Taeniopoda is a genus of horse lubbers, fairly large grasshoppers in the family Romaleidae that are native to southwestern United States, Mexico and Central America. There are about 12 described species in Taeniopoda.[1][2][3][4] Taeniopoda is very closely related to Romalea (members of the two genera can even produce fertile hybrids in captivity[5]), leading some recent authorities to consider the former a junior synonym the latter.[4][6]
Taeniopoda | |
---|---|
Taeniopoda eques | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Orthoptera |
Suborder: | Caelifera |
Family: | Romaleidae |
Subfamily: | Romaleinae |
Tribe: | Romaleini |
Genus: | Taeniopoda Stål, 1873 |
These 12 species belong to the genus Taeniopoda:
Taeniopoda reticulata is a purplish grasshopper that has red antennas and is about 2 inches long. It has black stripes leave like pattern on wings coverings, legs and body. A bright crimson red on wings is displayed, it has eyed like pattern when both wings are opened on flight as a defense mechanism.
In Costa Rica is more often seen from early June to July at its nymphal stage to fully matured, crawling around the banana plantations on the Caribbean slope.