top of page

Grasshoppers of Zihuatanejo

INFRAORDER ACRIDIDEA

-Animals (Kingdom Animalia)

-Arthropods (Phylum Arthropoda)

-Hexapods (Subphylum Hexapoda)

-Insects (Class Insecta)

-Winged and Once-winged Insects (Subclass Pterygota)

-Grasshoppers, Crickets, and Katydids (Order Orthoptera)

-Grasshoppers, Locusts, and Allies (Suborder Caelifera)

-Grasshoppers (Infraorder Acrididea)

-Pygmy Grasshoppers (Superfamily Tetrigoidea)

-Pygmy Grasshoppers (Family Tetrigidae)

-Subfamily Tetriginae

-Tribe Tetrigini

-Genus Paratettix

-Mexican Pygmy Grasshopper (Paratettix mexicanus)


The Mexican Pygmy Grasshopper (Paratettix mexicanus) is a small, cryptically coloured insect belonging to the family Tetrigidae, widely distributed from the southern United States through Central America. It's mottled grey, brown, or black coloration allows it to blend perfectly with the muddy or sandy shorelines of rivers, ponds, and marshes where it resides. These grasshoppers are semi-aquatic specialists, often found hopping along the water's edge where they feed primarily on algae, mosses, and fine organic detritus found in the damp soil.

Mexican Pygmy

Paratettix mexicanus

Description

  • Paratettix mexicanus, commonly called the Mexican pygmy grasshopper, is a small pygmy grasshopper in the family Tetrigidae and subfamily Tetriginae. It has a compact body, short antennae, powerful hind legs, and a distinctive elongated pronotum that extends backwards over the abdomen. Its mottled grey, brown, and dark colouring provides excellent camouflage against damp soil, sand, mud, and plant debris.

Range

  • Paratettix mexicanus ranges from the southern and western United States through Mexico and Central America to Panama. It occurs in Mexico, including Guerrero, and may be encountered around Zihuatanejo where suitable moist habitats are present.

Habitat

  • This species is strongly associated with moist ground around ponds, streams, marshes, river margins, and other wet areas. It is often found directly on muddy or sandy substrates at the water's edge, where its cryptic colouring makes it difficult to detect.

Diet

  • Paratettix mexicanus feeds primarily on algae, mosses, small amounts of aquatic or semi-aquatic vegetation, and organic material associated with damp soil. It forages close to the ground and water's edge rather than feeding extensively on tall vegetation.

bottom of page