Caribbean pygmy jumping leaves (Tetrigidae, Cladonotinae, Choriphyllini)

Abstract

The tribe Choriphyllini Cadena-Castañeda & Silva, 2019 consists of only two genera, Choriphyllum Serville, 1838 and Phyllotettix Hancock, 1902b, combining leaf-like Caribbean wide-nosed pygmy grasshoppers (Tetrigidae, Cladonotinae). The genus Choriphyllum has four species, C. bahamense Perez-Gelabert & Otte, 1999 from the Bahamas (Hummingbird Cay Island), and C. sagrai Serville, 1838, C. saussurei Bolívar, 1887 and C. wallaceum Skejo, Kasalo & Yong, sp. nov. from Cuba. The gender of C. bahamensis is changed to C. bahamense in order to match the grammatical gender of the genus, which is neuter. Silva’s designation of C. sagrai, the type species of Choriphyllum, as nomen dubium in 2019 was incorrect as Serville’s drawing clearly points to this species, endemic to Cuba, so nothing about its identity is doubtful. The genus Phyllotettix is endemic to Jamaica, where four species live: P. rhombeus (Felton, 1765), P. foliatus (Hancock, 1902a), P. compressus (Thunberg, 1815) and P. plagiatus (Walker, 1871), comb. nov. of Choriphyllum plagiatum. Choriphyllum westwoodi Hancock, 1902a, syn. nov. is synonymous with Phyllotettix rhombeus and not with P. compressus. A new subgenus is established, Phyllotettix (Rhombotettix) subgen. nov. for P. (R.) plagiatus comb. nov. and P. (R.) rhombeus. A new species complex, Phyllotettix (compressus) sp. complex nov. is established for two morphologically close species, P. compressus, and P. foliatus; while another new species complex, Choriphyllum (sagrai) sp. complex nov. includes C. sagrai and C. wallaceum sp. nov. An annotated key to genera, subgenera, species groups and species is provided.