A new cricket genus and first record of Neometrypini (Orthoptera: Oecanthidae) in the Caatinga, Brazil

Abstract Biological collections are fundamental resources for biodiversity research, although they remain underutilised in many taxonomic efforts. In this study, we examine specimens deposited in the Entomological Collection of the Museu de Zoologia da Universidade de São Paulo (MZSP) to describe a new genus and species of cricket belonging to the tribe Neometrypini (Tafaliscinae). Annelotrypa gen. nov. and its type species, Annelotrypa xerophila sp. nov. , are described based on specimens collected in the arboreal Caatinga of Bahia, Brazil. This taxon represents the first confirmed record of Neometrypini in this xerophytic biome. The new genus is diagnosed by a distinctive combination of morphological traits, including an elongated, cylindrical body; micropterous forewings that do not medially cover the meso‐ and metanotum; laterally flattened fore and mid femora approximately twice as thick as their corresponding tibiae; hind tibiae (TIII) with a subapical spur formula of 4/0 (inner/outer); and short, rounded cerci that do not exceed the hind femora. Detailed morphological descriptions, measurements, and illustrations of external features and genitalia for both sexes are provided. Additionally, an updated identification key to the genera of Neometrypini (excluding the taxonomically uncertain Nessa Walker, 1879) is presented. This study expands the known diversity and distribution of Neometrypini in South America and emphasises the importance of continued taxonomic work within Tafaliscinae, particularly in poorly sampled habitats such as the Caatinga.