Phaulacridium marginale - a photo on Flickriver

            Phaulacridium marginale is an endemic New Zealand grasshopper found in low altitudes throughout the North Island, the South Island, Stewart Island and on many smaller islands.
Distribution and habitat
The New Zealand P. marginale 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 1,350 metres (4,430 ft) on the Ragged Range (43°14′47″S 171°06′10″E). It is found only very rarely in exotic grasslands or in built-up areas.
Species description
The wings on P. marginale are micropterous (small wings) between 1–3 millimetres (0.039–0.118 in) making this species flightless like most of New Zealand grasshoppers. However, fully winged adults (89% adults female and 11% adults male are extremely rare and can be found throughout New Zealand. As yet no macropterous P. otagoense have been recorded. The obvious benefits of having macropterous wings is to increase survivability by escaping adverse local conditions, colonizing new areas and a more effective way to escape predators. It is not clear what causes the micropterous P. marginale to produce fully develop wings in New Zealand. A possible trigger for this could be if individuals are put under a large amount of stress from harmful local conditions during its final instar.
Male body length 10–15 millimetres (0.39–0.59 in); Female body length 20–30 millimetres (0.79–1.18 in).
Genus
There are five known species of Phaulacridium. Two species Phaulacridium crassum and Phaulacridium vittatum are endemic to the Australian mainland and Phaulacridium howeanum occurs only on Lord Howe Island. Of the two New Zealand Phaulacridium grasshoppers, Phaulacridium otagoense is endemic to the South Island (Mackenzie Basin and Central Otago).
   

Taken in: New Zealand / West Coast / Rapahoe (show map)

Taken on: March 19, 2018

Tags:

Aotearoa

New Zealand

Nature

New Zealand Nature

Wild

Wild New Zealand

entomology

Grasshopper

Insect

Phaulacridium

marginale

Phaulacridium marginale

West Coast

Wilderness

Steve Reekie

photography

New Zealand Nature Photography

New Zealand Geographic

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Camera: Panasonic DMC-FZ300, f/8.0, 1/25 sec, 31.1mm, ISO 100 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	Panasonic DMC-FZ300
Aperture:	f/8.0
Exposure Time:	0.04 sec (1/25)
Focal Length:	31.1mm
ISO:	100
Exposure Bias:	0 EV
Flash:	Off, Did not fire
Exposure Program:	Manual
Exposure Mode:	Manual
Metering Mode:	Spot
White Balance:	Manual
Light Source:	Fine Weather
Color Space:	sRGB
Software:	Ver.2.0
Show full info

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