Lactista azteca
(Saussure, 1861)
Aztec grasshopper, Aztec range grasshopper
Lactista azteca is a small -winged in the , commonly known as the Aztec grasshopper or Aztec range grasshopper. It is characterized by with a black band and a single dark bar across each . The ranges from Arizona to Texas and south into Mexico, occupying desert and arid grassland .
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Lactista azteca: //lakˈtis.ta azˈte.ka//
These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.
Identification
The single dark bar across each , matched by a bar on the hind , distinguishes this from similar -winged . The with black banding are visible in but hidden at rest. The small size (19-25 mm) and specific pattern separate it from the larger Pallid-winged grasshopper (Trimerotropis pallidipennis) and other Oedipodinae.
Images
Habitat
Occupies arid and semi-arid environments including desert grasslands, scrublands, and dry washes. In urban areas, has been observed in vacant lots and unpaved surfaces in Tucson, Arizona.
Distribution
Ranges from Arizona and Texas in the United States southward into Mexico.
Seasonality
Active during warmer months in desert regions; observed in spring in southern Arizona.
Behavior
is typically short-distance, with individuals settling quickly after brief aerial movement. Relies on when at rest, with concealed providing a 'vanishing act' against visual .
Similar Taxa
- Trimerotropis pallidipennisLarger (31-42 mm), with pale bearing a broad black rather than ; lacks the single bar characteristic of L. azteca.
- Cibolacris parvicepsSimilar in size and but lacks banded ; without distinct bar pattern; belongs to Gomphocerinae rather than Oedipodinae.
More Details
Taxonomic history
Originally described as Oedipoda azteca by Saussure in 1861. Some early taxonomists placed the Cibolacris in Oedipodinae, but this was later corrected; Lactista remains firmly in the -winged Oedipodinae.