Description

• Oaxaca cuitlateca is a small, flightless or very short-winged grasshopper in the family Acrididae and subfamily Melanoplinae. It belongs to the recently established subgenus Paraoaxaca and has a compact body with prominent, shiny eyes and distinctive contrasting dark and light bands. The body may show greenish, bluish, yellowish, or brownish tones, with similarly variable colouring on the hind legs. The wings are greatly reduced, giving it a distinctly ground-dwelling appearance.

Range

• Oaxaca cuitlateca is endemic to southwestern Mexico and is associated with the Pacific coastal and Sierra Madre del Sur region. It occurs in Guerrero and is one of the Oaxaca grasshoppers associated with the Zihuatanejo region.

Habitat

• It inhabits warm terrestrial environments in southwestern Mexico, particularly tropical dry forest, woodland, scrub, forest edges, and other areas with low vegetation and leaf litter. Its reduced wings and cryptic coloration are suited to life close to the ground rather than sustained flight.

Diet

• Oaxaca cuitlateca is herbivorous, feeding on low-growing vegetation such as grasses, herbs, and leaves. As with other melanopline grasshoppers, it likely consumes a variety of locally available plant material rather than relying on a single host plant.