Poecilotettix sanguineus nymph? - Poecilotettix sanguineus - BugGuide.Net

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Photo#288674

Copyright © 2009 Lynn Monroe

Poecilotettix sanguineus nymph? - Poecilotettix sanguineus -

Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, San Diego County, California, USA
May 3, 2004
Size: BL about 22 mm

Isn't this one beautiful nymph? The triangular wing pads are large, indicating a late instar? We saw it on Deerweed (Lotus scoparius) at Upper Tubb Canyon, elevation about 2700'. We have never seen the adult except on BugGuide and in the San Diego Natural History Museum, and it looks quite different. Nor have we ever seen a nymph. But this nymph has the yellow-red line down the pronotum and edging the pronotum, the femoral "stripes", the annulated antennae, and a few reddish dots here and there. Even the wing pads seem to show the dark greenish wings of the adult. Do you think we could be right?
We also saw this nymph on Buckwheat in Box Canyon on 7 May 2008.

Contributed by Lynn Monroe on 15 June, 2009 - 11:27am
Last updated 21 July, 2009 - 2:24pm

Moved

Moved from Grasshoppers, Crickets, Katydids.

I think David gave his blessing on moving this one to species, but if it should have stayed at genus or higher, please let me know...

… Harsi S. Parker, 17 July, 2009 - 2:58pm

I'm not totally certain

but I think you are probably correct. I can't think of anything else that this one could be.

… David J. Ferguson, 24 June, 2009 - 5:10pm

Thanks

Thank you for looking at these images and considering them. It is very difficult to obtain information on adults, let alone on immatures. When we first photographed this nymph, we went to the San Diego Natural History Museum and looked through all the grasshoppers in their entomology collection. The red-lined grasshopper is really the only one that our nymph resembled--in head shape, eyes,coloration, etc. Just wish we could be there in summer and look for the adult, but it doesn't work out.
And thank you so much for your comment that we are probably on the right track. I value your opinion highly.

… Lynn Monroe, 24 June, 2009 - 8:26pm

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