''Poekilocerus'' is a
genus
Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...
of
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 ...
s in the family
Pyrgomorphidae
Pyrgomorphidae is a family of grasshoppers in the order Orthoptera; it is the only family in the superfamily Pyrgomorphoidea, with a pan-tropical distribution. Their name is probably derived from ''pyrgos'' (Greek: ''Πύργος'') meaning "tow ...
and the monotypic tribe Poekilocerini. Species are found in the northern half of
Africa
Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...
, and in
Southwest
The points of the compass are a set of horizontal, radially arrayed compass directions (or azimuths) used in navigation and cartography. A compass rose is primarily composed of four cardinal directions—north, east, south, and west—each sepa ...
and
South Asia
South Asia is the southern subregion of Asia, which is defined in both geographical and ethno-cultural terms. The region consists of the countries of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.;;;;;;;; ...
, often in arid or semi-arid areas.
[Orthoptera Species File: genus ''Poekilocerus'' Serville, 1831 (retrieved 12 August 2023)]
/ref>aposematic
Aposematism is the advertising by an animal to potential predators that it is not worth attacking or eating. This unprofitability may consist of any defences which make the prey difficult to kill and eat, such as toxicity, venom, foul taste or ...
colours and species with duller colours suitable for camouflage
Camouflage is the use of any combination of materials, coloration, or illumination for concealment, either by making animals or objects hard to see, or by disguising them as something else. Examples include the leopard's spotted coat, the ...
.[
]
Species
The ''Orthoptera Species File'' lists the following:[
#'' Poekilocerus arabicus'' Uvarov, 1922
#'' Poekilocerus bufonius'' Klug, 1832 (3 subspecies)
#'' Poekilocerus calotropidis'' Karsch, 1888
#'' Poekilocerus geniplanus'' Gupta & Chandra, 2016
#'' Poekilocerus pictus'' ( Fabricius, 1775) - type species (as ''Gryllus pictus'' Fabricius)
]
References
External links
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{{Taxonbar, from1=Q10635693, from2=Q21226422
Caelifera genera
Pyrgomorphidae