Ligurotettix coquilletti

McNeill, 1897

desert clicker grasshopper, creosote bush grasshopper

A slant-faced specialized on creosote bush (Larrea tridentata) across the southwestern deserts of North America. Males are highly territorial, defending individual plants as mating territories through acoustic . The species exhibits a distinctive evening chorus and maintains a color (banded and uniform ) shaped by pressure. Females oviposit in bare soil away from host plants, and the species undergoes winter .

Ligurotettix coquilletti P1500678a by
xpda. Used under a CC BY-SA 4.0 license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Ligurotettix coquilletti: //ˌlɪɡəroʊˈtɛtɪks koʊˈkwiːjəti//

These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.

Identification

A small to slant-faced (18–25 mm) with cryptic gray coloration matching desert substrates. Distinguished from other slant-faced grasshoppers by its strict association with creosote bush and the male's distinctive low 'tsick-tsick' stridulatory call with ventriloquistic quality. Color includes banded and uniform , with banded morphs correlated with a large genetic indel.

Images

Habitat

Arid desert environments dominated by creosote bush (Larrea tridentata); also found on mesquite (Prosopis spp.), jojoba (Simmondsia chinensis), allscale (Atriplex polycarpa), and sagebrush (Artemisia spp.). Females use bare desert substrate for , separate from feeding sites.

Distribution

Western North America from California to Texas and southward; specifically the Mojave and Sonoran deserts. Records from Arizona, California, Nevada, and Central America.

Seasonality

undergo winter , hatching March–April. progress through five or six . present May–June, with male singing activity from early morning through evening, peaking at dusk (15–40 minutes post-sunset).

Diet

Feeds primarily on Larrea tridentata (creosote bush); has been observed on mesquite, jojoba, allscale, and sagebrush.

Host Associations

Larrea tridentata - primary creosote bush; primary feeding and territorial site for males
Prosopis spp. - secondary mesquite
Simmondsia chinensis - secondary jojoba
Atriplex polycarpa - secondary allscale
Artemisia spp. - secondary sagebrush

Life Cycle

laid in bare soil undergo winter . hatch March–April and through five or six nymphal stages. emerge May–early June.

Behavior

Males are highly sedentary, spending most of life on a single creosote bush. Defend individual plants as mating territories through acoustic using pegs on the inner hind . Territorial defense escalates from signaling to chasing to physical combat. Males produce bimodal daily activity with intense evening chorus; singing rate at dusk equals or exceeds midday rates. Females are attracted to male songs and relocate to host plants at dusk, synchronizing with male signaling.

Ecological Role

specializing on creosote bush; for ground-foraging . Color maintained by through local balancing selection.

Similar Taxa

Other Gomphocerinae slant-faced grasshoppersL. coquilletti distinguished by strict creosote bush association, distinctive male acoustic signal, and territorial on individual plants.
Other Ligurotettix speciesGeographic distribution and specificity differ; L. coquilletti is the associated with Larrea tridentata in the Mojave and Sonoran deserts.