Zoology.-] NATURAL HISTORY OF VICTORIA. [Insects. 



Plate 119. 



PHANEROPTERA VALIDA (Walk.). 

 The Smaller Green Gum-tree Grasshopper. 



[Genus PHANEROPTERA (Aud. Serv.) (Sub-kingd. Articulata. Class Insecta. Order 

 Orthoptera.* Section Saltatoria. Family Gryllidse.) 



Gen. Char. — Head small, narrow, oval, vertical ; antennas close together at base, longer 

 than the body, setaceous, multiarticulate, first joint large, elongate, second spheroidal, capillary 

 from the third joint ; eyes small, prominent ; no ocelli ; labrum small, rounded ; mandibles 

 moderate, slender; maxilliary palpi with last joint twice as long as that of labial palpi, both 

 truncated at tip. Legs long, slender ; posterior femora very long, smooth ; tibias long ; spines 

 of legs few and small ; anterior tibiae with a basal swelling, having a distinct oval cavity ; tarsi 

 4-jointed, third joint narrow, bilobed. Elytra long, narrow, extending beyond the abdomen 

 when at rest, and having large stridulating organ on inner base in the males ; wings large, ex- 

 tending beyond the elytra. Prothorax short, flat or concave above, posterior edge sometimes 

 raised ; presternum smooth ; mesosternum and metasternum concave, with raised lateral borders. 

 Abdomen narrow; subanal plate of male bifurcate at tip, the two branches extending beyond 

 the abdomen ; two upper appendages long, setaceous, pubescent, those of the male a little 

 arched upwards, and much larger than in the female ; ovipositor very short, arched upwards 

 from base, rounded at tip ; valves flat, smooth above. 



Sub-genus, Phaneroptera proper : Prothorax oblong, nearly parallel-sided and flat above, 

 keeled at sides where deflected ; legs and thighs nearly smooth.] 



Description. — Male: Head brown, with green tinge; eyes very prominent, 

 greenish-brown ; antennae very slender, pale brown ; prothorax with a flat or 

 slightly concave, oblong disc, sides bent down at right angles with a strong, straight, 

 pale-yellowish keel on each side at the flexure; rest of the surface pea-green; 

 anterior margin -slightly concave, posterior edge convex. Presternum narrow, 

 sulcate along middle, meso- and meta- sternum broader, slightly convex with raised 

 lateral edges, deeply bilobed behind. Upper abdominal appendages long, slightly 

 curved upwards; lower pair very short. Legs very long, slender; femora and 

 tibiae with few very minute spines, proximal half of hind femora moderately thick- 

 ened; anterior pair of tibia? dilated at base for oval drum cavity; all the legs pale 

 brown, except thick part of hind femora, which are green on outer side. Tegmina, 

 or anterior wings, narrow, about 2 lines shorter than posterior wings when at rest ; 

 larger areolets irregular, not distinctly marked; pea-green, except the large triangular 

 part of inner base carrying the iridescent, transparent, stridulating spots, which are 

 pale brown. Hind wings colorless, with pale pink and green iridescent reflection; 

 a triangular, opaque, pea-green spot, 2 lines long, on anterior half of apex (which 

 opaque green portion projects beyond the tegmina when at rest); abdomen brown 

 above, green below; tibia?, tarsi, distal half of hind thighs and palpi, pale brown; 

 angle at sides of thorax, continued by inner or posterior veins of tegmina, when at 

 rest, pale yellowish. Expanse of tegmina, 3 ins. 1 line ; length of body, 1 in. 

 Proportional measurements : Length of lower wings, 1 in. 6 lines, taken as 

 unity; length of anterior wings, or tegmina, \%%', width of tegmina, r §^; length 

 of prothorax, to%5 width of prothorax, xo ? o 5 length of abdomen, xo'ttj length of 

 antenna?, -^^ ; hind femora, ^g, ; hind tibiae, r r uV Female : General structure 



* Although the name Dermaptera has some claims to priority for this Order, I have used Orthoptera, as 

 employed by so many writers upon the group. 



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