Sigaus minutus

Sigaus minutus is a species of grasshopper in the family Acrididae.[1] The genus Sigaus is endemic to New Zealand.[1] It is the smallest among the six species under the genus described by Bigelow (1967).[2][3] The population status of Sigaus minutus is declining according to threat assessments made by orthopteran experts in 2010.[4]

Sigaus minutus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Arthropoda
Class:
Insecta
Order:
Orthoptera
Family:
Acrididae
Genus:
Sigaus
Species:
S. minutus
Binomial name
Sigaus minutus

Habitat and Distribution

Sigaus minutus is found near Lake Tekapo, Lindis Pass and in the Mackenzie district, South Island New Zealand.[1] This grasshopper is very well camouflaged on stony surfaces and amongst lichen.[5] It is absent in areas of dense vegetation as it needs to bask.[5]

Morphological characters

Sigaus minutus is the smallest Sigaus species[2] but very similar to the Otago species S. childi.[1] Both these species are without wings and their cryptic colouring is variable within populations but always aids camouflage. Females are larger than males.

Dimensions

Adult male: length 9–10 mm, pronotum length 1.6-1.9 mm, pronotum width 1.80-2.20 mm, femur length 4.90-5.60 mm, femur width 1.60-1.90 mm.[1]

Adult female: length 14 –16 mm, pronotum length 2.50-2.65 mm, pronotum width 3.05- 3.30 mm, femur length 7.00-7.20 mm, femur width 2.10-2.50 mm.[1]

External characters

FEMALE

The fastigium is concave with upraised margins and bumps laterally on posterior margin. Posterior margin of pronotum sinuate with broad indent medially, sometimes with small v within the broad indentation (Bigelow, 1967).[2][1] The character differentiating S. minutus from S. childi is the absence of a second pronotum suculus.[1]

MALE

Genitalia: principal lobes of lophi tongue-shaped, Mesal lobes very round projecting medially. Ancorae present, with bulbous swelling when viewed dorso-caudally narrowing to an inwardly directed point. Dorsal sclerite well developed as in other members of this genus, with broad lateral arms converging to form a broad, blunt, upturned projection with swelling at apex projecting caudal. Large swollen shell-shaped supraramus closely flanking the aedeagus. Dorsal aedeagal sclerites large and swollen, ventral aedeagal sclerites long.[1]

Behavior
Adult Sigaus minutus, beside Lake Tekapo, New Zealand

As with other New Zealand grasshoppers, S. minutus is a diurnal herbivore, requiring open ground to bask.[2] Males are smaller than females when adult and will remain on the back on the females (in copula) during prolonged mating. Eggs are laid in the soil.

Areas for conservation

The majority of populations of S. minutus are on small isolated patches of privately owned farmland where land management practices will ensure their extinction. In a survey of 20 sites on Crawford Hills Rd, Alexandra (Jamieson & Manly 1997), no Sigaus childi or S. minutus were found on land which is in pasture, used for growing orchards, or being irrigated. Experiments have shown that acridids cannot tolerate insecticides or herbicides and are very sensitive to heavy metals and fertilizers in the soil (Heliovaara & Vaisanen).[5]

References
  1. Jamieson, Colleen D. (1999). "A new species of Sigaus from Alexandra, New Zealand (Orthoptera: Acrididae)". New Zealand Journal of Zoology. 26 (1): 43–48. doi:10.1080/03014223.1999.9518176. ISSN 0301-4223.
  2. Bigelow, R. S. (1967). The Grasshoppers of New Zealand: their Taxonomy and Distribution. Pegasus Press, University of Canterbury.
  3. Jamieson, C. D. (Colleen Dusk) (1996). The grasshopper Sigaus minutus in Central Otago : a pilot study. New Zealand. Department of Conservation. Wellington, N.Z.: Dept. of Conservation. ISBN 0-478-01842-8. OCLC 53018797.
  4. Trewick, S. A.; Morris, S. J.; Johns, P. M.; Hitchmough, R. A.; Stringer, I. A.N. (2012). "The conservation status of New Zealand Orthoptera". New Zealand Entomologist. 35 (2): 131–136. doi:10.1080/00779962.2012.686318. ISSN 0077-9962.
  5. Jamieson, C. D. (Colleen Dusk) (1998). Distribution of the endangered grasshopper Sigaus minutus on the Earnscleugh tailings historic reserve. Dept. of Conservation. OCLC 154660958.

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