Vol. 3: Insects |
Order: Orthoptera |
Species accounts
Field grasshopper
Chorthippus brunneus
FAMILY
Acrididae
TAXONOMY
Chorthippus brunneus Thunberg, 1815, Sweden.
OTHER COMMON NAMES
None known.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
Small, 0.5–1 in (14–25 mm); long wings. Coloration extremely varied, especially in females, from light brown to black to green to rose red.
DISTRIBUTION
Northern and central Europe.
HABITAT
Dry, sunny meadows, roadsides, and forest edges.
BEHAVIOR
Suriname clicking cricket
Eneoptera surinamensis
FAMILY
Eneopteridae
TAXONOMY
Eneoptera surinamensis De Geer, 1773, Suriname.
OTHER COMMON NAMES
None known.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
Small, 1–1.4 in (25–35 mm); fully developed wings and large, protruding eyes. Female ovipositor long and needle shaped. Body brown.
DISTRIBUTION
South and Central America (exact boundaries unknown).
HABITAT
Feeds on herbaceous plants in understory of lowland tropical rainforests.
Diurnal; males produce loud calls of hard “sst” sounds of about 0.2 sec duration.
FEEDING ECOLOGY AND DIET
BEHAVIOR
Strictly nocturnal. Males produce very short, one-syllable calls unlike those of most other crickets.
Feeds primarily on grasses. |
FEEDING ECOLOGY AND DIET |
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REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY |
Little known, observed feeding on decaying organic material. |
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Eggs laid in soil, enclosed in foamy egg pods. |
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CONSERVATION STATUS |
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Not threatened. One of the most common grasshoppers in its |
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distribution. |
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SIGNIFICANCE TO HUMANS |
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None known. |
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Chorthippus brunneus
Rhabdotogryllus caraboides
Rossophyllum maculosum
Eneoptera surinamensis
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Order: Orthoptera
REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY
Nothing is known.
CONSERVATION STATUS
Not listed by the IUCN, but like most tropical insects can be threatened by loss of natural habitat.
SIGNIFICANCE TO HUMANS
None known.
Variegated grasshopper
Zonocerus variegatus
FAMILY
Pyrgomorphidae
TAXONOMY
Zonocerus variegatus Linnaeus, 1758, Africa.
OTHER COMMON NAMES
None known.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
Medium, 1.4–2.2 in (35–55 mm); wings greatly shortened, reaching only to about middle of abdomen, but long-winged forms also occur. Adult coloration aposematic, yellow-green, with yellow, orange, white, and black markings; nymphs black with bright yellow speckles.
DISTRIBUTION
Sub-Saharan Africa.
HABITAT
Savannas, pastures, and agricultural fields.
BEHAVIOR
Larvae exhibit strong gregarious behavior and may cluster in tens or even hundreds on a single plant. Nymphs and adults move rather slowly, and even fully winged individuals are reluctant to take flight, trusting in their own unpalatability.
FEEDING ECOLOGY AND DIET
Feeds on a variety of plants, including many Leguminosae, from which they sequester pyrrolizidine alkaloids, secondary compounds that make them unpalatable to many predators (a
Zonocerus variegatus
Leptophyes punctatissima
Vol. 3: Insects
fact the grasshoppers advertise with their warning coloration). Commonly eaten roasted by local people in southern Nigeria, suggesting level of toxic secondary compounds in their bodies varies depending on plant species fed upon.
REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY
Females lay eggs in soil, enclosed in foamy egg pods.
CONSERVATION STATUS
Not threatened.
SIGNIFICANCE TO HUMANS
Serious pest of cassava, maize, and other crops in sub-Saharan Africa.
Beetle cricket
Rhabdotogryllus caraboides
FAMILY
Gryllidae
TAXONOMY
Rhabdotogryllus caraboides Chopard, 1954, Mt. Nimba area; Keoulenta, Guinea, Africa.
OTHER COMMON NAMES
None known.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
Both sexes with shortened, thick tegmina covering half of abdomen, venation consists of many straight, parallel veins. Males do not have sound-producing modifications on wings and are presumably silent. Black, shiny, resembles small beetle.
DISTRIBUTION
Guinea (West Africa).
HABITAT
Litter of the lowland and midelevation tropical rainforest, sometimes observed on termite mounds.
BEHAVIOR
Almost nothing is known; may be associated with termites but nature of association is unknown.
FEEDING ECOLOGY AND DIET
Nothing is known.
REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY
Nothing is known.
CONSERVATION STATUS
Not listed by the IUCN, but likely threatened by habitat loss.
SIGNIFICANCE TO HUMANS
None known.
Greenhouse camel cricket
Tachycines asynamorus
FAMILY
Rhaphidophoridae
TAXONOMY
Tachycines asynamorus Adelung, 1902, St. Petersburg botanical garden, Russia.
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Vol. 3: Insects |
Order: Orthoptera |
Tachycines asynamorus
OTHER COMMON NAMES
None known.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
Small, 0.5–0.7 in (13–19 mm); completely wingless. Legs and all appendages very long and slender, giving the appearance of a long-legged spider. Extremely agile and can jump long distances. Body is yellow brown with dark mottling.
Balsam beast
Anthophiloptera dryas
FAMILY
Tettigoniidae
TAXONOMY
Anthophiloptera dryas Rentz and Clyne, 1983, Turramurra, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
DISTRIBUTION
Originally from Far East (probably China), now cosmopolitan.
HABITAT
Wild populations probably inhabited caves, now found in greenhouses and warm, humid cellars and basements of houses.
BEHAVIOR
Exclusively nocturnal, spends the day hidden in crevices and under large objects; strongly gregarious.
FEEDING ECOLOGY AND DIET
Feeds on variety of organic matter, including other insects and plants.
REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY
Females lay eggs in soil; larvae hatch and join groups of older individuals.
CONSERVATION STATUS
Not threatened.
SIGNIFICANCE TO HUMANS
Can injure young plants in greenhouses. Disliked by humans because of its agility and spiderlike appearance.
OTHER COMMON NAMES
None known.
Anthophiloptera dryas
Conocephalus discolor
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Order: Orthoptera
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
Large, 2–2.75 in (50–70 mm); long, pointed wings and prognathous head. Legs and antennae slender and very long. General coloration green or brown, leaflike.
DISTRIBUTION
New South Wales and Queensland (Australia).
HABITAT
Wooded suburbs and gardens of coastal southeastern Australia.
BEHAVIOR
Nocturnal; active primarily high in the treetops.
FEEDING ECOLOGY AND DIET
Feeds on flowers and variety of trees, but particularly fond of garden balsam (Impatiens sp.)
REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY
Eggs laid singly in the bark of trees, especially near the base.
CONSERVATION STATUS
Not listed by the IUCN. Considered “controlled specimens” by the Minister of the Environment and Heritage of Australia.
SIGNIFICANCE TO HUMANS
Occasionally damages garden flowers.
Long-winged conehead
Conocephalus discolor
FAMILY
Tettigoniidae
TAXONOMY
Conocephalus discolor Thunberg, 1815, Sweden.
OTHER COMMON NAMES
None known.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
Small, 0.5–0.7 in (12–17 mm), wings longer than body; hind wings protrude beyond apices of front wings when folded. Ovipositor straight, nearly as long as body. Light green with characteristic dark brown stripe on back.
DISTRIBUTION
Widespread in Europe and western Asia, also found in West Africa.
HABITAT
Meadows, marshes, reed beds, and near water.
BEHAVIOR
Very agile, diurnal, with good vision and thus difficult to approach. At slightest indication of danger, quickly moves to opposite side of the plant stem it is sitting on and clings to it, becoming virtually invisible. Males produce soft, continuous, buzzing call.
FEEDING ECOLOGY AND DIET
Feeds mostly on grasses and other plants, but also catches small insects such as caterpillars and aphids.
REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY
Eggs laid in grass or reed stems; females sometimes chew small holes in stems through which they insert the ovipositor. Larvae light green with characteristic black stripe on back.
Vol. 3: Insects
CONSERVATION STATUS
Not threatened.
SIGNIFICANCE TO HUMANS
None known.
Speckled bush-cricket
Leptophyes punctatissima
FAMILY
Tettigoniidae
TAXONOMY
Leptophyes punctatissima Bosc d’Antic, 1792, Paris, France.
OTHER COMMON NAMES
None known.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
Small, 0.4–0.7 in (10–17 mm); reduced, scalelike wings. Legs long and slender; antennae several times longer than body. Females have broad, sickle-shaped ovipositor, very finely toothed at the tip. Light green.
DISTRIBUTION
Widespread in Europe, from southern Scandinavia in the north to the southern peninsulas in the Mediterranean. Recently introduced into the United States.
HABITAT
Sunny meadows, gardens, and orchards.
BEHAVIOR
Active at dusk and at night; males produce calls consisting of series of soft, short syllables, females respond to male calls with short clicks.
FEEDING ECOLOGY AND DIET
Feeds on leaves and flowers of a variety of plants, including clover, dandelion, roses, snowberry, and many others.
REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY
Eggs laid in tree bark and fruits of plants such as snowberry.
CONSERVATION STATUS
Not threatened.
SIGNIFICANCE TO HUMANS
Occasionally damages orchard trees.
Dead leaf mimetica
Mimetica mortuifolia
FAMILY
Tettigoniidae
TAXONOMY
Mimetica mortuifolia Pictet, 1888, Guatemala.
OTHER COMMON NAMES
None known.
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Vol. 3: Insects
Polyancistrus serrulatus
Mimetica mortuifolia
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
Superb mimic of live and dead leaves. Tegmina resemble leaves to a degree capable of deceiving a botanist, complete with leaflike venation and fake “herbivory”; hind wings strongly reduced and hidden under tegmina. Ovipositor of female is strongly curved, with thickened, strongly serrated tip. Coloration varies greatly; individuals with green and brown, or even half-green and half-brown wings, may occur within same population.
DISTRIBUTION
Costa Rica and Panama.
HABITAT
Occurs in lowland and midelevation tropical rainforests, from the understory to highest levels of the forest canopy.
BEHAVIOR
Extremely cryptic, impossible to locate during the day, which it spends completely motionless, in a position that breaks the symmetry of its outline. At night feeds on leaves of plants, and males produce short, buzzing calls.
FEEDING ECOLOGY AND DIET
Little known, has been seen feeding on leaves of various trees.
REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY
Strongly curved ovipositor of females is shaped to penetrate tissues of plant stems where eggs are laid. To lay eggs, female bends abdomen down and forward until ovipositor faces forward between her front legs. She then uses legs to guide ovipositor and insert it into plant tissue. Eggs are laid individually, left partially protruding from the plant to allow for easy exchange of oxygen for developing embryo.
CONSERVATION STATUS
Not listed by the IUCN. Locally common, but threatened by habitat loss.
SIGNIFICANCE TO HUMANS
None known.
Order: Orthoptera
Hispaniola hooded katydid
Polyancistrus serrulatus
FAMILY
Tettigoniidae
TAXONOMY
Polyancistrus serrulatus Beauvois, 1805, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Hispaniola.
OTHER COMMON NAMES
None known.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
Medium, 1.4–2.5 in (35–65 mm); enlarged, hoodlike pronotum in males and females. Ovipositor of females is long, sword shaped. Body coloration generally brown but green forms also occur.
DISTRIBUTION
Dominican Republic (Hispaniola).
HABITAT
Trees and tall bushes in tropical forests.
BEHAVIOR
Strictly nocturnal, spends the day in rolled-up leaves or under loose strips of tree bark. At night males produce long and very loud buzzing calls, females also capable of producing loud calls.
FEEDING ECOLOGY AND DIET
Feeds on leaves, fruits, and flowers of a wide variety of plants.
REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY
Females probably lay eggs in soil.
CONSERVATION STATUS
Not listed by the IUCN, but like most tropical insects can be threatened by loss of natural habitat.
SIGNIFICANCE TO HUMANS
None known
Speckled rossophyllum
Rossophyllum maculosum
FAMILY
Tettigoniidae
TAXONOMY
Rossophyllum maculosum Bowen-Jones, 2000, Sirena Research, Corcorvado National Park, Costa Rica.
OTHER COMMON NAMES
None known.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
Long, 2.5–3 in (65–75 mm); long, threadlike antennae. Ovipositor in females strongly reduced, adapted to depositing eggs on surface of leaves or stems of forest-canopy plants. Cryptically colored, resembles lichen-covered leaves.
DISTRIBUTION
Costa Rica.
HABITAT
Occurs only in canopy of lowland tropical rainforests of Costa Rica.
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Order: Orthoptera |
Vol. 3: Insects |
BEHAVIOR |
CONSERVATION STATUS |
Nothing is known. |
Not listed by the IUCN, but like most tropical insects can be |
FEEDING ECOLOGY AND DIET |
threatened by loss of natural habitat. |
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Nothing is known. |
SIGNIFICANCE TO HUMANS |
REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY |
None known. |
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Nothing is known. |
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Resources
Books
Field, L., ed. The Biology of Wetas, King Crickets and Their Allies.
Oxford: CAB International, 2001.
Gangwere, S. K., et al., eds. The Bionomics of Grasshoppers, Katydids and Their Kin. Oxford: CAB International, 1997.
Gwynne, D. T. Katydids and Bush-Crickets: Reproductive Behavior and Evolution of the Tettigoniidae. Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 2001.
Kevan, D. K. McE. “Orthoptera.” In Synopsis and Classification of Living Organisms, Vol. 2, edited by S. P. Parker. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1982.
Otte, D. The North American Grasshoppers, Vol. I. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1981.
—. The North American Grasshoppers, Vol. II. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1984.
—. The Crickets of Hawaii: Origin, Systematics & Evolution.
Philadelphia: The Orthopterists’ Society, 1994.Rentz, D. C. F. Grasshopper Country: The Abundant Orthopteroid Insect Fauna of Australia. Sydney: University of New South Wales Press, 1986.
Uvarov, B. P. Grasshoppers and Locusts: A Handbook of General Acridology, Vol. 1. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 1966.
Other
Orthoptera Species File Online [May 12, 2003]. <http:// osf2.orthoptra.org>.
The Orthopterists’ Society [May 12, 2003]. <http://www
.orthoptera.org>.
Piotr Naskrecki, PhD
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