Chorthippus biguttulus
| Chorthippus biguttulus | |
|---|---|
| |
| Chorthippus biguttulus female | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Orthoptera |
| Suborder: | Caelifera |
| Family: | Acrididae |
| Genus: | Chorthippus |
| Species: | C. biguttulus
|
| Binomial name | |
| Chorthippus biguttulus | |
Chorthippus biguttulus, the bow-winged grasshopper, is one of the most common species of grasshopper found in the dry grassland of northern and central Europe.[1] It is part of a group of species (biguttulus-group) that are very difficult to identify morphologically. Chorthippus biguttulus was previously classified (with C. brunneus and C. mollis) as a single species Stauroderus variabilis. The three species were distinguished using song characteristics.[2]
Distribution
[edit]The range of the bow-winged grasshopper extends from the Finland and Scandinavia in the north to the Alps and Pyrenees in the south, and goes well into Asia including Japan.
Physical appearance
[edit]Females grow to approximately 2 cm (0.79 in) and are larger than males that grow to approximately 1.5 cm (0.59 in). Males often have a red tip to the abdomen while females do not. They can be extremely variable in colour from green to black-brown to rose.
C. brunneus, C. bigguttulus and C. mollis are morphologically distinguished by the size of the costal and subcostal fields of the wings. They are more easy recognised by their song patterns.[3]
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Female Chorthippus biguttulus -
Male Chorthippus biguttulus -
In Tokyo, Japan. They can appear reddish-brown depending on their environment
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Calling songs
[edit]Female C. biguttulus appear to be able to integrate information from male calling songs.[4] An unattractive song subunit has far more impact than an attractive song subunit, an observation consistent with theories of sexual selection because an unattractive song helps females avoid potentially costly interaction with unsuitable mating partners if the song belongs to another species or indicates a low-quality male.[4]
References
[edit]
- ^ Bellmann, Heiko (1988-05-05). Field Guide to the Grasshoppers and Crickets of Britain and Northern Europe. Collins. ISBN 0-00-219852-5.
- ^ Ramme, W (1921). "Orthopterologische Beitrage". Archiv für Naturgeschichte. 86: 81–166.
- ^ Dawkins, Richard; Yan Wong (2005). The Ancestor's Tale: A Pilgrimage to the Dawn of Evolution. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. ISBN 0-618-61916-X.
- ^ a b Clemens J, Krämer S, Ronacher B. Asymmetrical integration of sensory information during mating decisions in grasshoppers. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2014 Nov 18;111(46):16562-7. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1412741111. Epub 2014 Nov 3. PMID: 25368152; PMCID: PMC4246278.