Sigaus nitidus is a species of short-horned grasshopper in the family Acrididae, endemic to New Zealand.[1][2][3] This alpine grasshopper species is flightless and silent.
| Sigaus nitidus | |
|---|---|
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| Sigaus nitidus, New Zealand | |
Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Orthoptera |
| Suborder: | Caelifera |
| Family: | Acrididae |
| Tribe: | Catantopini |
| Genus: | Sigaus |
| Species: | S. nitidus
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| Binomial name | |
| Sigaus nitidus Hutton, 1898
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Taxonomy
editSigaus nitidus was described by Hutton in 1898[4] but in the genus Paprides. "Nitidus" means shiny. In 1967 Bigelow added P. dugdali to this genus.[5] In 2023 thirteen species of New Zealand cold-adapted grasshopper were combined into the genus Sigaus, creating the new combination Sigaus nitidus.[3]
Biology and description
editSigaus nitidus is adapted to alpine conditions. This grasshopper eats a wide range of alpine herbs but avoids tussock grass.[6][7] Females are larger than males[8] but their antenna have the same number of sensilla.[9] Sigaus nitidus has a variable life-cycle of two or three years, overwintering as egg, nymph or adult.[10]
Distribution
editSigaus nitidus is found above the tree line on mountains in South Island New Zealand from Mt Arthur in the north to Canterbury, where it is the most abundant grasshopper species.[5][10] During the Last Glacial Maximum S. nitidus would have had a wider distribution.[11] Species distribution models predict that global warming will result in more fragmented habitat and loss of approximately 20% of suitable habitat for S. nitidus.[11]
References
edit- ^ "Paprides nitidus". GBIF. Retrieved 2021-09-09.
- ^ Otte, Daniel; Cigliano, Maria Marta; Braun, Holger; Eades, David C. (2020). "species Paprides nitidus Hutton, 1898". Orthoptera species file online, Version 5.0. Retrieved 2021-09-09.
- ^ a b Trewick, Steven A.; Koot, Emily M.; Morgan-Richards, Mary (2023). "Māwhitiwhiti Aotearoa: Phylogeny and synonymy of the silent alpine grasshopper radiation of New Zealand (Orthoptera: Acrididae)". Zootaxa. 5383 (2): 225–241. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.5383.2.7. ISSN 1175-5334. PMID 38221250.
- ^ Hutton, F. W. (1898). "Notes on the New Zealand Acrididae". Proceedings and Transaction of the New Zealand Institute. 31: 44–50.
- ^ a b Bigelow, R. S. (1967). The grasshoppers (Acrididae) of New Zealand. University of Canterbury Publications.
- ^ Watson, R. N. (1970). The feeding behaviour of alpine grasshoppers (Acrididae: Orthoptera), in the Craigieburn Range, Canterbury, New Zealand. Christchurch NZ: Unpublished MSc thesis, University of Canterbury.
- ^ Nakano, Mari; Park, Kye Chung; A. Trewick, Steven; Morgan-Richards, Mary (2024). "Food plant odor perception in three sympatric alpine grasshopper species (Orthoptera: Acrididae: Catantopinae) in Aotearoa New Zealand". Chemoecology. 34 (2): 71–81. Bibcode:2024Checo..34...71N. doi:10.1007/s00049-024-00403-8. ISSN 1423-0445.
- ^ Meza-Joya, Fabio Leonardo; Morgan-Richards, Mary; Trewick, Steven A. (2022). "Relationships among body size components of three flightless New Zealand grasshopper species (Orthoptera, Acrididae) and their ecological applications". Journal of Orthoptera Research. 31 (1): 91–103. doi:10.3897/jor.31.79819. ISSN 1937-2426.
- ^ Nakano, Mari; Morgan-Richards, Mary; Clavijo-McCormick, Andrea; Trewick, Steven (2023). "Abundance and distribution of antennal sensilla on males and females of three sympatric species of alpine grasshopper (Orthoptera: Acrididae: Catantopinae) in Aotearoa New Zealand". Zoomorphology. 142 (1): 51–62. doi:10.1007/s00435-022-00579-z. ISSN 1432-234X.
- ^ a b White, E. G.; Sedcole, J. R. (1991). "A 20-Year Record of Alpine Grasshopper Abundance, with Interpretations for Climate Change". New Zealand Journal of Ecology. 15 (2): 139–152.
- ^ a b Meza‐Joya, Fabio Leonardo; Morgan‐Richards, Mary; Koot, Emily M.; Trewick, Steven A. (2023). "Global warming leads to habitat loss and genetic erosion of alpine biodiversity". Journal of Biogeography. 50 (5): 961–975. doi:10.1111/jbi.14590. ISSN 0305-0270.
External links
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Media related to Sigaus nitidus at Wikimedia Commons
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