Orthoptera in the far side of the world: the southernmost new genus of Phaneropterinae, and the ecology of some Subantarctic Orthoptera

A survey on orthoptera in the transition zone between the Patagonian and Subantarctic regions of Argentina, along the Atlantic coast, was conducted to improve knowledge on these insects, which in these extreme areas have evolved into peculiar species, indicative to understand the biogeographical limits of this order of insects. New data have emerged on highly specialized genera such as Bufonacris and Astroma while other more generalist genera such as Sinipta have shown considerable expansion southwards, probably favoured by warmer climatic conditions. A new genus and species are described here for the first time: Caimanellus gen. nov. with the species Caimanellus australis sp. nov., at present the southernmost representative of the Phaneropterinae ever recorded. More general considerations on the evolution of the distributional limits of this large group of orthopterans are here discussed