Ruspolia nitidula

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Ruspolia nitidula
Ruspolia nitidula male (3788698376).jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Orthoptera
Suborder: Ensifera
Family: Tettigoniidae
Genus: Ruspolia
Species:
R. nitidula
Binomial name
Ruspolia nitidula
(Scopoli, 1786) [1]
Close-Up of a Ruspolia nitidula

Ruspolia nitidula, the large conehead, is a species of bush cricket belonging to the subfamily Conocephalinae of the family Tettigoniidae. [1] It is found throughout Europe, Africa, and the Palearctic part of Asia. [2] A vernacular name that has been used is "cone-headed grasshopper", [3] although it is not a grasshopper, but rather a bush cricket. [4]

Contents

Description

The species is green, large, and slender with a cone-shaped head. The apex of the head has a cream-colored band that goes through it and the eyes. Its size ranges from 32–60 mm (1.3–2.4 in). The wings of both sexes extend further than the abdomen. They are able to produce a high-pitched buzzing sound. [5]

Habitat

It is native to central and southern Europe where it can be found on riverbanks and other wet areas that have long grass. The species has been expanding northwards in Europe in recent decades. Populations have been established in southern Britain. The species can be found from July to October. [5] It is also native to Africa and the Palearctic part of Asia. [2]

Edibility

The cricket is commonly eaten in Uganda and the sale of them brings in a large amount of income. The price per unit weight is periodically higher than that of beef in Uganda markets. [3] During the 1990s, coffee prices dropped, resulting in the loss of many citizens' primary income. The price of these bush crickets helped regain income during that decade, but the crickets had a short shelf life and would bite when removed from storage. [3] It is also commonly eaten by many East African tribes. [6]

A 2016 study by Food Science & Nutrition concluded that the cricket is considered nutritious and that sautéing them results in a better aroma and flavor. In Uganda, they are cooked by either sautéing, deep frying, or boiling and then they are dried. The cricket is either eaten at home or commercially in towns such as Kampala and Masaka. [6]

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Insects in the family Tettigoniidae are commonly called katydids or bush crickets. They have previously been known as "long-horned grasshoppers". More than 8,000 species are known. Part of the suborder Ensifera, the Tettigoniidae are the only extant (living) family in the superfamily Tettigonioidea.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Orthoptera</span> Order of insects including grasshoppers, crickets, weta and locusts

Orthoptera is an order of insects that comprises the grasshoppers, locusts, and crickets, including closely related insects, such as the bush crickets or katydids and wētā. The order is subdivided into two suborders: Caelifera – grasshoppers, locusts, and close relatives; and Ensifera – crickets and close relatives.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pine nut</span> Edible seeds of certain species of pines

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grasshopper</span> Common name for a group of insects

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Entomophagy in humans</span> Practice of eating insects in human cultures

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<i>Carissa macrocarpa</i> Species of shrub

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<i>Gnetum africanum</i> Species of seed-bearing plant

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<i>Tettigonia viridissima</i> Species of cricket-like animal

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Nsenene is the Luganda name for Ruspolia differens: a bush cricket in the tribe Copiphorini of the 'cone-head' subfamily. It is often confused with the closely related Ruspolia nitidula.

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Insects as food or edible insects are insect species used for human consumption. Over 2 billion people are estimated to eat insects on a daily basis. Globally, more than 2,000 insect species are considered edible, though far fewer are discussed for industrialized mass production and regionally authorized for use in food. Many insects are highly nutritious, though nutritional content depends on species and other factors such as diet and age. Insects offer a wide variety of flavors and are commonly consumed whole or pulverized for use in dishes and processed food products such as burger patties, pasta, or snacks. Like other foods, there can be risks associated with consuming insects, such as allergic reactions. As commercial interest in insects as food grows, countries are introducing new regulatory frameworks to oversee their production, processing, marketing, and consumption.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bamboo shoot</span> Edible shoots of many bamboo species

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<i>Oecanthus pellucens</i> Species of cricket

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The Copiphorini are a tribe of bush crickets or katydids in the family Tettigoniidae. Previously considered a subfamily, they are now placed in the subfamily Conocephalinae. Like some other members of Conocephalinae, they are known as coneheads, grasshopper-like insects with an extended, cone-shaped projection on their heads that juts forward in front of the base of the antennae.

<i>Ruspolia</i> Genus of cricket-like animals

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References

  1. 1 2 Scopoli, J.A. 1786–88. Deliciae Flora et Fauna Insubricae Ticini. An account including new descriptions of the birds and mammals collected by Pierre Sonnerat on his voyages.
  2. 1 2 "Ruspolia nitidula Scopoli, 1786". Global Biodiversity Information Facility. Retrieved July 23, 2019.
  3. 1 2 3 Waltner-Toews, David (2017). Eat the Beetles!. ECW Press. pp. 181–182. ISBN   9781770413146.
  4. Gerhard Heldmaier; Dietrich Werner (6 December 2012). Environmental Signal Processing and Adaptation. Springer Science & Business Media. p. 232. ISBN   978-3-642-56096-5.
  5. 1 2 "Ruspolia nitidula (Scopoli, 1786)". Orthoptera & Allied Insects. Retrieved July 23, 2019.
  6. 1 2 Ssepuuya, Geoffrey; Muzira Mukisa, Ivan; Nakimbugwe, Dorothy (April 13, 2016). "Nutritional composition, quality, and shelf stability of processed Ruspolia nitidula (edible grasshoppers)". Food Science & Nutrition. 5 (1): 103–112. doi:10.1002/fsn3.369. PMC   5217929 . PMID   28070321.