22 Ara 2024 Pazar
Species specificity of male genitalia as a taxonomic tool in some species of Acrididae (Orthoptera: Acridoidea) from Kashmir Valley, Himalayas
Abstract :The male genitalia of eleven species from six genera of the Acrididae family were examined. As a veritable tool for identifying Acridid species and genera, efforts were made to describe and show the significance and relevance of many features of the males, such as the epiphallus, aedeagus, supra-anal plate, as well as the male cerci. This study shows that male genitalia should be regarded as species-specific since the form and size of both genital organs are unique to each species, even though individual features may be identical. Since all the specimens examined in this study were collected from the Kashmir Valley, this study also documents the first record of Orthochtha ramchandrae from Jammu & Kashmir.
Epiphallus, endophallus, aedeagus, taxonomy, supra-anal plate, Kashmir Valley