British Insects: the Genera of Orthoptera
| British Insects: the Genera of Orthoptera | |
Adults diurnal; 10–15 mm long (S. stigmaticus), or 15–23 mm long (S. lineatus; the females somewhat the larger in both species); usually green, sometimes with brownish forewings and brown marks elsewhere, but females sometimes pinkish or purplish; usually with a white line on the front edges of the forewings; males often developing orange colouration of the abdomen and hind tibiae.
The antennae relatively short, with fewer than 30 segments; not thickened towards the tip. The pronotum not extended backwards over the abdomen. 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; not pale blue. Foreleg tarsi 3 segmented; mid-leg tarsi 3 segmented; hindleg tarsi 3 segmented. The hind femora keeled. Hind tibiae not banded black and yellow. The ovipositor relatively short, and consisting of separate, prong-like valves articulated at the base; valves toothed. The males stridulous. The sound production femoro-alary. Auditory organs located in the first abdominal segment.
British representation. 2 species. Stenobothrus lineatus (Stripe-winged Grasshopper), S. stigmaticus (Lesser Mottled Grasshopper). Native. Southeast England, central southern England, southwest England, and Isle of Wight (S. lineatus), or English Midlands (Isle of Man only, S. stigmaticus).
Vegetarian (feeding mainly on gasses); found outdoors in natural habitats (on thin turf).
Classification. Suborder Caelifera; Superfamily Acridoidea; Acrididae.
Comments. Foveolae of the vertex distinct, oblong.
Illustrations. • Chorthippus and Stenobothrus (Lucas). • Acrididae and Tetrigidae: Burr.
To view 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: 9th April 2007. http://delta-intkey.com’.
