The food of morabine grasshoppers

Abstract

Over 200 species of plants were tested for their acceptability to morabine grasshoppers (Orthoptera: Eumastacidae) living in the habitat with the plant. The characteristic colour produced by each plant in the ileal diverticula of each morabine species was recorded, so that by comparison with the colours of the diverticula of grasshoppers dissected in the field, their natural foodplants could be estimated. Morabines can survive up to 14 days without food if water is available; they are polyphagous and also need certain plants as shelter. Where small ephemeral plants are available, morabines often feed on them, reverting to larger perennial species as need arises.