Grasshopper Species Research Articles

Major Northeastward Range Extension for a Western Grasshopper Species: New State Record for Trimerotropis pallidipennis (Burmeister) in Wisconsin

Major Northeastward Range Extension for a Western Grasshopper Species: New State Record for Trimerotropis pallidipennis (Burmeister) in Wisconsin

Prva potrditev pojavljanja pisane krtovke Xya variegata (Latreille, 1809) (Orthoptera: Tridactylidae) v Sloveniji

The occurrence of the variegated molehopper Xya variegata in Slovenia is confirmed unambiguously for the first time, based on observations of adults and larvae on 24. 3. 2023 and 2. 6. 2023 on the banks of a gravel pit along the Mura River, east of Petišovci in the Prekmurje region, northeastern Slovenia. Thus, the previously doubtful inclusion of the species in the checklist of Slovenian Orthoptera is now justified. Further research is needed to improve knowledge of its distribution and biology. A detailed assessment of the threat status and planning of conservation measures for this threatened and ecologically highly specialised grasshopper species should also be carried out.

Leveraging historical field notebooks to uncover continental‐scale patterns in the diversity of Australian grasshoppers

Abstract An understanding of how biodiversity is distributed across the broad spatial scales can resolve pure questions about ecological and historical processes and solve applied problems in conservation planning. Invertebrates such as insects make up much of biodiversity yet are rarely a focus in studies of regional‐scale diversity patterns, partly due to data deficiency. We took advantage of historical field notebooks to investigate the richness and compositional pattern of grasshoppers across a vast area of Australia (Western Australia, 2.6 million km2). We extracted grasshopper occurrence records from historical surveys of 1328 locations spanning 1947 to 1985. We developed generalised dissimilarity models to identify species compositional turnover across families and modelled species richness with regression analyses. Species composition was most distinct in mesic south‐west, north and north‐west regions and was most uniform through the arid interior region with the exception of the topographically complex Pilbara region. Species richness was highest in the arid interior and north and lowest in the cool and wet south‐west. The patterns of grasshopper species diversity and endemism were like patterns previously reported for lizards and this may reflect their common independence from water and their phylogenetic bias towards warm environments. Although high species richness was predicted in the Pilbara region, the area remains underrepresented in the national reserve system, with <10% of its area protected. High levels of short‐range endemism were found in general, with only ~1/4 of short‐range endemics being located in the national reserve system. Our analyses demonstrate that field notebooks can be a valuable resource for biogeographic analyses and for planning invertebrate conservation.

An Overview of Orthoptera Mass Occurrences in Croatia from 1900 to 2023.

During the last century, well-known locust species, such as Calliptamus italicus and Dociostaurus maroccanus, have produced outbreaks of varying degrees in the Balkans. The literature data on outbreaks in the region are scarce, and Croatia is not an exception. This study summarized the data on 23 Orthoptera mass occurrences in Croatia from 1900 to 2023 from 28 localities, representing 12 species. This is a low level of outbreak activity compared with other locust and pest grasshopper species in other parts of the world. The species with the most reporting is C. italicus with altogether six mass occurrences, while second is Barbitistes ocskayi and Miramella irena with three records, and in the third, place D. maroccanus and Gryllotalpa sp., each with two mass occurrences having been reported. One of the most notable swarms is that of Anacridium aegyptium which occurred around Šibenik in 1998, and this paper provides the first account of it, 25 years after it took place. The most recent outbreaks took place in 2022, and the most notable one was that of D. maroccanus swarm in Štikovo. The 2022 and 2023 reports were brief and muted, despite the affected agriculturists claiming significant damages.

Anatolian Short-Horned Grasshoppers Unveiled: Integrating Biogeography and Pest Potential.

Biogeographically, Anatolia harbours a rich diversity of short-horned grasshoppers (Orthoptera, Caelifera). The number of species recorded from Anatolia so far stands at 300. They inhabit diverse habitats ranging from arid Eremial to Euro-Siberian-like montane meadows, aligning with the topographical and climatological heterogeneity of Anatolia. Alongside some swarming species, the pest potential of several pullulating species needs attention. This is especially important concerning global warming, a scenario expected to be more severe in the Northern Mediterranean Basin in general and Anatolia specifically. A faunal list of biogeographic Anatolia, the area extending from the Aegean Sea in the west to the intermountain basin of the Caucasus in the northeast, the lowlands of Lake Urmia in the east, and Mesopotamia in the southeast, was developed. The recorded species were classified according to the phytogeographical provinces of Anatolia. Distributions of the species with the potential for pullulating were modelled using ecological-niche-modelling approaches for the present and future. The results have the potential to lead to the development of a concept that merges biogeography and the pest potential of certain Anatolian grasshopper species. Our results reveal the following: (i) Acrididae and Pamphagidae are the most diverse families represented in Anatolia; (ii) roughly 40% of Caelifera and 71% of Pamphagidae are endemics, suggesting Anatolia is a biodiversity hotspot; (iii) according to Caelifera diversity, the phytogeographical provinces of Anatolia follow an order of Irano-Anatolia, Euro-Siberia, Mediterranean, and Mesopotamia; and (iv) based on ecological modelling and personal observations, Dociostaurus maroccanus, Locusta migratoria, Calliptamus italicus, Heteracris pterosticha, Notostaurus anatolicus, Oedipoda miniata, and O. schochii should be monitored regarding their pest potential.

Factors related to sound production by the Chinese grasshopper Acrida cinerea during escape

Many grasshopper species produce conspicuous sounds while escaping from approaching predators; however, they occasionally escape without producing sounds. The Chinese grasshopper, Acrida cinerea, often exhibits noisy escape behavior. Therefore, a field experiment was conducted using A. cinerea to identify factors related to the production of sound during escape. This study utilized a predator model with an investigator approaching A. cinerea three times. We examined the relationship between the production of sound during escape and the following factors: ambient temperature and relative humidity as environmental factors; sex, body length, body weight, and limb autotomy as prey traits; and the repeated approach as a predator trait. The relationships between noisy escape and flight initiation distance (i.e., predator-prey distance when the prey initiates the escape), distance fled (i.e., distance the prey covered during the escape), and the mode of locomotion during escape (i.e., flying or jumping) were also examined. Noisy escape was observed only in males that escaped by flying, whereas the females and males that escaped by jumping invariably escaped silently. Among males that flew, noisy escape was related to ambient temperature, limb autotomy, and distance fled. The proportion that produced sound increased in parallel with the ambient temperature and distance fled. This proportion was lower among individuals that had autotomized one of their hind legs. These results indicate that noisy escape behavior is most frequent in healthy male A. cinerea under warm conditions.

Disjunct distribution of Hesperotettixspeciosus (Orthoptera, Acrididae) from the Black Belt Prairie of Alabama, United States.

Inventories of the flora and insect fauna of the Black Belt Prairie of Mississippi and Alabama have documented disjunct populations of species broadly distributed in the Great Plains, including two grasshopper species. During a recent survey of a large privately-owned prairie remnant in Sumter Co., Alabama, we documented a disjunct population of a third grasshopper species - Hesperotettixspeciosus, extending the known distribution of this species significantly eastwards. The discovery of this population is surprising due to the number of previous survey efforts of the Black Belt, Alabama and Mississippi overall and exemplifies the importance of conservation on private lands.

Survey of Melanoplus gaspesiensis and other alpine Acrididae (Orthoptera) on four summits of Gaspésie National Park, Québec, Canada

Abstract Alpine tundra areas are threatened by anthropogenic climate change. They are also often represented as hotspots of endemism. Studying the insect communities associated with these habitats is therefore highly relevant. Melanoplus gaspesiensis Vickery is a grasshopper species known for its extremely limited distribution; it is considered endemic to Mont Albert, on the Gaspé Peninsula, Québec, Canada. Given its extremely limited distribution and with its habitat being particularly sensitive to climate change, the species is likely to soon be considered “at risk” at both the provincial and national levels. In order to confirm the current distribution of M. gaspesiensis, we sampled Acrididae on four alpine summits of the Gaspé Peninsula. Four species of Acrididae were captured. Almost 85% of the captured specimens were M. gaspesiensis, all of which were captured on Mont Albert. Our data are thus coherent with the species being endemic to that summit. The unique geology of Mont Albert (serpentine) may explain why M. gaspesiensis appears to be restricted to this one summit.

Integrating Statistical Models and Principal Component Analysis to Assess Grasshopper Distribution and Diversity in Matiari District, Sindh, Pakistan

This study offers a comprehensive analysis of grasshopper diversity and distribution across different sites of Matiari district, Sindh, Pakistan during 2021-22 by using advanced statistical and ecological methodologies. This research documented ten grasshopper species, revealing significant spatial and temporal patterns. Acrotylus humertianus and Aiolopus thalassinus were widely distributed, with Acrotylus humertianus showing peak abundance in Mooro Lakho, while Oedaleus rosesense demonstrated the highest overall density, reaching up to 20 individuals per site. Notably, species richness peaked at ten species in Hala during April 2022, indicating substantial temporal variability. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) highlighted distinct ecological niches, with Acrotylus humertianus scoring highly on PC1, suggesting it thrives under specific conditions. The Shannon-Wiener Index revealed Bhit Shah and Mooro Lakho as the most diverse sites, while Simpson's Diversity Index indicated lower diversity in Saedabad. The correlation analysis showed a moderate positive relationship between temperature and grasshopper density (r = 0.452), while humidity and soil type had minimal effects. Generalized Linear Model (GLM) analysis identified Locusta migratoria as the most effective model, with the lowest Deviance, AIC, and BIC values, reflecting its optimal fit. The study emphasizes the complex interplay between environmental factors and grasshopper populations, providing crucial insights for biodiversity conservation and ecological research. These results highlight the dynamic nature of grasshopper ecology and underscore the need for targeted conservation strategies based on environmental and temporal variations.

An annotated Checklist of grasshoppers (Acridoidea: Orthoptera) of Punjab, Pakistan

Grasshoppers (Acrididoidea) found in Punjab, Pakistan, are documented in this article with an annotated checklist. Grasshoppers were collected from several districts of Punjab for the current study with the help of insect net (3.5 inch in diameter and 20 inch in length). The field locations encompassed agricultural, mountainous, semi-mountainous, and semi-desert regions characterized by a diverse range of vegetation, including crops, grasses, herbs, shrubs, and other plant species. A comprehensive identification of 74 grasshopper species was conducted, encompassing 11 subfamilies such as Oedipodinae, Gomphocerinae, Eyprepocnemidinae, Acridinae, Oxyinae, Cyrtacanthacridinae, Hemiacridinae, Calliptaminae, Tropidopolinae, and Catantopinae and Dericorythinae (now known as Dericorythidae). Hopefully, this study will form a base line for future Orthopterists in Pakistan.

Comparative analysis of mitogenomes among three species of grasshoppers (Orthoptera: Acridoidea: Gomphocerinae) and their phylogenetic implications.

Whole mitochondrial genomes have been widely used in phylogenetic analysis, population genetics and biogeography studies. This study sequenced and characterized three complete mitochondrial genomes (Dasyhippus peipingensis, Myrmeleotettix palpalis, Aeropedellus prominemarginis) and determined their phylogenetic position in Acrididae. The length of the mitochondrial genomes ranged from 15,621-15,629 bp and composed of 13 PCGs, 2 rRNA, 22 tRNA genes and an AT control region. The arrangement and structure of the mitochondrial genomes were similar to those of other invertebrates. Comparative genomics revealed that the three mitochondrial genomes were highly conserved in terms of gene size, structure, and codon usage, all PCGs were purified selections with an ATN start codon and a TAN stop codon. All tRNAs could be folded into the typical clover-leaf structure, except tRNA Ser (AGN) that lacked a dihydrouridine (DHU) arm. Phylogenetic analysis based on 13 PCGs of 34 Acrididae species and seven outgroup species revealed that differences in the shape of antennae within the family Acrididae should be given less weight as a taxonomic character for higher-level classification. Moreover, the divergence time estimates indicates that in Gomphocerinae, the species with clubbed antennae were formed within the nearest 18 Mya, and Pacris xizangensis is more ancient.

Pleistocene climatic oscillations influenced the emergence of geographically widespread and restricted genetic lineages in an Andean grasshopper species group

Abstract The grasshopper Trimerotropis pallidipennis species complex is distributed across arid and semi-arid environments from North to South America, reaching high altitudes along the Andes Mountain range. Currently, there are four valid species of Trimerotropis in South America. However, some species were found to comprise several genetic lineages. Here, we describe the genetic structure, lineage diversification, and environmental requirements within the Trimerotropis species complex in South America based on sequences from the mitochondrial COI gene, 4048 single nucleotide polymorphisms, and ecological niche modelling. The analyses revealed the existence of at least five lineages: two with a restricted geographical distribution and three with a very wide one. The results provide evidence that glacial cycles promoted not only the presence of refuge areas but also the isolation of widely distributed lineages on the eastern and western sides of the southern Andes, potentially driving the emergence of the Trimerotropis sp. lineage, which can tolerate more temperate habitats. Our results provide evidence for the effects of Pleistocene climatic changes on the diversification history of a South American grasshopper species complex.

Species Diversity of Grasshopper (Orthoptera: Caelifera) at the Rehabilitation Zone of the Bonangan Block, Wonoasri Resort, Meru Betiri National Park

Grasshoppers (Caelifera) are herbivorous insects that act as first consumers in the food chain. Grasshoppers can detect the presence or absence of plants as a source of food and a place to live, as well as being an indicator of environmental recovery. This study aims to determine the diversity of grasshopper species in the rehabilitation zone of Bonangan Block, Resort Wonoasri Meru Betiri National Park. The sampling method used a structured roaming technique. The results obtained nine types of grasshoppers covering seven genera with a total of 228 individuals. The diversity index value obtained is 1.86. The conclusion of this study was that the composition of grasshoppers included nine types of grasshoppers found, namely Oxya sp., Catantops sp., Trilophidia sp. (1), Trilophidia sp. (2), Schistocerca sp., Acrida sp., Phlaeoba sp., Atractomorpha sp. (1) and Atractomorpha sp. (2). The value of the diversity index of grasshoppers is in the medium category with the diversity index value of 1.86.

Grasshopper Species Composition and Severe Attack in the Semi-Arid Region of Rajasthan, India

Adequate knowledge is needed to know when grasshopper species abundance shifts and to follow severe outbreaks during microclimatic variations. Grasshoppers regularly cause enormous harm to a wide variety of crops and grazing lands; sometimes they show a potential attack on particular crops. A study was carried out in the southern region of Jaipur, Rajasthan, where 11 sites were weekly sampled to monitor grasshopper population dynamics, grasshopper densities, species composition, and vegetation loss from July 2021 to December 2022. A serious grasshopper attack was reported in 2021, with the highest grasshopper densities ranging from 5 to 17.5 per m2, whereas grasshopper densities dropped in 2022 from 4 to 14.5 per m2. In the survey area, the acridid grasshopper Hieroglyphus banian (Acrididae:Orthoptera) was reported as the most abundant species that was accountable for the majority of the crop damage in agricultural fields, followed by Spathosternum praciniferaum and Acrida turrita, respectively. The grasshopper population density was revealed to be significantly different in 2021 and 2022 (t = 1.568, df = 20, P = 2.086). Severe infestation was observed in all of the pearl millet fields and also in seasonal crops and vegetables, where H. banian caused 91% infestation, followed by S. praciniferaum with 7% and A. turrita with 2%, respectively. The study confirmed that climatic factors were significantly related to outbreaks and assessed their effect, which revealed a rare population in the summer season and peaked in the monsoon season. The finding provides important information for grasshopper risk forecasting, which is advantageous for preparing grasshopper risk maps, predicting the intensity of outbreaks, and developing an integrated pest management plan.

Conserved temperature requirements but contrasting responses to humidity across oviposition preferences in temperate grasshoppers

The right choice of an oviposition site is a crucial task for oviparous species without maternal care. In contrast to well investigated biotic factors, e.g., larval food preferences, parasitism, predation, and competition avoiding, abiotic factors affecting oviposition preferences in insects have been rarely investigated in comparative studies. To improve our current understanding of oviposition site selection in Orthoptera, we investigated the influence of substrate temperature and moisture on the oviposition behaviour of 14 temperate grasshopper species. Conspecific groups of adults were kept in arenas with simultaneous temperature and moisture gradients. For each ootheca produced during the experiment (n = 1192) we recorded its depth and local microclimatic conditions. Our results indicate that microclimatic oviposition preferences significantly differ among species, however, correlations between adult habitat preferences and microclimatic oviposition preferences were surprisingly weak. Even oligothermic species preferred substrate temperatures around 30 °C and some xerothermic species preferred higher humidity. The hypothesized tendency to place oothecae closer to the ground within grass tussocks under hot and dry conditions was confirmed. It is possible that species evaluate microclimatic conditions for oviposition in the context of occupied habitat, i.e., in a relative rather than absolute manner.

Ontogeny of color development in two green-brown polymorphic grasshopper species.

Many insects, including several orthopterans, undergo dramatic changes in body coloration during ontogeny. This variation is particularly intriguing in gomphocerine grasshoppers, where the green and brown morphs appear to be genetically determined (Schielzeth & Dieker, 2020, BMC Evolutionary Biology, 20, 63; Winter etal., 2021, Heredity, 127, 66). A better understanding of how these color morphs develop during ontogeny can provide valuable insights into the evolution and ecology of such a widespread color polymorphism. Here, we focus on the color development of two green-brown polymorphic species, the club-legged grasshopper Gomphocerus sibiricus and the steppe grasshopper Chorthippus dorsatus. By following the color development of individuals from hatching to adulthood, we found that color morph differences begin to develop during the second nymphal stage, are clearly defined by the third nymphal stage, and remain stable throughout the life of an individual. Interestingly, we also observed that shed skins of late nymphal stages are identifiable by color morphs based on their yellowish coloration, rather than the green that marks green body parts. Furthermore, by assessing how these colors are perceived by different visual systems, we found that certain potential predators can chromatically discriminate between morphs, while others may not. These results suggest that the putative genes controlling color morph are active during the early stages of ontogeny, and that green color is likely composed of two components, one present in the cuticle and one not. In addition, the effectiveness of camouflage appears to vary depending on the specific predator involved.

Amblytropidia paranaensis n. sp., a new species of grasshopper (Orthoptera: Acrididae: Gomphocerinae) from Paran State, Brazil, including new records, a distribution map and a key to the Brazilians species.

A new species of Amblytropidia Stl, 1873 (Orthoptera, Acrididae, Gomphocerinae), named Amblytropidia paranaensis n. sp., is delineated from the Trs Barras do Paran municipality, Paran State, Brazil. Detailed morphological delineations, accompanied by illustrations highlighting key diagnostic traits of both male and female external genitalia, are provided. Amblytropidia paranaensis n. sp. is distinguished from its congeners by distinctive body coloration, particularly evident in the head and thorax regions, as well as larger-sized anchorae compared to anterior projections, and uniquely trilobated and sclerotized lophi. Moreover, this study offers insights into the species habitat preferences, documented occurrences, a distribution map, and an updated taxonomy key specific to Brazilian Amblytropidia species.

A faunistic study and taxonomic account of species of pygmy grasshoppers (Orthoptera: Tetrigidae) from Singapore's last freshwater swamp forest

We surveyed the pygmy grasshoppers (Tetrigidae) of Nee Soon Swamp Forest (NSSF), the last substantial freshwater swamp habitat in Singapore, and found nine species from seven genera, including new locality records for Potua coronata Bolívar, 1887 and Thoradonta nodulosa (Stål, 1861). Overall, four subfamilies were represented: Cladonotinae, Metrodorinae, Tetriginae, and Scelimeninae. Here, we document the diversity and describe the intra-specific variation in Loxilobus insidiosus (Bolívar, 1887), Thoradonta nodulosa (Stål, 1861), and Coptotettix spp. as well as report natural history observations of these species related to their behavior in the semi-aquatic environment). We also provide a key to the species of Tetrigidae from NSSF.

Species diversity of grasshoppers in Kamrup district of Assam and their management by aqueous extracts of <i>Azadirachta indica</i> A. Juss and <i>Aegle marmelos</i> L.

Grasshoppers pose a significant threat to agricultural productivity worldwide, causing substantial damage to various crops such as cereals, legumes, orchards, vegetables, grasslands, and forest plantations. This research aimed to study the species diversity of grasshoppers in five selected paddy field locations of Kamrup district, Assam, and assess the efficacy of aqueous extracts from the leaves of Azadirachta indica A. Juss (neem) and Aegle marmelos L. (bael) for controlling the most common grasshopper species, Acrida exaltata, found in the study locations. A total of 36 species of grasshoppers were collected and identified, out of which Acrididae was the most predominant grasshopper family, constituting 77.78% of the total collected species. The experimental results demonstrated abnormal changes in behaviour, including slower movement and increased inactivity among the aqueous extracts treated insects. Both the treated groups showed morphological and behavioural change with the more prominent effects observed from the neem-treated group. Haemolymph analysis revealed the presence of severe deformities in both treated groups, such as the spindle-shaped formation of cells, nuclear membrane disintegration, cell fusion and stacking, cytoplasmic vacuole formation, and cytoplasm degeneration. These findings demonstrate the pesticidal potential of neem and bael extracts against the Acrida exaltata grasshopper species, following its toxic impact on haematological, physiological, and morphological behaviour, suggesting the need for further research on their use as effective and environmentally friendly control measures against grasshopper pest infestations in densely vegetated and paddy fields in the region.

The role of thermal tolerance in determining elevational distributions of four arthropod taxa in mountain ranges of southern Asia.

Understanding the role of thermal tolerances in determining species distributions is important for assessing species responses to climate change. Two hypotheses linking physiology with species distributions have been put forward-the climatic variability hypothesis and the climatic extreme hypothesis. The climatic variability hypothesis predicts the selection of individuals with broad thermal tolerance in more variable climatic conditions and the climatic extreme hypothesis predicts the selection of individuals with extreme thermal tolerance values under extreme climatic conditions. However, no study has tested the predictions of these hypotheses simultaneously for several taxonomic groups along elevational gradients. Here, we related experimentally measured critical thermal maxima, critical thermal minima and thermal tolerance breadths for 15,187 individuals belonging to 116 species of ants, beetles, grasshoppers, and spiders from mountain ranges in central and northern Pakistan to the limits and breadths of their geographic and temperature range. Across all species and taxonomic groups, we found strong relationships between thermal traits and elevational distributions both in terms of geography and temperature. The relationships were robust when repeating the analyses for ants, grasshoppers, and spiders but not for beetles. These results indicate a strong role of physiology in determining elevational distributions of arthropods in Southern Asia. Overall, we found strong support for the climatic variability hypothesis and the climatic extreme hypothesis. A close association between species' distributional limits and their thermal tolerances suggest that in case of a failure to adapt or acclimate to novel climatic conditions, species may be under pressure to track their preferred climatic conditions, potentially facing serious consequences under current and future climate change.