Foam locust

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Foam locust
Dictyophorus spumans, copula, West Coast National Park, South Africa

Dictyophorus spumans , copula , West Coast National Park, South Africa

Systematics
Class : Insects (Insecta)
Order : Grasshoppers (Orthoptera)
Subordination : Short-antennae terrors (Caelifera)
Family : Cone head horror (Pyrgomorphidae)
Genre : Dictyophorus
Type : Foam locust
Scientific name
Dictyophorus spumans
( Thunberg , 1787)

The foam locust ( Dictyophorus spumans ) is a type of the cone-headed terrors ( Pyrgomorphidae) within the short- antennae terrors (Caelifera). The name gives the insects the property of secreting a foam-like secretion to ward off enemies.

features

With a body length of 64 millimeters, the foam grasshopper is one of the larger species of the cone-headed horror family. The body and legs are markedly reddish, orange and black, the abdomen is black and has white rings. The bright colors are used to ward off enemies.

The foam locust is unable to fly, the rear pair of wings has completely receded.

distribution and habitat

The animals can be found all over South Africa except for the Natal region. Open, rocky biotopes and areas with low vegetation serve as living space. Foam locusts are often found on mountain tops.

literature

  • Mike Picker, Charles Griffiths, Alan Weaving: Field Guide to Insects of South Africa. Struik Publishers, Cape Town 2004, ISBN 1-77007-061-3

Web links

Commons : Foam Locust  - Album with pictures, videos and audio files
  • KJ Siegert, R. Kellner, G. Gäde: A third active AKH is present in the pyrgomorphid grasshoppers Phymateus morbillosus and Dictyophorus spumans. In: Insect biochemistry and molecular biology. Volume 30, Number 11, November 2000, pp. 1061-1067, ISSN  0965-1748 . PMID 10989293 . - Describes the hormone components in the defense foam