Mermiria picta
(Walker, 1870)
lively mermiria
Mermiria picta, commonly known as the lively mermiria, is a of slant-faced grasshopper in the Acrididae. It is distributed across Central America and North America, with records from the United States (Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois) and northeastern Mexico. The species belongs to the Gomphocerinae and is one of several species in the Mermiria found in western North American grasslands.
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Mermiria picta: //mɛrˈmɪr.i.ə ˈpɪk.tə//
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Identification
Mermiria picta can be distinguished from related in the Mermiria by the absence of ivory stripes on the sides of the occiput and pronotal disk, and the absence of white streaks on the tegmen. It possesses well-developed lateral carinae on the pronotal disk that are cut by two (the sulcus is visible on the pronotal disk but does not cut the carinae). This contrasts with Mermiria texana, which has ivory stripes on the occiput and pronotal disk and two longitudinal white streaks on the tegmen, and Mermiria bivittata, which has one longitudinal white or ivory streak on the tegmen and lacks lateral carinae on the pronotum.
Images
Habitat
Inferred from congeneric and regional grassland associations: likely inhabits grassland including shortgrass, mixedgrass, and tallgrass prairies. Based on distribution records, occurs in open grassland environments in the southern and central United States.
Distribution
Documented from Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, and Illinois in the United States, and northeastern Mexico. Listed as probably occurring in southeastern Wyoming based on distributional inference, though not confirmed by direct survey collection.
Similar Taxa
- Mermiria texanaSimilar slant-faced ; distinguished by ivory stripes on occiput and pronotal disk and two white tegmen streaks
- Mermiria bivittataSimilar slant-faced ; distinguished by single white tegmen streak and absence of lateral pronotal carinae