Sighting 4243243
Oedaleus australis
Australian Oedaleus at Dunlop, ACT
Identify this sighting
| Oedaleus australis | RogerF | 27 Nov 2019 | |
| Unverified | CathB | 27 Nov 2019 |
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User's notes
Pink and green!
3 comments
28 Nov 2019
Thanks Roger. I was surprised by the colour. Terrible pictures unfortunately, but it really was very pink. Is this a common colour for grasshoppers?
29 Nov 2019
Pink, red and purple colour patterns are not uncommon in grasshoppers and katydids. Colouration is determined by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Nymphs developing in moist green vegetation often have a preponderence of green morhs whereas those developing in a dry brown background have a preponderance of brown and straw coloured morphs. Black forms are common inburnt habitats. These colours presumably aid camouflage and protection from predators. I'm not sure what the pink colouration is due to. I have sent separately an example of an adult with purple markings
30 Nov 2019
Interesting, but the purple blends into the background a bit, especially the way it is broken up. I can't think of anywhere in the area where pink would be useful camouflage, at least to human colour vision. Perhaps the colour would be less visible to the grasshopper's natural predators?
Location information
- Coordinates 149.072714-35.267665
- Maps Mount Painter
- Places Dunlop, ACT
Sighting information
- 1 Abundance
- 25 Nov 2019 06:06 PM Recorded on
- CathB Recorded by
- 12mm to 25mm Animal size
Collections
- CathB Canberra & Southern Tablelands NatureMapr Oedaleus australis Grasshoppers (several families) Grasshoppers, Crickets & Katydids (Orthoptera) Insects
Species information
- Oedaleus australis Scientific name
- Australian Oedaleus Common name
- Not Sensitive
- Local native
- Non-invasive or negligible
- Up to 1186.23m Recorded at altitude
- External link More information
Record quality
Quality score
6 / 7
- Images or audio
- More than one media file
- Verified by an expert moderator
- Nearby sighting(s) of same species
- Description
- Additional attributes
- GPS evidence of location