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Habitat use and phenology of the large insular endemic grasshopper Acrostira euphorbiae (Orthoptera: Pamphagidae)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 April 2007

H. López ,
M. Nogales ,
E. Morales  and
P. Oromí
H. López*
Affiliation:
Departamento de Biología Animal (Zoología), Universidad de La Laguna, C/Astrofísico Francisco Sánchez, 38206 La Laguna, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain
M. Nogales
Affiliation:
Island Ecology and Evolution Research Group (IPNA-CSIC), C/Astrofísico Francisco Sánchez no. 3, 38206 La Laguna, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain
E. Morales
Affiliation:
Departamento de Biología Animal (Zoología), Universidad de La Laguna, C/Astrofísico Francisco Sánchez, 38206 La Laguna, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain
P. Oromí
Affiliation:
Departamento de Biología Animal (Zoología), Universidad de La Laguna, C/Astrofísico Francisco Sánchez, 38206 La Laguna, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain
*
*Fax: +34 922 318311 E-mail: herilope@ull.es
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Abstract

The habitat use and the phenology of the large grasshopper Acrostira euphorbiae García & Oromí endemic to La Palma (Canary Islands) are studied. This grasshopper is entirely dependent on the Canarian endemic shrub Euphorbia lamarckii both for food and to avoid predation. Adults stay on subapical branches during the day, probably to reduce the risk of predation, and climb up to the apex at night to feed. While females seem to ensure the genetic diversity of offspring by waiting for visits by different males, the latter have to move to guarantee their reproductive success. Monophagy in this species may be related to the year-round presence of tender shoots, and to the predator-repellent toxic latex found in the host plant. Unlike related species from continental areas, adults and nymphs of A. euphorbiae are present almost all year round, probably in adaptation to the particular climate of the islands. Nymphs are more abundant in winter, when Euphorbia leaves are most available. However, adults are more abundant than nymphs in spring, summer and autumn. Males develop more quickly than females, an apparent reproductive strategy based on achieving sexual maturity to coincide with females undergoing imaginal moulting. Matings start immediately after adult females emerge. Densities oscillated between 73 and 193 individuals ha−1, which can be considered a low value compared with other continental pamphagid species.

Keywords

developmental timingEuphorbiahabitat selectioninsect ecologymovements
Type
Research Article
Information
Bulletin of Entomological Research , Volume 97 , Issue 2 , April 2007 , pp. 117 - 127
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2007

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