Phymateus

Phymateus
	Phymateus karschi from Mozambique
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Orthoptera
Suborder:	Caelifera
Family:	Pyrgomorphidae
Tribe:	Phymateini
Genus:	Phymateus; Thunberg 1815

Phymateus is a genus of grasshoppers of the family Pyrgomorphidae.

Description

Species of the genus Phymateus are African grasshoppers about 70 millimetres (2.8 in) long. Some species at maturity are capable of long migratory flights. They raise and rustle wings when disturbed and may secrete a noxious fluid from the thoracic joint.^[1] These locusts feed on highly toxic plants and usually congregate in large numbers on trees and shrubs, arranged in such a way as to resemble foliage. Females of the species Phymateus morbillosus are unable to fly, despite fully developed wings.^[2]

Distribution

Species of this genus can be found in Southern, Central and East Africa, through Somalia and Madagascar to India.^[3]

List of species

Phymateus aegrotus (Gerstäcker, 1869)
Phymateus baccatus (Stål, 1876)
Phymateus bolivari Kirby, W.F., 1910
Phymateus cinctus (Fabricius, 1793) = P. stolli (Saussure, 1861) = P. flavus (I. Bolivar, 1903) = P. squarrosus (Houttuyn, 1813)
Phymateus iris Bolivar, I., 1881
Phymateus karschi Bolivar, I., 1904
Phymateus leprosus (Fabricius, 1793)
Phymateus madagassus Karsch, 1888
Phymateus morbillosus (Linnaeus, 1758)
Phymateus pulcherrimus (I. Bolívar, 1904)
Phymateus purpurascens (Karsch, 1896)
Phymateus saxosus (Coquerel, 1862)
Phymateus viridipes Stål, 1873^[4]