Arcyptera fusca
| Arcyptera fusca | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Arcyptera fusca, female | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Hexapoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Orthoptera |
| Family: | Acrididae |
| Genus: | Arcyptera |
| Species: | A. fusca |
| Binomial name | |
| Arcyptera fusca (Pallas, 1773) | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Arcyptera fusca, the 'Large Banded Grasshopper', is a species of 'short-horned grasshoppers' belonging to the family Acrididae subfamily Gomphocerinae.
This species is native of the steppes of Central Asia, but it is nowadays present in most of Europe, in estern Palearctic ecozone and in the Near East.
It is a medium-sized grasshopper characterized by a significant sexual dimorphism. Males have developed functional wings covering the abdomen, while females have rudimentary wings, shorter than abdomen and unfit for flight (brachyptery).
The adult males grow up to 22–35 millimetres (0.87–1.38 in) long, while females reach 29–44 millimetres (1.1–1.7 in) of length. The hind tibiae have a characteristic bright red color that extended to the inner face of femora. The knees are black, surrounded by a white band.
They can be encountered in the alpine meadows, mountain pastures and grasslands, especially feeding on Poaceae species.
Males use a range of different stridulations for signaling their presence in the territory, for engaging in a dispute with a rival of the same sex or for courting females. Eggs are spawned in oothecae in short tunnels dug in the ground.
References
- García MD, Abellán J., Clemente M.E. & Presa J.J. - Consideraciones sobre el comportamiento acústico de Arcyptera fusca fusca (Pallas, 1773) - ANALES DE BIOLOGIA, 11 (Biología Animal, 3). 1987: 81-89