Variation of the Tegmen and Cercus in Sinopodisma rostellocerca (Orthoptera: Acrididae: Melanoplinae) with Proposal of a New Synonym.

ABSTRACT

Intraspecific variation is ubiquitous from individual traits to population level and plays an important role in a variety of fields. However, it is often ignored by systematists and comparative evolutionary biologists. In view of the limited knowledge of intraspecific variation, morphology-based identification has hindered the recognition of species borders and led to a great number of problems in the field of taxonomy and systematics. In this study, the intraspecific variation of the tegmen and cercus in Sinopodisma rostellocerca was examined, the variation patterns were summarized and the relationship between S. rostellocerca and S. hengshanica was discussed. The results showed that the intraspecific variation in the tegmen and male cercus was mainly manifested in the length and shape of the apical margin and dorso- and ventro-apical angles; this substantial variation occurred not only among intrapopulation individuals but also between the different sides of the same individuals, and all types of variation in S. hengshanica fell into the range of variation in S. rostellocerca, leading to the disappearance of the boundary between the two species. Therefore, S. hengshanica was herein considered as a new junior synonym of S. rostellocerca.