Orthoptera of North Carolina

Family (Alpha):

View	Acrididae Members:	NC Records
Paroxya atlantica Scudder, 1877 - Atlantic Grasshopper; Atlantic Locust

Taxonomy

Family: Acrididae	Subfamily: Melanoplinae	Tribe: Melanoplini
Comments: One of four species in this genus found in North America north of Mexico (Cigliano et al., accessed 2023-11-07), two of which have been recorded in North Carolina. This genus is similar in appearance to other members of the Melanoplinae but can be recognized by their long pronota, which are twice as long as the average breadth, and by the very long antennae of the males, which are at least twice as long as the pronotum (Blatchely, 1920).

Identification

Field Guide Descriptions: Capinera et al. (2004)	Online Photographs: BugGuide, Google Images, iNaturalist, GBIF	Technical Description, Adults/Nymphs: Blatchely (1920)
Comments: This species is usually predominantly brown and yellow rather than the blue-green color found in P. clavuliger. However, these two species are best distinguished by size -- P. atlantica is the smaller of the two -- and structural features, particularly of the males. A black stripe extends from the eye along the sides of the thorax but in this species, it fades to fuscous before it reaches the hind margin of the pronotum, whereas in clavuliger it remains solid black along the entire length of the pronotum (Blatchley, 1920; Capinera et al., 2004). The hind tibiae are a dull, pale green according Blatchley -- but bright blue or green according to Capinera et al. --compared to the bluish-green found in clavuliger.
Total Length [body plus wings; excludes ovipositor]: 16-24 mm, males; 22-28 mm, females (Blatchely, 1920)
Structural Features: In males, the antennae are shorter than the hind femora and the tegmina are at least as long as abdomen. In females, the tegmina are slightly shorter than the abdomen (Blatchley, 1920), but note that the abdomen becomes greatly elongated when ovipositing. The cerci of males in both species are long, slender, constricted at the middle, and strongly incurved; the tips are flattened and broadly rounded (Capinera et al., 2004). The furcula in this species is short or barely visible, whereas in clavuliger, it is one fourth to one third the length of the supra-anal plate.

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

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Diet:

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Adult Phenology:

See also Habitat Account for General Sedge, Grass, and Rush Mires

Status in North Carolina

Natural Heritage Program Status:

Natural Heritage Program Ranks: GU [S3S4]

State Protection:

Comments:

Image Gallery for Paroxya atlantica - Atlantic Grasshopper; Atlantic Locust
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger and Donald Zepp Johnston Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Mark Basinger and Donald Zepp Johnston Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: R. Newman Carteret Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Mark Basinger Carteret Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger Carteret Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Mark Basinger and Donald Zepp Johnston Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger and Donald Zepp Johnston Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Mark Basinger Columbus Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger Columbus Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Mark Basinger Columbus Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger Columbus Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Mark Basinger Brunswick Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger Brunswick Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Mark Basinger Brunswick Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger Brunswick Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Mark Basinger Brunswick Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger Brunswick Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Mark Basinger Greene Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger Greene Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Mark Basinger Brunswick Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger Brunswick Co. Comment:	Recorded by: R. Newman Carteret Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: R. Newman Carteret Co. Comment:	Recorded by: R. Newman Carteret Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: R. Newman Carteret Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Mark Shields Carteret Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Shields Onslow Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Stephen Hall Orange Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Tracy S. Feldman Scotland Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Tracy S. Feldman Scotland Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Tracy S. Feldman Scotland Co. Comment:

Paroxya atlantica Scudder, 1877 - Atlantic Grasshopper; Atlantic Locust

Image Gallery for Paroxya atlantica - Atlantic Grasshopper; Atlantic Locust