Wrinkled Grasshopper - Hippiscus ocelote

Moved

… Ted Kropiewnicki, 8 July, 2008 - 10:57pm

Thanks Ted,

I'm not sure why I didn't move this before?

… Lynette Schimming, 9 July, 2008 - 8:35am

Hippiscus ocelote NOT Pardalophora!

The expert goofed. ; ) These things are so cool; I never get tired of them. ALL of the genera and species in this group are great!They seem to radiate personality. Anyway, this is actually Hippiscus ocelote (= rugosus). There are some things that are distinctive. Hippiscus is short and chunky as compared to Pardalophora (which is very closely related). It has a huge almost smoothly rounded head. The pronotal crest (raised line down the middle) is cut at the middle instead of well in front of the middle. The rough areas toward the rear of the top of the pronotum are arranged in short raised parallel lines. The hind femur in H. ocelote tapers toward the back, but narrows abruptly in P. phoenicoptera. One other thing is the time of year. Pardalophora species mature in spring, usually in April or May, and it is rare to find one after June in the south or July further north. Hippiscus matures about July or August in most places, and is a late season hopper. Compare:

… David J. Ferguson, 27 August, 2007 - 6:20pm

Moved to guide, etc.

You seemed sure of the species, so I moved to the guide page, and edited your captions slightly to show the common and scientific names.

(You are sure of the species--correct? These are much less green than the ones I've seen over in Moore County, but I'm way not a grasshopper guy.)

Patrick Coin
Durham, North Carolina

… Cotinis, 23 January, 2005 - 8:02pm

Sure

I double checked. That's it. I wonder why yours are more green than ours?

… Lynette Schimming, 23 January, 2005 - 8:14pm

Colors of these...

My Helfer, How to Know the Grasshoppers, (1) says brownish to greenish.

There is another species in NC, P. apiculata. Helfer says rear end of pronotum is acutely angled as opposed to right or obtuse in Orangewinged Grasshopper.

Patrick Coin
Durham, North Carolina

… Cotinis, 24 January, 2005 - 8:15am

I got this ID from an expert from the University of FL. He seemed very sure. I'll check my email to make sure I didn't place it with the wrong file.

… Lynette Schimming, 23 January, 2005 - 8:10pm