Stethophyma

Fischer, 1853

Stethophyma is a of in the Oedipodinae, distributed across Europe, temperate Asia through Japan, and North America. The genus contains six recognized , with Stethophyma grossum (the large marsh grasshopper) being the species and most studied member. Species in this genus are associated with moist , particularly wetlands, peatland meadows, and forested meadows. Some species have undergone significant range contractions and are subjects of concern.

Snodgrass Mecostethus gracilis by wikipedia. Used under a Public domain license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Stethophyma: /stɛtɔˈfaɪmə/

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Identification

Members of Stethophyma can be distinguished from other Oedipodinae by their association with moist and wetland rather than dry rangelands. The is placed in tribe Parapleurini. Specific identification to level requires examination of morphological characters; S. gracile and S. lineatum have been studied cytogenetically and show differences in megameric structure.

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Habitat

Wetland including bogs, mires, wet grasslands, and moist forested meadows. In Western Europe, S. grossum occupies peatland meadows with homogeneous vegetation. In North America, S. gracile is restricted to moist forested meadows, with records from Yellowstone National Park and Crook County, Wyoming.

Distribution

Europe, temperate Asia through to Japan, and North America. In the UK, S. grossum is restricted to the bogs and mires of the New Forest and Dorset Heaths after significant range contraction. S. gracile occurs in the northeastern USA and eastern Canada. S. celata is predicted to occur in the Black Hills region of Wyoming.

Seasonality

In Wyoming, S. gracile has been collected as mature and in mid-July. S. grossum overwinters as in the soil.

Life Cycle

overwinter in the soil. In S. grossum, are vulnerable to mortality from frequent mowing, and eggs are vulnerable to trampling from high-intensity grazing on wet sites. In Wyoming, S. gracile has been observed as mature nymphs and in mid-July, suggesting egg through winter.

Behavior

S. grossum exhibits extremely low despite isolation. A three-year mark-release-recapture study found no individuals dispersed to nearby suitable habitats, with movement distances of 36.91 m for males and 26.65 m for females within an average range size of 1.8 ha. Routine movements are limited to finding mating partners or food.

Human Relevance

S. grossum is a concern in Western Europe due to range contraction and loss. Management recommendations include low-intensity grazing and mowing to maintain open, varied vegetation structure, with provision of unmown or ungrazed areas to reduce negative impacts. S. gracile is not considered a pest in Wyoming due to limited suitable habitat and scarcity.

Similar Taxa

Other Oedipodinae generaStethophyma are distinguished by their restriction to moist and wetland , whereas most Oedipodinae (-winged ) inhabit dry rangelands and open grasslands.
StenobothrusBoth occur in Wyoming, but Stenobothrus are associated with drier compared to the moist forested meadows occupied by Stethophyma gracile.

More Details

Chromosome studies

Cytogenetic studies of S. gracile and S. lineatum have documented substantial interspecific differences in heterochromatin/euchromatin ratios in the M9 , with a H-block identified in S. lineatum.

Conservation management

For S. grossum, both grazing and mowing are valuable management tools when applied at appropriate intensity. Very wet sites are unsuitable for grazing due to trampling risk. Mowing frequency must be managed to avoid repeated losses.