Orthoptera of North Carolina

Family (Alpha):

View	Acrididae Members:	NC Records
Melanoplus coreyi Hill, 2015 - Corey's Short-winged Grasshopper

Taxonomy

Family: Acrididae	Subfamily: Melanoplinae	Tribe: Melanoplini
Comments: Melanoplus is our largest genus of Orthopterans, with over 350 species occurring in North America (Cigliano et al., 2017). 38 species have been recorded in North Carolina.
Species Status: This species is member of the Scudderi Species Group described by Jovonn Hill (2015). Coreyi was described by Hill from specimens collected in the Fall-line Sandhills of North Carolina and is named for Ed Corey, who collected a number of specimens from throughout this region.

Identification

Field Guide Descriptions:	Online Photographs: BugGuide, Google Images, iNaturalist, GBIF	Technical Description, Adults/Nymphs: Hill (2015)
Comments: A small, short-winged Melanoplus. The body is grayish-brown to gray, with the most conspicuous mark the piceous black stripe that runs from behind the eye along the lateral field of the pronotum just below the carina. The dorsal field of the hind femur has three dark spots and the hind tibae are a bright red. This species is indistinguishable externally from other members of the Scudderi Group, including Melanoplus scudderi which is possibly sympatric with coryei. Dissection of males is required to distinguish these two species.
Total Length [body plus wings; excludes ovipositor]: 19 - 22.2 (mean = 20.3, males; 21.1- 22.2 mm (mean = 22.2), females (Hill, 2015)
Structural Features: Species in this group can be only distinguished based on the shape of the aedeagus, which must be dissected in order to be viewed. See Hill (2015)

Distribution in North Carolina


County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.


Adult Dates: High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft. Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft. Piedmont (Pd) Coastal Plain (CP) Click on graph to enlarge

Habitats and Life History

Habitats: All known specimens come from frequently burned, sandhills habitat. Several were collected in the vicinity of sandhill seeps or in association with scrub oaks, habitats that often support a rich diversity of forbs. This species is probably well-adapted to cope with frequent fire, probably involving staggered emergence of hatchlings.

Diet: Probably feeds primarily on forbs, as is true for M. scudderi.

Observation Methods: Best found by flushing individuals while walking through areas of their habitat.

Abundance/Frequency:

Adult Phenology: As is true for M. scudderi, there appears to be just a single brood per year, maturing in late summer.

Status in North Carolina

Natural Heritage Program Status: SR

Natural Heritage Program Ranks: GNR S1

State Protection:

Comments: This species appears to be endemic to North Carolina and narrowly restricted to the Fall-line Sandhills. As such, it is one of the rarest species in North America and should be of particular conservation concern in North Carolina

Image Gallery for Melanoplus coreyi - Corey's Short-winged Grasshopper
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger Richmond Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Mark Basinger Richmond Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger Richmond Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Mark Basinger Richmond Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger Scotland Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Mark Basinger Scotland Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Ed Corey, Steve Hall, Scott Pohlman, Judy Ratcliffe Scotland Co. Comment: Adult male. Photo by Scott Pohlman	Recorded by: Ed Corey Scotland Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Ed Corey Scotland Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Ed Corey Scotland Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Steve Hall, Bo Sullivan, Jim Petranka Scotland Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Ed Corey and Jeff Beane Scotland Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Ed Corey and Jeff Beane Scotland Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Stephen Hall Scotland Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Ed Corey Moore Co. Comment:

Melanoplus coreyi Hill, 2015 - Corey's Short-winged Grasshopper

Image Gallery for Melanoplus coreyi - Corey's Short-winged Grasshopper