Snow's Short-wing Grasshopper
Melanoplus snowi
This record describes Melanoplus snowi (species). Recorded family: Acrididae. Recorded order: Orthoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Closely related to M. femurnigrum . Wings reduced, very short, with tegmina ovoid and widest toward tip, usually not touching. Hind tibiae blue, or at least bluish. Hind femur with much of outer face black, and contrastingly yellowish around the black color. Male cerci large, approximately twice as long as wide and constricted in middle (roughly dog-bone shaped). Male cercus
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Orthoptera (Grasshoppers, Crickets, Katydids)
- Suborder
- Caelifera
- Family
- Acrididae (Short-horned Grasshoppers)
- Subfamily
- Melanoplinae
- Tribe
- Melanoplini
- Genus
- Melanoplus
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
High mountain grassland areas.
Geographic Range
Mountians of central and central-west New Mexico and central-east Arizona.
About Grasshoppers, Crickets, Katydids: the wider group
Order-level background for Orthoptera, the group containing Melanoplus snowi. 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 Snow's Short-wing Grasshopper (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by David J. Ferguson; Additional contributions by Tyler Hedlund
Frequently Asked Questions About Snow's Short-wing Grasshopper
What is Snow's Short-wing Grasshopper?
Snow's Short-wing Grasshopper (Melanoplus snowi) is a species in the family Acrididae, within the order Orthoptera.
How do you identify Snow's Short-wing Grasshopper?
Closely related to M. femurnigrum . Wings reduced, very short, with tegmina ovoid and widest toward tip, usually not touching. Hind tibiae blue, or at least bluish. Hind femur with much of outer face black, and contrastingly yellowish around the black color. Male cerci large, approximately twice as long as wide and constricted in middle (roughly dog-bone shaped). Male cercus
Where is Snow's Short-wing Grasshopper found?
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Habitat | High mountain grassland areas. |
| Range | Mountians of central and central-west New Mexico and central-east Arizona. |