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White Sands tree cricket

Oecanthus beameri Collins and Lightfoot 2022

map O. beameri and O. quadripunctatus in ANSDU O. beameri and O. quadripunctatus songs video
map ANSDU specimens comparing species video: calling male
dorsal male front view male ventralmale femora
dorsal view male front view male male abdomen hind femora
ventral female antennal markings subgenital plates females subgenital plates males
ventral view female antennal markings subgenital plates ♀ subgenital plates ♂
stridulatory file and teeth male genitalia copulatory blades metanotal gland
file and teeth male genetalia copulatory blades metanotal gland
ovipositor oviposition marks on sage collection site habitat
ovipositor oviposition marks collection site habitat
7 s of calling song with spectrogram; male from Otero Co., N.M.; 27-28°C. Recorded by David Lightfoot September 2021 at White Sands National Park. Original recording supplementary material 6 from Collins and Lightfoot (2022).
spectrogram
34 s of calling song; captive male from Otero Co., N.M.; 26.7°C. Recorded by Nancy Collins. Original recording supplementary material 7 from Collins and Lightfoot (2022).
This spectrogram is a 7 s excerpt of the 34 s audio file accessible above.
spectrogram

Song: Continuous trill, often 5-9 seconds long, and pauses of similar length.
Identification: Antennae translucent whitish; pedicel and scape have black markings of variable configuration; see examples on antennal markings image page. Pale greenish-white face, pronotum, abdomen, and wings. Pale green eyes. Pale whitish green palpi. Tarsi, tibiae, and femora translucent pale mint green. Tibiae without black setae or lateral black lines. Cerci straight and translucent pale green.
Similar species: O. quadripunctatus
O. beameri with two, three, or four antennal markings and medial mark on scape usually broken in two pieces; subgenital plates, ♀ wide shallow notch and ♂ with rounded end; ♂ with lighter color and smaller proportion of tegmen width to abdomen.
O. quadripunctatus with two to four antennal marks, medial mark a solid post; subgenital plates, ♀ deep, narrow notch and ♂ with tapered to rounded tip; ♂ darker coloring and larger proportion of tegmen width to abdomen width.

O. celerinictus
O. beameri no dark black lines across proximal portion of the hind tibiae but faint lines may be present.
O. celerinictus solid medial mark on the scape and never lacks upper outer mark on scape which is never round. Dark black lines across the proximal portion of the hind tibiae common.

O. salvii has deep black setae on hind femora, O. beameri does not.

O. walkeri antennal marks on the pedicel touch; pedicel marks on O. beameri do not.
Specimen data: Supplementary Material data from Collins and Lightfoot (2022):
Supplementary Material 2: Table showing measurements provided in description of 6 male paratypes - 3 pinned and 3 from alcohol.
Supplementary Material 4: Source recordings data for graphs showing male song rates and frequency.
Range: Likely only found in gypsum dunes of White Sands, New Mexico.
Habitat: Known only from the gypsum dunes of White Sands National Park, New Mexico. Hoary rosemary mint (Poliomintha incana: Lamiaceae; sage family) is the dominant shrub in the area and male O. beameri called exclusively from P. incana. Average daytime temperatures are 35°C June - August and 16°C December - February. Night temperatures range from 10-18°C June - August and average -5°C December - February.
Life cycle: Captive females oviposited in nodal and internodal areas of an undetermined sage species.
Remarks: A key to the nigricornis species group of Oecanthus, from Collins and Lightfoot (2022), is available on SINA's Oecanthus genus page.
Name derivation:
The specific epithet was named for Raymond Beamer, who, in 1932, collected the specimens that were found in ANSDU that were later recognized as the new species Oecanthus beameri. The common name, White Sands tree cricket, is in reference to the location where this species was found (White Sands National Park) and for the likelihood that it is found only in White Sands, New Mexico.
More information:
Genus Oecanthus, subfamily Oecanthinae.
References: Collins and Lightfoot 2022.
Nomenclature: OSF (Orthoptera Species File Online).
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