Anacridium moestum

Anacridium moestum, the camouflaged tree locust, is a species of grasshopper belonging to the family Acrididae,[1][2] that is native to Africa south of the equator. It is similar in appearance to the Southern African desert locust, Schistocerca gregaria subsp. flavicentris.[3] It is likewise brownish, large and slender, but mostly arboreal in its habits.

Camouflaged tree locust
Adult perched on a Felicia shrub
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Orthoptera
Suborder: Caelifera
Family: Acrididae
Subfamily: Cyrtacanthacridinae
Tribe: Cyrtacanthacridini
Genus: Anacridium
Species:
A. moestum
Binomial name
Anacridium moestum
(Serville, 1838)
Synonyms
  • Acridium moestum Serville, 1838
  • Acridium tataricum moestum Serville, 1838
  • Anacridium moestum moestum (Serville, 1838)
  • Orthacanthacris moesta (Serville, 1838)

Description

Anacridium moestum can reach a length of 50–90 millimetres (2.0–3.5 in). These large and slender locusts show a mottled reddish brown or grey body, with a finely speckled green tegmina. Hind wings are pale blue with a black band near the base. Hind tibiae are purplish. Nymphs (hoppers) are yellowish green.[4] The eyes and face are vertically striped.[3]

Distribution and habitat

This species is native and widespread in southern and south tropical Africa.[1][2][3] These grasshoppers live on trees or shrubs in grassland with acacias.[4]

Biology

Anacridium moestum feeds on Acacia, Zizyphus, Capparis aphelia, and gum trees. These tree locusts may damage crops and fruit trees, but only occasionally swarm.[4]

Bibliography
  • Burr (1903) Orthoptera Fam. Eumasticidae, Genera Insectorum, V. Verteneuil & L. Desmet, Brussels 15:1-23, pl 1
  • COPR (Centre for Overseas Pest Research) (1982), The Locust and Grasshopper Agricultural Manual
  • Dirsh (1965), The African Genera of Acridoidea, Cambridge University Press, Antilocust Centre, London 579 pp.
  • Johnsen (1991) Acrididae: Catantopinae, Cyrtacanthacridinae, Acridinae, The Acridoidea of Botswana (Acridoidea of Botswana) 2:132-284
  • Johnston, H.B. (1956), Annotated catalogue of African grasshoppers, The Cambridge University Press, Cambridge 833 pp.
  • Johnston, H.B. (1968), Annotated catalogue of African grasshoppers, The Cambridge University Press, Cambridge Suppl:448 pp.
  • Kirby, W.F. (1910), A Synonymic Catalogue of Orthoptera (Orthoptera Saltatoria, Locustidae vel Acridiidae), British Museum (Natural History), London 3(2):674 pp.
  • Picker, Griffiths & Weaving (2005), Field Guide to Insects of Southern Africa, Struik Publishers, South Africa 444 pp.
  • Rehn, J.A.G. (1942) New South African Bird-Locust of the Genus Anacridium (Orthoptera, Acrididae, Cyrtacanthacridinae), Notulae Naturae 110
  • Rehn, J.A.G. (1944) South African bird-locust records and notes (Orthoptera, Acrididae, Cyrtacanthacridinae, group Cyrtacanthacres), Notulae Naturae 137:11 pp.
  • Serville (1838[1839]), Histoire naturelle des insectes. Orthoptères, Librairie Encyclopédique de Roret, Paris i-xviii, 1-776, pl. 1-14
  • Uvarov & G.B. Popov (1957) The saltatorial Orthoptera of Socotra, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, London (Zool. J. Linn. Soc.) 43:359-389
  • Uvarov (1923) A revision of the Old World Cyrtacanthacrini (Orthoptera, Acrididae). II. Genera Phyxacra to Willemsea, Annals and Magazine of Natural History, London (Ann. Mag. nat. Hist.) 9 11:473-490
  • Uvarov (1966), Grasshoppers & Locusts. A Handbook of General Acridology, Cambridge University Press, London 1:481 pp.

References
  1. Catalogue of life
  2. Orthoptera Species File
  3. Picker, Mike; et al. (2004). Field Guide to Insects of South Africa. Cape Town: Struik Publishers. p. 102. ISBN 978-1-77007-061-5.
  4. Africa Wild
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