British Insects: the Genera of Orthoptera
British Insects: the Genera of Orthoptera | |
Gomphocerus auctt., nec Thunberg.
Adults 14–22 mm long (the females somewhat the larger); predominantly brown, occasionally reddish-purple in females, the hind tibiae of both sexes and the abdomen of males becoming orange.
The antennae relatively short, with fewer than 30 segments; thickened towards the tip (strongly clubbed). The antennal tips white. Forewings well developed; about equalling the abdomen. The costal margin of the forewing straight, the wing narrowing gradually with no basal dilation. Hindwings fully developed. Foreleg tarsi 3 segmented; mid-leg tarsi 3 segmented; hindleg tarsi 3 segmented. The hind femora keeled. The ovipositor relatively short, and consisting of separate, prong-like valves articulated at the base. The males stridulous. The sound production femoro-alary. Auditory organs located in the first abdominal segment.
British representation. 1 species. Gomphocerippys rufus (Rufous Grasshopper). Native. Wales, southeast England, central southern England, and southwest England.
Vegetarian; found outdoors in natural habitats (restricted to warm, rough grassland, mainly on calcareous soils).
Classification. Suborder Caelifera; Superfamily Acridoidea; Acrididae.
Comments. Foveolae of the vertex distinct, oblong.
Illustrations. • Acrididae and Tetrigidae: Burr.
To view the illustrations with detailed captions, go to the interactive key. This also offers full and partial descriptions, diagnostic descriptions, differences and similarities between taxa, lists of taxa exhibiting or lacking specified attributes, and distributions of character states within any set of taxa.
Cite this publication as: ‘Watson, L., and Dallwitz, M.J. 2003 onwards. British insects: the genera of Orthoptera. Version: 18th September 2008. http://delta-intkey.com’.
