Crackling Forest Grasshopper
Trimerotropis verruculata
This record describes Trimerotropis verruculata (species). Recorded family: Acrididae. Recorded order: Orthoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Trimerotropis sparsa and fratercula may be similar, but hind wings are narrower and the apex of the wings are usually mostly clear. The dark band across the hind wing is usually weak and ill-defined in T. sparsa . Circotettix species have even broader wings, with thicker radial veins on the hind wings. The dark band across the hindwings are usually less strong, and the tip of the wing is mostly clear, or the wings are not yellow and the wing is clear or mostly black.
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.
About Grasshoppers, Crickets, Katydids: the wider group
Order-level background for Orthoptera, the group containing Trimerotropis verruculata. 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 Crackling Forest Grasshopper (2)
Photo credits: Contributed by Eric R. Eaton; Additional contributions by David Ferguson