Moroccan locust

Definition

A grasshopper species (Dociostaurus maroccanus, family Acrididae) native to northern Africa, southern and eastern Europe, and western Asia, notable for its density-dependent phase polyphenism: populations typically remain solitary and cryptic, but under favorable conditions they undergo behavioral and morphological shifts toward gregariousness, forming destructive swarms that damage cereal crops and pasture. The species exemplifies locust phase change without the extreme morphological dimorphism seen in some other locust species.

Etymology

From Morocco, the type locality, plus locust (Latin locusta, grasshopper or lobster)

Example

In the 2004 outbreak, Moroccan locust swarms originating in the Atlas Mountains migrated into agricultural areas of Morocco and Algeria, defoliating barley and wheat fields over several thousand hectares before control efforts collapsed the population density and triggered a return to solitary behavior.

Synonyms

• Dociostaurus maroccanus

Related Terms

• phase polyphenism
• gregariousness
• solitarious
• locust
• Acrididae
• density-dependent phenotypic plasticity
• Outbreak
• swarming
• Grasshopper

Usage Notes

The common name is sometimes applied loosely to other Dociostaurus species; precise identification requires examination of male genitalia or genetic markers. The species is distinguished from the Italian locust (Calliptamus italicus) and other Mediterranean acridids by its more restricted swarming range and less dramatic phase morphological differences. 'Moroccan locust' refers specifically to the swarming form; solitary individuals are often termed simply 'grasshoppers' in field contexts.