New species of Cretaceous Locustopsidae (Orthoptera: Caelifera) from the Crato Formation of Brazil and a taxonomic revision of the family

A new genus and four new species of Locustopsidae Handlirsch, 1906 are described from the Crato Formation of northeastern Brazil. Aestuacrida stereofemoris gen. et sp. nov. differs from previous genera of the family by having four branches of CuA + CuPaα. A new species of Araripelocusta Martins-Neto, 1995, Araripelocusta imperatrix sp. nov., is much larger than previous congeners with a wingspan of ca. 39 mm and features two little leaf-like appendages on the dorsal front part of the head.

Parapleurites brasiliensis sp. nov. is the first Cretaceous member of this genus following two Jurassic predecessors. Parapleurites morrisonensis Smith, Gorman, Pardo & Small, 2011 has a wing venation that more closely resembles Mesolocustopsis Hong and Wang, 1990 and is moved to this genus as M. morrisonensis comb. nov. Cratolocustopsis aquila sp. nov. joins C. cretacea (Martins-Neto, 1990) and C. contumax Martins-Neto, 2003 as the third member of this genus, helping to solidify its separate position from other genera of Locustopsidae.

A comprehensive taxonomic revision of all known species of Locustopsidae is given to improve our understanding of the diversity of these short-horned Mesozoic grasshoppers. The genus Cratozeunerella Martins-Neto, 1998 is considered a junior synonym of Zeunerella Sharov, 1968. Cratozeunerella godoii Martins-Neto, 2003, C. nervosa Martins-Neto, 2003, C. soaresi Martins-Neto, 2003 and C. titanella Martins-Neto, 2003 are suggested to be included in Locustopsis Handlirsch, 1906.

Plesioschwinzia Zessin, 1988 is considered a junior synonym of Locustopsis. Further changes on the species level concern former Zeunerella reticulata (Handlirsch, 1939) which is moved to Cratolocustopsis Martins-Neto, 2003. Mesolocustopsis petruleviciusi (Martins-Neto, 2003) is considered a junior synonym of M. caririensis (Martins-Neto, 1990).

In Locustopsis two synonyms are proposed: Locustopsis elongata Handlirsch, 1906 syn. nov. of L. elegans Handlirsch, 1906, and Locustopsis lacera (Zessin, 1983) (former Plesioschwinzia lacera) syn. nov. of L. gyra Zessin, 1983. Additionally, Locustopsis anatolica Sharov, 1968 is moved to Schwinzia Zessin, 1983. The recently described species of the Chinese Sinolocustopsis Huang & Nel, 2024 are moved to the genus Locustopsis: Locustopsis elongatus comb. nov.

(Huang & Nel, 2024) and the genus Mesolocustopsis: Mesolocustopsis brevis comb. nov. (Huang & Nel, 2024). Liadolocusta auscultans Handlirsch, 1906 is considered a nomen nudum.

Locustopsites gigantea Théobald, 1937 is probably a member of Tettigoniidae Krauss, 1902 and should be excluded from Locustopsidae.