''Phaulacridium'' is a

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

grasshopper Grasshoppers are a group of insects belonging to the suborder Caelifera. They are amongst what are possibly the most ancient living groups of chewing herbivorous insects, dating back to the early Triassic around 250 million years ago. Grassh ...

s in the tribe

Catantopini Catantopini is a tribe in the subfamily Catantopinae, a group of grasshoppers found in Africa, Asia and Australia. Subtribes & genera The ''Orthoptera Species File'' lists the following (genera incomplete): * subtribe Apotropina Key, 1993 - ...

from

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...

and

New Zealand New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...

. These short-horned grasshoppers have a single generation each year

Species

There are five known species of ''Phaulacridium'': * '' Phaulacridium crassum'' * ''

Phaulacridium howeanum ''Phaulacridium'' is a genus of grasshoppers in the tribe Catantopini from Australia and New Zealand. These short-horned grasshoppers have a single generation each year Species There are five known species of ''Phaulacridium'': * '' Phaulacrid ...

'' * ''

Phaulacridium marginale ''Phaulacridium marginale'' is a small species of short-horned grasshopper in the family Acrididae. It is Endemism, endemic to New Zealand where it is found in low elevation open habitat throughout North Island, South Island, Stewart Island and ...

'' - type species (as ''Caloptenus marginalis'' Walker) * ''

Phaulacridium otagoense ''Phaulacridium otagoense'' is an endemic New Zealand grasshopper found at low elevation throughout the central South Island (Mackenzie Basin and Central Otago).Morris, S.J. 2002. Identification guide to grasshoppers (Orthoptera: Acrididae) in C ...

'' * '' Phaulacridium vittatum'' Two species ''Phaulacridium crassum'' and ''Phaulacridium vittatum'' are endemic to the

n mainland and ''Phaulacridium howeanum'' occurs only on

Lord Howe Island Lord Howe Island (; formerly Lord Howe's Island) is an irregularly crescent-shaped volcanic remnant in the Tasman Sea between Australia and New Zealand, part of the Australian state of New South Wales. It lies directly east of mainland Port ...

. ''Phaulacridium'' grasshoppers require open space for thermoregulation through basking and forage in natural and modified grasslands. Females are larger than males in all five species, and size variation within ''Phaulacridium vittatum'' is associated with rainfall. Of the two

''Phaulacridium'' grasshoppers, ''

'' is commonly found on sand dunes above the high-tide mark, along open grassy river flats and in the sub-alpine zone to an altitude of on the Ragged Range (). It is fairly common alongside roads and in disturbed habitats in North and South Island. The Australian wingless grasshopper ''Phaulacridium vittatum'' is regarded as an agricultural pest in some regions with the potential to shift in response to changing climate and land use.

References

External links

* * {{Taxonbar, from=Q10626713 Acrididae genera