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Ephippiger ephippiger

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Ephippiger ephippiger
Ephippiger ephippiger, Germany
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Orthoptera
Suborder: Ensifera
Family: Tettigoniidae
Genus: Ephippiger
Species:
E. ephippiger
Binomial name
Ephippiger ephippiger
(Fiebig, 1784)[1]
Synonyms
  • Gryllus ephippiger Fiebig, 1784
  • Ephippiger vitium Serville, 1831
  • Ephippiger diurnus Dufour, 1841

Ephippiger ephippiger, the saddle-backed bush cricket, is a species belonging to the family Tettigoniidae subfamily Bradyporinae. It is found in all of Europe except the British Isles.[2] but it is only common in Southwest Europe. The habitat consists of relatively dry and sparse areas with scarce vegetation, such as heather with a few trees, where it can be found both close to the soil and higher up in the vegetation. The saddle-backed bush cricket mainly eats insects and other small animals, but also plant parts. For arable farmers, it is a useful animal because it lives in plants but mainly hunts for plant-dwelling (pest) insects. It is active during the months of August to October; the males are mainly heard between eleven o'clock in the morning and nine o'clock in the evening. The sound is clearly audible and consists of a sharp, grating squeak that sounds like tieh, but is repeated in long runs with a frequency of about one or two times per second.

Close-Up of a Ephippiger ephippiger

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Fiebig, J. 1784: Beschreibung des Sattelträgers. [Gryllus ephippiger]. Schriften der Berlinischen Gesellschaft naturforschender Freunde, Berlin 5 260-263, col. Fig.
  2. ^ Fauna Europaea