''Antaxius pedestris'' is a species of "bush crickets" belonging to the family
Tettigoniidae
Insects in the family (biology), family Tettigoniidae are commonly called katydids (especially in North America) or bush crickets. They have previously been known as "long-horned grasshoppers". More than 8,000 species are known. Part of the subo ...
. It was originally described by
Johan Christian Fabricius
Johann Christian Fabricius (7 January 1745 – 3 March 1808) was a Danish zoologist, specialising in "Insecta", which at that time included all arthropods: insects, arachnids, crustaceans and others. He was a student of Carl Linnaeus, and is co ...
under the scientific name of ''Locusta pedestris''.
Subspecies
Subspecies
In Taxonomy (biology), biological classification, subspecies (: subspecies) is a rank below species, used for populations that live in different areas and vary in size, shape, or other physical characteristics (Morphology (biology), morpholog ...
include:
* ''Antaxius pedestris apuanus''
Nadig, 1958 - occurs in Italy, Austria and Switzerland
* ''Antaxius pedestris pedestris''
(Fabricius, 1787) - occurs in France, Italy, Austria and Switzerland
Distribution
This species is present in
Pyrenees
The Pyrenees are a mountain range straddling the border of France and Spain. They extend nearly from their union with the Cantabrian Mountains to Cap de Creus on the Mediterranean coast, reaching a maximum elevation of at the peak of Aneto. ...
of
Spain
Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...
and in the western and southern Alps of
Austria
Austria, formally the Republic of Austria, is a landlocked country in Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine Federal states of Austria, states, of which the capital Vienna is the List of largest cities in Aust ...
,
France
France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
,
Italy
Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...
and
Switzerland
Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked country located in west-central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland ...
.
Fauna Europaea
/ref>
Habitat
It prefers warm habitats in mountainous and semi-mountainous areas with high vegetation and low bushes, at an elevation up to above sea level.
/ref>[Linnea]
/ref>
Description
''Antaxius pedestris'' can reach a length of about .[ Its ovipositor is slightly shorter than the body, it reaches about .
The basic color of the body is dark brown, gray brown or dark gray with light whitish or yellow to light gray drawings. Pronotum is tinged with white on the lateral margins. Abdomen is long, thick and strong. Wings are very short in the females, while in males they protrude 3–4 mm out from under the pronotum.
Cerci of the males are unusual. They are whitish, flattened and internally toothed. All pairs of the powerful legs bear small spines on the lower part.][
]
Biology
Adults can be found from July to October.[ They feed on plants and insects, mainly small locusts. Eggs are laid in the ground.][
]
References
* Fabricius (1787), Mantissa insectorum exhibens species nuper in Etruria collectas a Ptro Rossio, Pisis, Polloni
External links
Orthoptera Species
Orthoptera
{{Taxonbar, from=Q756718
Tettigoniidae
Taxa named by Johan Christian Fabricius
Insects described in 1787
Orthoptera of Europe