Phymateus
| Phymateus | |
|---|---|
| |
| Phymateus karschi from Mozambique | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Orthoptera |
| Suborder: | Caelifera |
| Family: | Pyrgomorphidae |
| Subfamily: | Pyrgomorphinae |
| Genus: | Phymateus Thunberg 1815 |
Phymateus is a genus of grasshoppers of the family Pyrgomorphidae.
Description[]
Species of the genus Phymateus are African grasshoppers about 70 millimetres (2.8 in) long. Some species at maturity are capable of long migratory flights. They raise and rustle wings when disturbed and may secrete a noxious fluid from the thoracic joint.[1] These locusts feed on highly toxic plants and usually congregate in large numbers on trees and shrubs, arranged in such a way as to resemble foliage. Females of the species Phymateus morbillosus are unable to fly, despite fully developed wings.[2]
Distribution[]
Species of this genus can be found in Southern, Central and East Africa, through Somalia and Madagascar to India.[3]
List of species[]
The Orthoptera Species File lists:[4]
- subgenus Maphyteus Bolívar, 1904
- Stål, 1876
- (Fabricius, 1793)
- subgenus Phymateus Thunberg, 1815
- Phymateus aegrotus (Gerstaecker, 1869)
- Kirby, 1910
- (Fabricius, 1793)
synonyms: P. stolli (Saussure, 1861) = P. flavus (I. Bolivar, 1903) = P. squarrosus (Houttuyn, 1813) - Bolívar, 1882
- Phymateus karschi Bolívar, 1904
- Karsch, 1888
- (Linnaeus, 1758) = type species (as Gryllus morbillosus L.)
- (I. Bolívar, 1904)
- (Coquerel, 1862)
- Phymateus viridipes Stål, 1873[5]
Gallery[]
Phymateus karschi
Phymateus viridipes
Male and female of Phymateus cinctus
Phymateus morbillosus
Phymateus saxosus at the Montreal Insectorium
Phymateus baccatus
References[]
- ^ Field Guide to Insects - Picker, Griffiths & Weaving (2004)
- ^ Zoology Dept, University of Cape Town
- ^ Discover Life
- ^ Orthoptera Species File: Genus Phymateus
- ^ Biolib
External links[]
- Pyrgomorphidae
- Caelifera genera
- Taxa named by Carl Peter Thunberg