Poekilocerus

Poekilocerus
Poekilocerus bufonius (above),
Poekilocerus pictus (below)
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Orthoptera
Suborder: Caelifera
Family: Pyrgomorphidae
Subfamily: Pyrgomorphinae
Tribe: Poekilocerini
Burmeister, 1840
Genus: Poekilocerus
Serville, 1831[1]
Synonyms
  • Decticus Klug, 1832
  • Paecilocerus Bordas, 1898
  • Paekilocera Westwood, 1841
  • Poecilocera Percheron, 1836
  • Poecilocerus Schaum, 1853
  • Poekilocera Percheron, 1838

Poekilocerus is a genus of grasshoppers in the family Pyrgomorphidae and the monotypic tribe Poekilocerini. Species are found in the northern half of Africa, and in Southwest and South Asia, often in arid or semi-arid areas.[2][3][4]

Adults are typically about 3–7 cm (1.2–2.8 in) long, with females generally larger than males of the same species.[4][5] The genus includes both highly toxic species with contrasting aposematic colours and species with duller colours suitable for camouflage.[4][5]

Species

The Orthoptera Species File lists the following:[2]

  1. Poekilocerus arabicus Uvarov, 1922
  2. Poekilocerus bufonius Klug, 1832 (3 subspecies)
  3. Poekilocerus calotropidis Karsch, 1888
  4. Poekilocerus geniplanus Gupta & Chandra, 2016
  5. Poekilocerus pictus (Fabricius, 1775) - type species (as Gryllus pictus Fabricius)

References

  1. ^ Audinet-Serville JG (1831) Ann. Sci. nat. 22(86): 275.
  2. ^ a b Orthoptera Species File: genus Poekilocerus Serville, 1831 (retrieved 12 August 2023)
  3. ^ Johnston, H.B. (1956). Annotated Catalogue of African Grasshoppers. Cambridge University Press.
  4. ^ a b c Fishelson, L. (1960). "The biology and behavior of Poekiloceros bufonius Klug, with special reference to the repellent gland (Orth. Acrididae)". Eos (Madrid). 36: 41–62.
  5. ^ a b 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.