Chinese rice grasshopper (Oxya chinensis)

Chinese rice grasshopper (Oxya chinensis) is a species belonging to the family Acrididae. It is a medium-sized, arboreal grasshopper characterized by a green coloration accented with shades of brown and yellow. The species exhibits sexual dimorphism and typically resides on the foliage of low-lying shrubs in forested areas and agricultural lands.

O. chinensis has a textured, wrinkled, and slightly hairy appearance. Its sides and back are green, featuring a brown stripe—gradating into yellow—that extends from the eye area toward the top of the hind legs. The wings display a blend of brown and green hues.



The abdomen is cylindrical and segmented, appearing greenish-brown. The head is triangular with a tapered mouthpart and a flat anterior face; it bears a pair of large brown or green eyes and a pair of brown antennae.

The legs are green and multi-segmented, with the tips of the tarsi (feet) equipped with a pair of spines. The hind legs are the largest, reaching up to half the length of the body, and feature robust, brownish-colored joints.

This species inhabits the foliage and stems of low-lying plants within shrubby areas at the edges of forests and in agricultural landscapes, particularly in rice paddies. Its population is highly abundant; it is easily encountered and capable of reproducing throughout the season.

TAXON

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Hexapoda
Class: Insecta
Subclass: Pterygota
Order: Orthoptera
Suborder: Caelifera
Infraorder: Acrididea
Superfamily: Acridoidea
Family: Acrididae
Subfamily: Oxyinae
Tribe: Oxyini
Genus: Oxya Serville (1831)
Species: Oxya chinensis Thunberg (1815)

SYNONYMS

Acridium sinense Walker (1870)
Gryllus chinensis Thunberg (1815)
Gryllus lutescens Thunberg (1815)
Heteracris simplex Walker (1870)
Heteracris straminea Walker (1870)
Oxya lobata Stål (1877)
Oxya sinensis

PUBLICATIONS

Thunberg, C.P. (1815) Hemipterorum maxillosorum genera illustrata plurimisque novis speciebus ditata ac descripta. Mémoires de l'Académie Impériale des Sciences de St. Pétersbourg, 5, 211–301. http://books.google.com/books?id=5woZAAAAYAAJ

VERNACULAR NAME

Chinese (simplified): 中华稻蝗
Chinese (traditional): 中華稻蝗
English: Chinese rice grasshopper
Guangdong: 中華稻蝗
Hong Kong: 中華稻蝗
Indonesian: Belalang beras cina
Japanese: タイワンハネナガイナゴ
Java: Walang beras coklat
Macao: 中華稻蝗
Russian: Кобылка рисовая китайская
Taiwan: 中華稻蝗

Aryo Bandoro
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