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Baja California, a 1,300 km long peninsula, exhibits considerable ecological diversity, encompassing coastal chaparral, coniferous forests, low desert scrub, and tropical deciduous forests. The region’s ecological complexity reflects its biogeographic history, marked by separation from mainland Mexico 5.5 million years ago. Survey efforts have documented an impressive 4,000 plants, and insect efforts have targeted bees, weevils, ants, and blow flies. Grasshoppers, in contrast, remain underexplored. The present study expands on expeditions from the 1970s to 2010s that focused on the peninsula’s Orthoptera. Two new genera are established—BajatettixandOzmacris—and a key to the genera of the Melanoplinae of the peninsula is provided. This study highlights the importance of understanding Baja California’s grasshopper diversity to support conservation initiatives and future ecological studies. 

In this study, a morphological revision was conducted ofAgroecotettixBruner, a group of grasshoppers inhabiting open xeric desert scrub, shrublands, and plains, spanning central Texas to central Mexico. The genus was originally described by Bruner in 1908, with two taxa added by Hebard in 1922.Agroecotettixhas remained unrevised despite numerous collections. This exploration, spurred by a novel discovery of significant male genitalia variation inAgroecotettix aristus aristus, suggests undescribed species. Through morphological specimen comparisons, sixteen new species are described from biologically rich regions of the South Texas Plains, Chihuahuan Desert, and Sierra Madre Oriental. The new taxa described here areA. silverheelsisp. nov.,A. xiphophorussp. nov.,A. glochinossp. nov.,A. texmexsp. nov.,A. cumbressp. nov.,A. burtonisp. nov.,A. mooreisp. nov.,A. chiantiensissp. nov.,A. dornisp. nov.,A. chisosensissp. nov.,A. turnerisp. nov.,A. quitmanensissp. nov.,A. vaquerosp. nov.,A. forcipatussp. nov.,A. idicsp. nov., andA. kahloaesp. nov.This discovery sheds light on desert biodiversity and hints at a Pleistocene radiation akin to other melanoplines, urging further exploration to enrich our understanding of this fascinating lineage and unravel the biogeographic history within these arid landscapes. 

Floritettixare endemic to the North American Coastal Plain. Here I describe a new species,Floritettix phloxsp. nov., from the Bombing Range Ridge in central Florida. This species appears to be restricted to the heavily burned scrub habitat on this small ridge. This species is described based on morphological and biogeographical evidence. 

Melanoplus discolorandMelanoplus kendalliwere previously placed in thetexanusspecies group. Here seven new species are described from central Texas and the combined nine species placed into thediscolorgroup based on emergence time and shape of the male terminalia and genital structures. Six of these new species are from the Edwards Plateau, a known area of high endemism. Species of thediscolorgroup are inhabitants of shortgrass or mixed-grass prairies, Ashe juniper or oak savannas. 

Gymnoscirtetes is endemic to the southeastern portion of the North American Coastal Plain and previously comprised two species: G. pusillus Scudder, 1897 and G. morsei Hebard, 1918. Here, this genus is revised based on male genital morphology and geographic data, and four new species are described: G. georgiaensis sp. nov. , G. pageae sp. nov. , G. rex sp. nov. , and G. wadeorum sp. nov. Gymnoscirtetes is primarily associated with mesic grasslands such as pitcher plant bogs, flatwoods, and the edges of seasonal ponds, but can be found less commonly in a variety of other grasslands.