| Atractomorpha similis | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Bali, Indonesia | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Orthoptera |
| Suborder: | Caelifera |
| Family: | Pyrgomorphidae |
| Genus: | Atractomorpha |
| Species: | A. similis |
| Binomial name | |
| Atractomorpha similis Bolívar, 1884 | |
Atractomorpha similis, commonly known as the northern grass pyrgomorph, is a species of grasshopper in the genus Atractomorpha . It occurs in Australia.
Atractomorpha similis is a member of the genus Atractomorpha , which is part of family Pyrgomorphidae. [1] First described by Bolívar in 1884, it was long classified as a southern variant of A. crenaticeps. However, in 1960 Banerjee and Kevan distinguished it on morphological grounds. [1] Synonyms include A. australiana and A. dentifrons. [2]
Atractomorpha similis averages 40 millimetres (1.6 in) in length. The species' compact body is tapered at the head and abdomen. This grasshopper relies on camouflage to avoid predators, rarely attempting escape. [1]
Atractomorpha similis (as with other members of its genus) is depauperate in heterochromatin, though the total amount of that DNA varies between populations. The species is highly polymorphic in its chromosomes, each of which exists in 10 to 50 morphs. [3] Males from Australia carry between one and ten extra copies of chromosome A9, with one being the most common in natural populations. [4]
Atractomorpha similis is a tropical and temperate grasshopper. [3] It can be found in northern and eastern Australia, mostly in coastal areas, although it may be found inland if there is enough humidity. The species has been recorded in New South Wales, [1] Fraser Island, Western Australia, and northern Queensland. [3] It is the most common of three members of its genus found in Australia, the others being A. australis (which favours cooler environments) and A. hypoestes (which is limited to the Arnhem Land escarpment). [3]
The species has also been found in the southern New Guinea and the Moluccas, as well as Timor. [3] It has been reported in the Lesser Sunda Islands, although Keith McE. Kevan argues that these are most likely specimens of A. crenulata. [5]
Atractomorpha similis is found in well-watered areas, such as gardens. [1] It is associated with semi-permanent or permanent standing water. Populations are generally small and discrete. [3] The species is considered a pest in Australia, because it feeds on leaves in gardens. [1]
Sorghum or broomcorn is a genus of about 25 species of flowering plants in the grass family (Poaceae). Some of these species are grown as cereals for human consumption, in pastures for animals as fodder, and as bristles for brooms. Sorghum grain is a nutritious food rich in protein, dietary fiber, B vitamins, and minerals.
Idiospermum is a monotypic genus in the family Calycanthaceae. The sole included species is Idiospermum australiense − commonly known as idiotfruit, ribbonwood, or dinosaur tree − which is found only in two small areas of the tropical rainforests of northeastern Queensland, Australia. It is a relic of the ancient forests of Gondwana, surviving in very localised refugia for 120 million years, and displaying features that are almost identical to fossil records from that time. As such it provides an important insight into the very early evolution of flowering plants.
Echinochloa frumentacea is a species of Echinochloa. Both Echinochloa frumentacea and E. esculenta are called Japanese millet. This millet is widely grown as a cereal in India, Pakistan, and Nepal. Its wild ancestor is the tropical grass Echinochloa colona, but the exact date or region of domestication is uncertain. It is cultivated on marginal lands where rice and other crops will not grow well. The grains are cooked in water, like rice, or boiled with milk and sugar. Sometimes it is fermented to make beer. While also being part of staple diet for some communities in India, these seeds are, in particular, eaten during religious fasting. For this reason, these seeds are commonly also referred to as "vrat ke chawal" in Hindi. Other common names to identify these seeds include oodalu (ಊದಲು) in Kannada, Shyamak (শ্যামাক) or Shyama Chal in Bangla, jhangora in the Garhwal Hills, bhagar (भगर) in Marathi-speaking areas, samo or morio seeds in Gujarati, or kuthiraivaali (குதிரைவாளி) in Tamil.
The Caelifera are a suborder of orthopteran insects. They include the grasshoppers and grasshopper-like insects, as well as other superfamilies classified with them: the ground-hoppers (Tetrigoidea) and pygmy mole crickets (Tridactyloidea). The latter should not be confused with the mole crickets (Gryllotalpidae), which belong to the other Orthopteran sub-order Ensifera.
Polysomy is a condition found in many species, including fungi, plants, insects, and mammals, in which an organism has at least one more chromosome than normal, i.e., there may be three or more copies of the chromosome rather than the expected two copies. Most eukaryotic species are diploid, meaning they have two sets of chromosomes, whereas prokaryotes are haploid, containing a single chromosome in each cell. Aneuploids possess chromosome numbers that are not exact multiples of the haploid number and polysomy is a type of aneuploidy. A karyotype is the set of chromosomes in an organism and the suffix -somy is used to name aneuploid karyotypes. This is not to be confused with the suffix -ploidy, referring to the number of complete sets of chromosomes.
The genus Pseudantechinus are members of the order Dasyuromorphia. They are often called false antechinuses, although this genus includes the sandstone dibbler, which was previously assigned to a different genus.
The fat-tailed false antechinus, also called the fat-tailed pseudantechinus and red-eared antechinus, is a member of the order Dasyuromorphia. It is an inhabitant of western and central Australia. Its species name, macdonnellensis, refers to the MacDonnell Ranges near Alice Springs, where it was first discovered.
Phlebopus marginatus, commonly known as the salmon gum mushroom in Western Australia, is a member of the Boletales or pored fungi. An imposing sight in forests of south-eastern and south-western Australia, it is possibly Australia's largest terrestrial mushroom, with the weight of one specimen from Victoria recorded at 29 kg (64 lb). Initially described in 1845 as Boletus marginatus, and also previously known by scientific names such as Phaeogyroporus portentosus and Boletus portentosus, it is not as closely related to typical boletes as previously thought.
Megacrania batesii, commonly known as the peppermint stick insect, is an unusual species of stick insect found in northeastern Australia, the Bismarck Archipelago, the Solomon Islands, New Guinea, and possibly as far north as the Philippines. It is notable for its aposematic coloration, as well as its robust chemical defense mechanism. Its common name refers to the irritating fluid — with an odor resembling peppermint — that it sprays as a defensive action from a pair of glands located at its prothorax when threatened, as well as the cylindrical, twig-like shape of its body. A member of the subfamily Megacraniinae, it was first described by English naturalist and explorer Henry Walter Bates in 1865.
Pyrgomorphidae is a family of grasshoppers in the order Orthoptera; it is the only family in the superfamily Pyrgomorphoidea. Pyrgomorphidae is found worldwide in tropical and warm temperate regions, but the vast majority of the family's approximately 500 species are from Africa, Asia and Australia. Their name is probably derived from pyrgos meaning "tower": a reference to the form (morph) of the head in the type genus Pyrgomorpha and other genera.
Atractomorpha is a genus in the Pyrgomorphidae, a family of grasshoppers, found in Africa, Asia, and Australia.
Petasida ephippigera, the Leichhardt's grasshopper, is a relatively large, brightly coloured pyrgomorph species of grasshopper in the monotypic genus Petasida, native to the Top End region of tropical northern Australia.
The 2000s witnessed an explosion of genome sequencing and mapping in evolutionarily diverse species. While full genome sequencing of mammals is rapidly progressing, the ability to assemble and align orthologous whole chromosomal regions from more than a few species is not yet possible. The intense focus on the building of comparative maps for domestic, laboratory and agricultural (cattle) animals has traditionally been used to understand the underlying basis of disease-related and healthy phenotypes.
Sphenarium is a genus of grasshoppers in the family Pyrgomorphidae, native to Mexico and northern Central America. During outbreaks, they can cause significant damage to agricultural crops. Conversely, they have been caught for human consumption, for example as chapulines, since pre-Columbian times, a practice that also continues today.
Aularches miliaris is a grasshopper species of the monotypic genus Aularches, belonging to the family Pyrgomorphidae. A native of South and Southeast Asia, the bright warning colours of this fairly large grasshopper keep away predators and their defense when disturbed includes the ejection of a toxic foam.
Atractomorpha crenulata, commonly known as the tobacco grasshopper, is a species of grasshopper in the subfamily Pyrgomorphinae, found in Asia.
Holocentric chromosomes are chromosomes that possess multiple kinetochores along their length rather than the single centromere typical of other chromosomes. They were first described in cytogenetic experiments in 1935. Since this first observation, the term holocentric chromosome has referred to chromosomes that: i) lack the primary constriction corresponding to the centromere observed in monocentric chromosomes; and ii) possess multiple kinetochores dispersed along the entire chromosomal axis, such that microtubules bind to the chromosome along its entire length and move broadside to the pole from the metaphase plate. Holocentric chromosomes are also termed holokinetic, because, during cell division, the sister chromatids move apart in parallel and do not form the classical V-shaped figures typical of monocentric chromosomes.
The Pyrgomorphinae are a sub-family of grasshoppers in the family Pyrgomorphidae. Species are found in, especially the warmer parts of: Central and South America, southern Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia and Pacific Islands. The type genus is Pyrgomorpha and names dates from "Pyrgomorphiden" by Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1874. The first use of Pyrgomorphinae was by Krauss in 1890.
Neorthacris is a genus of wingless grasshoppers in the Pyrgomorphidae. Species in the genus are found in South Asia, mainly in subcontinental India.
Dictyophorus is the type genus of grasshoppers in the tribe Dictyophorini, of the family Pyrgomorphidae; it is native to sub-Saharan Africa. The genus was named by Carl Peter Thunberg in 1815. They are relatively large, typically about 4–7 cm (1.6–2.8 in) long, and often have bright colurs warning of their toxicity.