Sigaus villosus facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Black Eye grasshopper |
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S. villosus
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| Sigaus villosus (Salmon, 1950)
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| The distribution of S. villosus in New Zealand | |
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The Sigaus villosus is New Zealand's biggest grasshopper. You can only find it in the central mountains of the South Island. This type of grasshopper, Sigaus, lives only in New Zealand and nowhere else in the world.
Like other grasshoppers that live in New Zealand's high mountains, the S. villosus has a life cycle that lasts two or three years. Their eggs need to survive the winter before they can hatch. Young grasshoppers, called hoppers, can be seen all year round. Adult grasshoppers are usually found during the New Zealand summer, from December to April. Adult S. villosus do not live through the winter.
Where It Lives and What It Likes
The Black Eye grasshopper, Sigaus villosus, lives in the central mountains of the South Island. The biggest group of these grasshoppers lives on the Craigieburn Range. You can find them as far south as Fox Peak and as far north as Mount Wilson.
This grasshopper loves high mountains. It prefers open, rocky slopes called screes, usually between 1,900 and 2,100 meters (about 6,200 to 6,900 feet) high. However, you might find them lower down, at about 1,320 meters (about 4,300 feet), in places like the Porters Ski Area. Adult grasshoppers are active during the New Zealand summer, from October to March.
About This Grasshopper Species
This grasshopper was first described by a scientist named John Tenison Salmon in 1950. He first called it Brachaspis villosa.
The S. villosus has very small wings, only about 2 to 4 millimeters (0.08 to 0.16 inches) long. This means it cannot fly, just like most other grasshoppers in New Zealand.
Its Color
Adult S. villosus grasshoppers are known to have only one color: grey. All of them are light grey and have black eyes.
Images for kids
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Holotype of Sigaus villosus
