Calliptamus italicus
Encyclopedia
Calliptamus italicus is a species of 'short-horned grasshoppers' belonging to the family Acrididae
subfamily Calliptaminae
.
This species is native of the steppes of Central Asia, but it is nowadays present in most of Europe
, in estern Palearctic ecozone, in North Africa
and in the Near East
.
It is a medium-sized grasshopper characterized by a significant sexual dimorphism. The adult males grow up to 14–26 mm (0.551181102362205–1 ) long, while females reach 21–40 mm (0.826771653543307–1.6 ) of length. They can be encountered from July through October in fields, in dry meadows and arid environments.
This species is quite variable in size an colour. The basic coloration of the body varies from gray to brownish-reddish. The wings have a characteristic reddish or pinkish coloration, better visible when the insect is in flight. Quite evident is the dilating membrane ('pallium') of the subgenital plate of males.
Calliptamus italicus is a polyphagous species, able to feed at the expense of various wild plants, but also on crops, especially legumes. Alfalfa
(Medicago sativa) is among the species preferred by juveniles, but have been reported sporadic cases of infestation on corn and vine.
Their life cycle lasts one year. The egg-laying takes place in late August - early September, usually in rocky areas exposed to the South. The female lays eggs in the soil within an ootheca
that can hold 25 to 55 eggs wrapped in a spongy secretion. The appearance of the larvae takes place in May-June, the first adults appear in July.
In certain circumstances this species may develop a tendency to gregariousness with formation of very numerous aggregates, potentially harmful to crops.
The following subspecies proposed in the past are no more accepted. They are currently included in the nominal subspecies.
Acrididae
The Acrididae are the predominant family of grasshoppers, comprising some 10,000 of the 11,000 species of the entire suborder Caelifera. The Acrididae are best known because all locusts are of the Acrididae. The subfamily Oedipodinae is sometimes classified as a distinct family Oedipodidae in the...
subfamily Calliptaminae
Calliptaminae
Calliptaminae is a subfamily of grasshoppers.Genera include::*Acorypha Krauss, 1877*Bosumia Ramme, 1929*Braxyxenia Kirby, 1914*Calliptamus Serville, 1831*Damaracris Brown, 1972*Indomerus Dirsh, 1951*Palaciosa Bolívar, 1930...
.
This species is native of the steppes of Central Asia, but it is nowadays present in most of Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, in estern Palearctic ecozone, in North Africa
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
and in the Near East
Near East
The Near East is a geographical term that covers different countries for geographers, archeologists, and historians, on the one hand, and for political scientists, economists, and journalists, on the other...
.
It is a medium-sized grasshopper characterized by a significant sexual dimorphism. The adult males grow up to 14–26 mm (0.551181102362205–1 ) long, while females reach 21–40 mm (0.826771653543307–1.6 ) of length. They can be encountered from July through October in fields, in dry meadows and arid environments.
This species is quite variable in size an colour. The basic coloration of the body varies from gray to brownish-reddish. The wings have a characteristic reddish or pinkish coloration, better visible when the insect is in flight. Quite evident is the dilating membrane ('pallium') of the subgenital plate of males.
Calliptamus italicus is a polyphagous species, able to feed at the expense of various wild plants, but also on crops, especially legumes. Alfalfa
Alfalfa
Alfalfa is a flowering plant in the pea family Fabaceae cultivated as an important forage crop in the US, Canada, Argentina, France, Australia, the Middle East, South Africa, and many other countries. It is known as lucerne in the UK, France, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand, and known as...
(Medicago sativa) is among the species preferred by juveniles, but have been reported sporadic cases of infestation on corn and vine.
Their life cycle lasts one year. The egg-laying takes place in late August - early September, usually in rocky areas exposed to the South. The female lays eggs in the soil within an ootheca
Ootheca
An ootheca is a type of egg mass made by any member of a variety of species .The word is a latinized combination of oo-, meaning "egg", from the Greek word ōon , and theca, meaning a "cover" or "container", from the Greek theke...
that can hold 25 to 55 eggs wrapped in a spongy secretion. The appearance of the larvae takes place in May-June, the first adults appear in July.
In certain circumstances this species may develop a tendency to gregariousness with formation of very numerous aggregates, potentially harmful to crops.
Subspecies
- Calliptamus italicus var. albotibialis Nedelkov, 1907
- Calliptamus italicus var. italicus Nedelkov, 1907
The following subspecies proposed in the past are no more accepted. They are currently included in the nominal subspecies.
- Calliptamus italicus var. carbonaria Uvarov, 1914 - Calliptamus coelesyriensis (Giglio-Tos, 1893)
- Calliptamus italicus var. reductus Ramme, 1927 - Calliptamus italicus var. italicus Linnaeus, 1758)
- Calliptamus italicus var. bilineata Puschnig, 1910 - Calliptamus italicus var. italicus Linnaeus, 1758)
- Calliptamus italicus var. insularis Ramme, 1951 - Calliptamus italicus var. italicus Linnaeus, 1758)
- Calliptamus italicus var. afghanus Ramme, 1952 - Calliptamus italicus var. italicus Linnaeus, 1758)
- Calliptamus italicus var. grandis Ramme, 1927 - Calliptamus italicus var. italicus Linnaeus, 1758)
- Calliptamus italicus var. gilvonigricans Voroncovskij, 1927 - Calliptamus italicus var. italicus Linnaeus, 1758)
- Calliptamus italicus var. blandus Ivanov, 1888 - Calliptamus italicus var. italicus Linnaeus, 1758)