Phaedrotettix concinnus
This record describes Phaedrotettix concinnus (species). Recorded family: Acrididae. Recorded order: Orthoptera.
Identification and Appearance
The shapes of the parts of the male terminalia at the end of the abdomen are distinctive in this species, and should separate it from P. accola , which has much narrower wings and slender, nearly pointed cerci. P. dumicola has the pallium (part sticking up at the rear tip) bending backwards over the subgenital plate instead of pointing more upward as in this species. The black knees of the hind legs may be diagnostic for this species? Paraidemona species look very similar, but have no wings.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Orthoptera (Grasshoppers, Crickets, Katydids)
- Suborder
- Caelifera
- Family
- Acrididae (Short-horned Grasshoppers)
- Subfamily
- Melanoplinae
- Tribe
- Melanoplini
- Genus
- Phaedrotettix
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Morgan Hebard in 1917 placed this name as a synonym of P. dumicola , but the Orthoptera Species File lists the two names as separate species. They are listed separately here, following the later, until the distinctions (if any) are understood. This name maybe should indeed be moved to appear as a synonym under that one.
About Grasshoppers, Crickets, Katydids: the wider group
Order-level background for Orthoptera, the group containing Phaedrotettix concinnus. 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.