Anacridium moestum, the camouflaged tree locust, is a species of grasshopper belonging to the family Acrididae,[1][2] that is native to Africa south of the equator. It is similar in appearance to the Southern African desert locust, Schistocerca gregaria flavicentris.[3] It is likewise brownish, large and slender, but mostly arboreal in its habits.
| Camouflaged tree locust | |
|---|---|
| |
| Adult perched on a Felicia shrub | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Orthoptera |
| Suborder: | Caelifera |
| Family: | Acrididae |
| Subfamily: | Cyrtacanthacridinae |
| Tribe: | Cyrtacanthacridini |
| Genus: | Anacridium |
| Species: | A. moestum
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| Binomial name | |
| Anacridium moestum (Serville, 1838)
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| Synonyms | |
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Description
editAnacridium moestum can reach a length of 50–90 millimetres (2.0–3.5 in). These large and slender locusts show a mottled reddish brown or grey body, with a finely speckled green tegmina. Hind wings are pale blue with a black band near the base. Hind tibiae are purplish. Nymphs (hoppers) are yellowish green.[4] The eyes and face are vertically striped.[3]
Distribution and habitat
editThis species is native and widespread in southern and south tropical Africa.[1][2][3] These grasshoppers live on trees or shrubs in grassland with acacias.[4]
Biology
editAnacridium moestum feeds on Acacia, Zizyphus, Capparis aphelia, and gum trees. These tree locusts may damage crops and fruit trees, but only occasionally swarm.[4]
Bibliography
edit- Burr (1903) Orthoptera Fam. Eumasticidae, Genera Insectorum, V. Verteneuil & L. Desmet, Brussels 15:1-23, pl 1
- COPR (Centre for Overseas Pest Research) (1982), The Locust and Grasshopper Agricultural Manual
- Dirsh (1965), The African Genera of Acridoidea, Cambridge University Press, Antilocust Centre, London 579 pp.
- Johnsen (1991) Acrididae: Catantopinae, Cyrtacanthacridinae, Acridinae, The Acridoidea of Botswana (Acridoidea of Botswana) 2:132-284
- Johnston, H.B. (1956), Annotated catalogue of African grasshoppers, The Cambridge University Press, Cambridge 833 pp.
- Johnston, H.B. (1968), Annotated catalogue of African grasshoppers, The Cambridge University Press, Cambridge Suppl:448 pp.
- Kirby, W.F. (1910), A Synonymic Catalogue of Orthoptera (Orthoptera Saltatoria, Locustidae vel Acridiidae), British Museum (Natural History), London 3(2):674 pp.
- Picker, Griffiths & Weaving (2005), Field Guide to Insects of Southern Africa, Struik Publishers, South Africa 444 pp.
- Rehn, J.A.G. (1942) New South African Bird-Locust of the Genus Anacridium (Orthoptera, Acrididae, Cyrtacanthacridinae), Notulae Naturae 110
- Rehn, J.A.G. (1944) South African bird-locust records and notes (Orthoptera, Acrididae, Cyrtacanthacridinae, group Cyrtacanthacres), Notulae Naturae 137:11 pp.
- Serville (1838[1839]), Histoire naturelle des insectes. Orthoptères, Librairie Encyclopédique de Roret, Paris i-xviii, 1-776, pl. 1-14
- Uvarov & G.B. Popov (1957) The saltatorial Orthoptera of Socotra, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, London (Zool. J. Linn. Soc.) 43:359-389
- Uvarov (1923) A revision of the Old World Cyrtacanthacrini (Orthoptera, Acrididae). II. Genera Phyxacra to Willemsea, Annals and Magazine of Natural History, London (Ann. Mag. nat. Hist.) 9 11:473-490
- Uvarov (1966), Grasshoppers & Locusts. A Handbook of General Acridology, Cambridge University Press, London 1:481 pp.
References
edit- ^ a b Catalogue of life
- ^ a b Orthoptera Species File
- ^ a b c Picker, Mike; et al. (2004). Field Guide to Insects of South Africa. Cape Town: Struik Publishers. p. 102. ISBN 978-1-77007-061-5.
- ^ a b c Africa Wild