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Species Encoptolophus subgracilis - Southwestern Dusky Grasshopper

Grasshopper - Encoptolophus subgracilis - female Southwestern Dusky Grasshopper - Encoptolophus subgracilis - male Grasshopper weatherford lake - Encoptolophus subgracilis - male Paratettix mexicanus - Mexican Pygmy Grasshopper? - Encoptolophus subgracilis - female brown and green grasshopper - Encoptolophus subgracilis - female Encoptolophus subgracilis - male Encoptolophus subgracilis - male - - Encoptolophus subgracilis - female
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Orthoptera (Grasshoppers, Crickets, Katydids)
Suborder Caelifera (Grasshoppers)
Family Acrididae (Short-horned Grasshoppers)
Subfamily Oedipodinae (Band-winged Grasshoppers)
Tribe Chortophagini
Genus Encoptolophus
Species subgracilis (Southwestern Dusky Grasshopper)
Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Encoptolophus subgracilis Caudell, 1903, described from Phoenix, Arizona
Encoptolophus texensis Bruner, 1905, described from Carrizo Springs, Texas
Encoptolophus pallidus subspecies subgracilis (Caudell) Hebard, 1935
Nebulatettix subgracilis (Caudell) R.A. Gómez, D.C. Lightfoot & K.B. Miller, 2012
Identification
Can be difficult to separate from other Encoptolophus (see discussion under genus for separation from other genera).
E. pallidus & robustus replace it westward, and are unlikely to be found with it. E. pallidus is in the Mojave Desert and averages larger with a proportionately larger head (and may be conspecific), while E. robustus is near the Pacific coast and has shorter wings.
E. costalis is more stocky of build with a larger head, and with shorter wings. It is less inclined to be in alkaline areas (favoring areas nearer fresh water or lusher in vegetation); however, the two species are not infrequently found together.
Shotwellia isleta is larger with the pronotal crest barely indicated and cut more than once, and with the hind tibiae yellowish. It seems to favor non-alkaline areas, and is much more rare and restricted in occurence; however, it is apparently always found with both E. costalis & subgracilis in the United States.
Range
Honduras north thru Mexico to e. Texas, s. South Dakota, s. Wyoming, Utah, and se. California.
Habitat
Varied; usually low-lying flat areas where water may collect for short times, most often but not always somewhat saline or alkaline., and with short or patchy grass (often Distichlis and/or Sporobolus).
Food
Apparently favors grasses.
Life Cycle
in most areas overwinters as eggs, with adults from late spring into autumn, sometimes till frost. In mild winter areas all stages may be present at all seasons, but still usually most abundant as adults in late spring and summer.
Remarks
It is not uncommon to survey an area in daytime for grasshopper species, and not find this one at all, only to find it coming abundantly to lights at night.