Sigaus crassicauda
| Sigaus crassicauda | |
|---|---|
| File:Alpinacris crassicauda (4) (cropped).jpg | |
| Scientific classification Edit this classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Orthoptera |
| Suborder: | Caelifera |
| Family: | Acrididae |
| Genus: | Sigaus |
| Species: | S. crassicauda
|
| Binomial name | |
| Sigaus crassicauda (Bigelow, 1967) [1]
| |
| File:Alpinacris crassicauda - Distribution.png | |
| The distribution of S. crassicauda in New Zealand | |
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Sigaus crassicauda is a species of alpine grasshopper endemic to New Zealand.[2] Like all of New Zealand sub-alpine and alpine grasshoppers S. crassicauda has a 2 or 3 years life cycle. The eggs must ‘overwinter’ before they will hatch. Grasshoppers are found throughout the year and adult grasshoppers can be found throughout the New Zealand summer between December and April. Sigaus crassicauda cannot fly.
Distribution and habitat
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Sigaus crassicauda is only known from West Coast Region and Tasman Region of New Zealand.[3] It can be found as far south as the Right Branch of the Rahu River, Spring Junction (Lua error: callParserFunction: function "#coordinates" was not found.) and as far north as the Thousand Acres Plateau, Matiri Range (Lua error: callParserFunction: function "#coordinates" was not found.). Alpinacris crassicauda prefer alpine tussock grasslands between 1,200–1,500 metres (3,900–4,900 ft), however, can be found as low as 1,020 metres (3,350 ft) on the Thousand Acres Plateau, Matiri Range (Lua error: callParserFunction: function "#coordinates" was not found.). Climate change is likely to reduce the suitable habitat that this species can occupy by 10 - 60% of its current range.[4]
Species description
[edit | edit source]The wings on S. tumidicauda are micropterous (small wings) between 2–4 millimetres (0.079–0.157 in) making this species flightless like most of New Zealand grasshoppers. Male body length 18–22 millimetres (0.71–0.87 in); Female body length 25–35 millimetres (0.98–1.38 in).
Sigaus crassicauda was described in 1967 by Robert Sidney Bigelow,[1] in the genus Alpinacris[5], with type locality of Lead Hills, Boulder Lake (Lua error: callParserFunction: function "#coordinates" was not found.). A male holotype and paratype are deposited in the Canterbury Museum, Christchurch.
Type information
[edit | edit source]- Bigelow, R.S. 1967: The Grasshoppers of New Zealand, Their Taxonomy and Distribution. University of Canterbury, Christchurch.
- Type locality: Lead Hills, Boulder Lake, Tasman Region. Lua error: callParserFunction: function "#coordinates" was not found.
- Type specimen: Male; 27 October 1963; P. M. & M Johns. Holotype and Paratype are deposited in the Canterbury Museum, Christchurch.
Conservation status
[edit | edit source]Under the New Zealand Threat Classification System, this species is listed as "Not Threatened".[6]
References
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- ^ Morris SJ. 2002. Distribution and Taxonomic status of New Zealand endangered grasshoppers (Orthoptera: Acrididae). Department of Conservation, Wellington.
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- ^ Trewick, Steven & Hegg, Danilo & Morgan-Richards, Mary & Murray, Tara & Watts, Corinne & Johns, Peter & Michel, Pascale. (2022). Conservation status of Orthoptera (wētā, crickets and grasshoppers) in Aotearoa New Zealand, 2022. New Zealand Threat Classification Series 39. Department of Conservation, Wellington. 28 p.
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