Phymateus

Phymateus
Phymateus species from Mozambique
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Orthoptera
Family:	Pyrgomorphidae
Genus:	Phymateus Thunberg 1815

Phymateus is a genus of grasshoppers belonging to the Pyrgomorphidae family.

Description

Species of the genus Phymateus are African locusts about 70 millimetres (2.8 in) long. Some species at maturity are capable of long migratory flights. They raise and rustle wings when disturbed and may secrete a noxious fluid from the thoracic joint.^[1] These locusts feed on highly toxic plants and usually congregate in large numbers on trees and shrubs, arranged in such a way as to resemble foliage. Females of the species Phymateus morbillosus are unable to fly, despite fully developed wings.^[2]

Distribution

Species of this genus can be found in Southern, Central and East Africa, through Somalia and Madagascar to India.^[3]

List of species

• Phymateus aegrotus (Gerstäcker, 1869)
• Phymateus baccatus (Stål, 1876)
• Phymateus bolivari Kirby, W.F., 1910
• Phymateus cinctus (Fabricius, 1793) = P. stolli (Saussure, 1861) = P. flavus (I. Bolivar, 1903) = P. squarrosus (Houttuyn, 1813)
• Phymateus iris Bolivar, I., 1881
• Phymateus karschi Bolivar, I., 1904
• Phymateus leprosus (Fabricius, 1793)
• Phymateus madagassus Karsch, 1888
• Phymateus morbillosus (Linnaeus, 1758)
• Phymateus pulcherrimus (I. Bolívar, 1904)
• Phymateus purpurascens (Karsch, 1896)
• Phymateus saxosus (Coquerel, 1862)
• Phymateus viridipes (Stål, 1873)^[4]

Gallery

• 
  Phymateus species
• 
  Phymateus viridipes
• 
  Male and female of Phymateus cinctus
• 
  Phymateus morbillosus
• 
  Phymateus saxosus at the Montreal Insectorium

References

• Genus Phymateus
• Data related to Phymateus at Wikispecies