Coconino Wrangler Grasshopper
Circotettix coconino
This record describes Circotettix coconino (species). Recorded family: Acrididae. Recorded order: Orthoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Not reliably separable from C. rabula , but has blue hind tibiae (usually brownish to yellow in C. rabula , but intermediate colors occur across northern Arizona and northwestern New Mexico). On average the wings are shorter in C. coconino , and notably so in western Coconino County. See notes under C. rabula for comparisons with other similar species. Very like C. rabula not just in appearance, but also in behavior. This is also a loud insect in which males perform aerial displays.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Orthoptera (Grasshoppers, Crickets, Katydids)
- Suborder
- Caelifera
- Family
- Acrididae (Short-horned Grasshoppers)
- Subfamily
- Oedipodinae
- Tribe
- Trimerotropini
- Genus
- Circotettix
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
As for Circotettix rabula . Most often on sunny rocky or gravelly ground in areas of Ponderosa Pine.
Geographic Range
Northwestern Arizona on Coconino Plateau and nearby uplands (and perhaps north into sw. Utah); eastward across Arizona along the Mogollon Rim to west central and southwestern New Mexico and in higher mountains of southeastern Arizona. Perhaps in mountains of adjacent Mexico, but apparently not yet recorded from that country.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
Overwinters as eggs. Adults early summer to freezing weather, and seemingly most common (or noticeable due to frequent loud hovering flights) in late summer.
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Circotettix coconino is currently treated as a distinct species on Orthoptera Species File . However, this seems debatable. Distinction from C. rabula is based on some observed behavioral differences that may or may not reflect real differences, or may be simply a result of seasonal, environmental, or other influences. And, also, on blue coloring of the hind tibiae. The two "species" intergrade where they meet in Arizona, and there does not seem to be a clear cut way to draw a division between them. More study into this is needed. None-the-less they are left separate here for the present, following the current treatment on OSF.
About Grasshoppers, Crickets, Katydids: the wider group
Order-level background for Orthoptera, the group containing Circotettix coconino. Species-specific details appear above.
Group overview
Orthoptera includes ~28,000 described species of grasshoppers, crickets, and katydids. Desert locusts can form swarms covering 460 square miles containing up to 80 million individuals per square kilometer.
Ecological role of the group
Grasshoppers and crickets are a primary food source for birds, reptiles, and small mammals. Cricket farming is a growing industry - crickets require 12× less feed than cattle to produce the same amount of protein, using 2,000× less water.
Economic and practical significance of the group
A single large locust swarm can consume the same amount of food in one day as 35,000 people. The 2019-2021 East Africa locust crisis affected food security for 42 million people across multiple countries. Global crop losses from locusts can reach billions annually.
Recorded sources for this group: FAO, UN World Food Programme, research publications. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.
Photos of Coconino Wrangler Grasshopper (2)
Photo credits: Contributed by David J. Ferguson
Frequently Asked Questions About Coconino Wrangler Grasshopper
What is Coconino Wrangler Grasshopper?
Coconino Wrangler Grasshopper (Circotettix coconino) is a species in the family Acrididae, within the order Orthoptera.
How do you identify Coconino Wrangler Grasshopper?
Not reliably separable from C. rabula , but has blue hind tibiae (usually brownish to yellow in C. rabula , but intermediate colors occur across northern Arizona and northwestern New Mexico). On average the wings are shorter in C. coconino , and notably so in western Coconino County. See notes under C. rabula for comparisons with other similar species.
Where is Coconino Wrangler Grasshopper found?
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Habitat | As for Circotettix rabula . Most often on sunny rocky or gravelly ground in areas of Ponderosa Pine. |
| Range | Northwestern Arizona on Coconino Plateau and nearby uplands (and perhaps north into sw. Utah); eastward across Arizona along the Mogollon Rim to west central and southwestern New Mexico and in higher mountains of southeastern Arizona. Perhaps in mountains of adjacent Mexico, but apparently not yet recorded from that country. |
What is the life cycle of a Coconino Wrangler Grasshopper?
Overwinters as eggs. Adults early summer to freezing weather, and seemingly most common (or noticeable due to frequent loud hovering flights) in late summer.