also include the first documentation of Melanoplus torridus (Roberts) and Phaedrotettix gracilis (Bruner) in the United States and the first records of the invasive cricket Velarifictorus micado (Saussure) in Texas. While some of these discoveries only extend known ranges somewhat, others represent disjunct and ecologically different populations.