Taeniopoda is a genus of horse lubbers, fairly large grasshoppers in the family Romaleidae that are native to southwestern United States, Mexico and Central America. There are about 12 described species in Taeniopoda.[1][2][3][4] Taeniopoda is very closely related to Romalea (members of the two genera can even produce fertile hybrids in captivity[5]), leading some recent authorities to consider the former a junior synonym the latter.[4][6]

Taeniopoda
Taeniopoda eques
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Orthoptera
Suborder: Caelifera
Family: Romaleidae
Subfamily: Romaleinae
Tribe: Romaleini
Genus: Taeniopoda
Stål, 1873

Species

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These 12 species belong to the genus Taeniopoda:

Taeniopoda reticulata

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Taeniopoda reticulata

Taeniopoda reticulata is a purplish grasshopper that has red antennas and is about 2 inches long. It has black stripes leave like pattern on wings coverings, legs and body. A bright crimson red on wings is displayed, it has eyed like pattern when both wings are opened on flight as a defense mechanism.

In Costa Rica is more often seen from early June to July at its nymphal stage to fully matured, crawling around the banana plantations on the Caribbean slope.

References

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  1. ^ "Taeniopoda Report". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 2019-12-25.
  2. ^ "Taeniopoda". GBIF. Retrieved 2019-12-25.
  3. ^ a b Otte, Daniel; Cigliano, Maria Marta; Braun, Holger; Eades, David C. (2019). "genus Taeniopoda Stal, 1873". Orthoptera species file online, Version 5.0. Retrieved 2019-10-16.
  4. ^ Whitman, D.; Vincent, S. (2008). "Large size as an antipredator defense in an insect". Journal of Orthoptera Research. 17 (2): 353–371. doi:10.1665/1082-6467-17.2.353.
  5. ^ Jesús-Bonilla, V.S.D.; Barrientos-Lozano, L.; Zaldívar-Riverón, A (2023). "Taxonomic revision of the transitional Nearctic-Neotropical lubber grasshopper genus Romalea (Orthoptera: Romaleidae)". Rev. Mex. Biodiv. 94.

Further reading

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  • Capinera, J. L; Scott, R. D.; Walker, T. J. (2004). Field Guide to Grasshoppers, Katydids, and Crickets of the United States. Cornell University Press. ISBN 978-0-8014-8948-8.
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