Psophus


Psophus is a monotypic genus of grasshopper of the family Acrididae, subfamily Oedipodinae and in the tribe Locustini. The one species in the genus is Psophus stridulus, commonly known as the rattle grasshopper.

Description

Psophus stridulus can reach a length of in the males, of in the females. The basic colouration of the body varies from brown to grey–ochre or black, with lighter spots. The pronotum is strongly convex. These grasshoppers are winged, but wings are short and unfit for flight in females, fully developed in males. The hindwings are bright red-orange, with a black apex. The adults occur from July or August up to October.

Subspecies

  • Psophus stridulus samniticus Baccetti, 1958
  • ''Psophus stridulus stridulus''

    Distribution

This species can be found in Central and Southern Europe, in the eastern Palearctic realm, and in the Near East.

Habitat

This species lives mainly in arid and rocky open areas, mostly in mountainous regions, at an elevation up to above sea level. It is known as a xeric specialist because of this, and often interacts with other species like Zygaena ephialtes in these environments.