''Sigaus crassicauda'' is a species of alpine

grasshopper Grasshoppers are a group of insects belonging to the suborder Caelifera. They are among what is possibly the most ancient living group of chewing herbivorous insects, dating back to the early Triassic around 250 million years ago. Grasshopp ...

endemic to New Zealand. Like all of New Zealand sub-alpine and alpine grasshoppers ''S. crassicauda'' has a 2 or 3 years life cycle. The eggs must ‘overwinter’ before they will hatch. Grasshoppers are found throughout the year and adult grasshoppers can be found throughout the New Zealand

summer Summer is the hottest of the four temperate seasons, occurring after spring and before autumn. At or centred on the summer solstice, the earliest sunrise and latest sunset occurs, daylight hours are longest and dark hours are shortest, wit ...

between December and April. ''Sigaus crassicauda'' cannot fly.

Distribution and habitat

''Sigaus crassicauda'' is only known from West Coast Region and Tasman Region of New Zealand.Morris SJ. 2002. Distribution and Taxonomic status of New Zealand endangered grasshoppers (Orthoptera: Acrididae). Department of Conservation, Wellington. It can be found as far south as the Right Branch of the Rahu River, Spring Junction () and as far north as the Thousand Acres Plateau, Matiri Range (). ''Alpinacris crassicauda'' prefer alpine tussock grasslands between , however, can be found as low as on the Thousand Acres Plateau, Matiri Range (). Climate change is likely to reduce the suitable habitat that this species can occupy by 10 - 60% of its current range.

Species description

The wings on ''S. tumidicauda'' are micropterous (small wings) between making this species flightless like most of New Zealand grasshoppers. Male body length ; Female body length . ''Sigaus crassicauda'' was described in 1967 by Robert Sidney Bigelow, in the genus ''Alpinacris'''','' with type locality of Lead Hills, Boulder Lake (). A male holotype and paratype are deposited in the Canterbury Museum, Christchurch.

Type information

*Bigelow, R.S. 1967: The Grasshoppers of New Zealand, Their Taxonomy and Distribution. University of Canterbury, Christchurch. *Type locality: Lead Hills, Boulder Lake, Tasman Region. *Type specimen: Male; 27 October 1963; P. M. & M Johns. Holotype and Paratype are deposited in the Canterbury Museum, Christchurch.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q4735449 Catantopinae Acrididae of New Zealand Insects described in 1967 Endemic insects of New Zealand