Trimerotropis occidentiloides
This record describes Trimerotropis occidentiloides (species). Recorded family: Acrididae. Recorded order: Orthoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Similar to T. fontana , but pronotum with median crest of prozona more elevated (noticeable in profile). Dark cross bands on the tegmina are usually quite slender, and often broken into spots, and they usually don't cross the top (when tegmina are folded). T. fontana typically has the wings less green and more yellowish. T. occidentalis & T. occulens are also somewhat similar, but their wings are proportionately wider with the dark band different, and in T. occidentalis the wings are often bluish (as apposed to yellow-green). T. occulens is smaller, found in a different place, and has the prozona usually somewhat lower. T. occidentalis seems to have slightly wider hind femora [ needs checked ], and has a distinctly lower prozona.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Orthoptera (Grasshoppers, Crickets, Katydids)
- Suborder
- Caelifera
- Family
- Acrididae (Short-horned Grasshoppers)
- Subfamily
- Oedipodinae
- Tribe
- Trimerotropini
- Genus
- Trimerotropis
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
known only from Santa Monica Mountains, California
About Grasshoppers, Crickets, Katydids: the wider group
Order-level background for Orthoptera, the group containing Trimerotropis occidentiloides. 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 Trimerotropis occidentiloides (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by David J. Ferguson
Frequently Asked Questions About Trimerotropis occidentiloides
What is Trimerotropis occidentiloides?
Trimerotropis occidentiloides is a species in the family Acrididae, within the order Orthoptera.
How do you identify Trimerotropis occidentiloides?
Similar to T. fontana , but pronotum with median crest of prozona more elevated (noticeable in profile). Dark cross bands on the tegmina are usually quite slender, and often broken into spots, and they usually don't cross the top (when tegmina are folded). T. fontana typically has the wings less green and more yellowish. T. occidentalis & T. occulens are also somewhat similar, but their wings are proportionately wider with the dark band different, and in T. occidentalis the wings are often bluish (as apposed to yellow-green). T. occulens is smaller, found in a different place, and has the prozona usually somewhat lower. T. occidentalis seems to have slightly wider hind femora [ needs checked ], and has a distinctly lower prozona.
Where is Trimerotropis occidentiloides found?
Range: known only from Santa Monica Mountains, California