Biology and morphomatric variation within local species of Kharif grasshopper, Hieroglyphus nigrorepletus Bolivar in South-western Rajasthan.

Abstract

The mean development period from egg to adult was 62.2 days and the adult males lived a little longer (52.10 days) than the females (43.60 days). A single female could lay about 2 egg pods with nearly 32 eggs per pod that had a hatchability of 66.40 per cent. The duration of nymphal stage I was the shortest (5.80 ± 0.35), while that of the nymphal stage VI was the longest (11.20 ± 0.42). The observed linear morphometric variation within the local species of the H. nigrorepletus was evident as per mean values for the different traits measured. The lengths of antennae, tegmina, hind wing, body up to genitalia I wing tip, pronotum, and the sternal region were relatively more for the females than the males; similarly the width of tegmina, body, pronotum, and the sternal region were also relatively more for the females. The maximum coefficient of variation was noted for the length of hind pretarsus (male) 16.75% and minimum was recorded in width of body (male) 2.81% in H. nigrorepletus (brachypterus). In H. nigrorepletus (trachypterus), the maximum coefficient of variation was found in length of fore pretarsus (male) 17.61 and minimum variation was recorded in length of hind legs (female) 3.84%.