Sotol Grasshopper
Phaulotettix eurycercus
This record describes Phaulotettix eurycercus (species). Recorded family: Acrididae. Recorded order: Orthoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Orthoptera (Grasshoppers, Crickets, Katydids)
- Suborder
- Caelifera
- Family
- Acrididae (Short-horned Grasshoppers)
- Subfamily
- Melanoplinae
- Tribe
- Melanoplini
- Genus
- Phaulotettix
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Most often seen in areas of gravelly ground in broken terrain in association with Chihuahuan Desert Scrub or Tamaulipan Thornscrub.
Geographic Range
Reported from the states of New Mexico and Texas in the U.S., and Coahuila, Nuevo Leon, and Tamaulipas in Mexico.
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: The common name "Sotol Grasshopper" derives from the species tendency to hide among the leaves of Sotol plants ( Dasylirion species); however, this grasshopper is often found in areas where there is no Sotol, where it tends to be found among grasses and low desert subshrubs.
About Grasshoppers, Crickets, Katydids: the wider group
Order-level background for Orthoptera, the group containing Phaulotettix eurycercus. 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 Sotol Grasshopper (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by David J. Ferguson; Additional contributions by metrioptera