''Chorthippus albomarginatus'', the lesser marsh grasshopper, is a common

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

of European

grassland A grassland is an area where the vegetation is dominance (ecology), dominated by grasses (Poaceae). However, sedge (Cyperaceae) and rush (Juncaceae) can also be found along with variable proportions of legumes such as clover, and other Herbaceo ...

both damp-marshy and (despite its name) dry, including

salt-marsh A salt marsh, saltmarsh or salting, also known as a coastal salt marsh or a tidal marsh, is a coastal ecosystem in the upper coastal intertidal zone between land and open saltwater or brackish water that is regularly flooded by the tides. It ...

and coastal habitats.

Distribution

The range of the lesser marsh grasshopper extends from

Finland Finland, officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It borders Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of Bothnia to the west and the Gulf of Finland to the south, ...

and southern

Scandinavia Scandinavia is a subregion#Europe, subregion of northern Europe, with strong historical, cultural, and linguistic ties between its constituent peoples. ''Scandinavia'' most commonly refers to Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. It can sometimes also ...

in the north to Spain and Italy in the south. It was once present only in the southern parts of the UK but has been expanding its range northwards.

Physical appearance

Females grow to approximately and are larger than males that grow to approximately . The female almost always has a longitudinal white stripe on the wing whereas the male rarely does. The region behind the head is referred to as the "pronotal side-keels" and the bars are approximately parallel in this species. Although quite similar, it can be distinguished from the meadow grasshopper '' Chorthippus parallelus'', which also has straight pronotal side-keels, by a number of characteristics. These include its ability to fly, white stripe on female's wing, and more pointed snout. It often tends to be less brightly coloured and more straw-brown than ''Chorthippus parallelus''. Both sexes can be extremely variable in colour from green to brown.

Song and reproduction

The song is very similar to ''

Chorthippus brunneus ''Chorthippus brunneus'', also known as the common field grasshopper, is a species of grasshopper of the subfamily Gomphocerinae. The species is common and widespread in the Western Palearctic, and the IUCN lists it as Least Concern. Appearanc ...

'', though perhaps a little slower, with 2–6 chirps each lasting approximately half a second. There can be an 'alternation song' between competing males. Females lay eggs at the base of grass blades.

Development

More rapid development of ''C. albomarginatus'' (maturation at a younger age) was found to be associated with higher

DNA damage DNA repair is a collection of processes by which a cell identifies and corrects damage to the DNA molecules that encode its genome. A weakened capacity for DNA repair is a risk factor for the development of cancer. DNA is constantly modified ...

. The association of increased DNA damage with shorter developmental times suggests that there is a trade-off between genetic integrity and growth rate. Although rapid growth would likely provide a fitness advantage, the increase production of

reactive oxygen species In chemistry and biology, reactive oxygen species (ROS) are highly Reactivity (chemistry), reactive chemicals formed from diatomic oxygen (), water, and hydrogen peroxide. Some prominent ROS are hydroperoxide (H2O2), superoxide (O2−), hydroxyl ...

associated with rapid development would probably make the individual more subject to oxidative DNA damage with negative consequences later in life.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q1755270 albomarginatus Orthoptera of Europe Insects described in 1773 Taxa named by Charles De Geer