Truxalis nasuta
Truxalis nasuta
bioinigo · 11400 Jerez de la Frontera
Key facts in one look
- Group
- Insect
- Family
- Acrididae
- Diet
- Mostly grasses
- Status in Georgia
- Listed in the grasshopper catalogue
- Habitat
- Dry grassland, old farmland
- IUCN
- Not Evaluated (NE)
Truxalis nasuta is a large grasshopper with an elongated head and flat, sword-shaped antennae. Its hind wings are strongly marked with a dark brown chequered pattern. It always stays close to grasses: it lives in dry, sparse grass, on old farmland and in fields. It ranges across the southern Mediterranean, the northern half of Africa and southern Asia. It is listed in the catalogue of Georgia's grasshoppers, but in eastern Georgia photos mostly show another species, Truxalis eximia, so do not identify a Truxalis to species by eye.
Identification
Truxalis nasuta: how to identify it
A large, elongated grasshopper. Four features together set it apart: large size, a long head, a saddle-shaped pronotum and flat, sword-shaped antennae. Its hind wings are strongly marked with a dark brown chequered pattern. Other Truxalis species and Acrida ungarica look similar.
The head is long and pushed forward, and the antennae are flat and sword-shaped. These features set a Truxalis apart from ordinary grasshoppers even at a distance. They are not enough to identify the species, though.
The hind wings are strongly marked with a dark brown chequered pattern. This shows in flight or on an open wing. A photo of the wing is especially useful for comparing it with other Truxalis species.
Acrida ungarica is similar, but much smaller, especially the female. In the northern Mediterranean it becomes adult only in summer or late summer, while Truxalis nasuta is adult in spring.
In eastern Georgia, in Kakheti and around Tbilisi, photos mostly confirm Truxalis eximia. Truxalis species look very much alike. So show your photo to a specialist to identify the species.
Colour
The most striking feature is on the hind wings: they are strongly marked with a dark brown chequered pattern. The pattern shows in flight or on an open wing.
Swatches are illustrative. Do not identify a species by colour alone.
Often confused with
Truxalis nasuta is a grassland grasshopper and always lives with grasses. It occurs on old farmland, in grassy places and in dry, sparse, tufted grass. It also lives in denser vegetation and even in cultivated fields. In the southern Mediterranean it lives in dry or partly damp mosaics of tall, patchy vegetation, such as dry river beds and coastal dunes. In Libya specimens were collected on alfalfa, grapevines, vegetables and wild grass.
Truxalis nasuta feeds on plants, mostly grasses. It always lives close to grasses, so its life is tied to grassy places.
Its nymphs develop from autumn onwards. In Crete adults were seen in late April and early May. Females are large but can fly, especially in hot weather: they fly slowly and noisily. This differs from the similar Acrida ungarica, whose nymphs in the northern Mediterranean do not appear before spring.
Related guides
Continue with related pages
It is listed in the catalogue of Georgia's grasshoppers, but no specific sites in the country have been described. In the South Caucasus it is known from Azerbaijan. In photos from eastern Georgia, Truxalis grasshoppers are mostly identified as Truxalis eximia. So the present distribution of this species in Georgia still needs checking.
The scientific name nasuta means 'nosed'. It has a long head pushed forward, which looks like a nose. Together with the flat, sword-shaped antennae, this head is the most obvious feature of Truxalis grasshoppers.
Acrida ungarica is also a long-headed grasshopper, but much smaller, especially the female. In the northern Mediterranean it becomes adult only in summer or late summer. The nymphs of Truxalis nasuta, by contrast, develop from autumn, and adults appear in spring.
Plants, mostly grasses. It always lives close to grasses: in dry, sparse grass, on old farmland and in fields. In Libya it has also been found on alfalfa, grapevines and vegetables.
References
What this profile is based on
Species profiles are compiled from peer-reviewed literature and established biodiversity databases, and are reviewed as new taxonomic and conservation data become available.
Prepared by the Reptiles.ge editorial team from the sources listed here.
