Spathosternum prasiniferum (Walker, 1871)

Usmani, Mohd. Kamil & Nayeem, Md. Rashid, 2012, Studies on taxonomy and distribution of Acridoidea (Orthoptera) of Bihar, India, Journal of Threatened Taxa 4 (13), pp. 3190-3204 : 3195

10. Spathosternum prasiniferum (Walker, 1871)

Diagnostic characters: Small, green, integument finely rugose almost smooth. Head conical, fastigium of vertex obtusely angular or parabolic. Filiform antennae, frontal ridge narrow and sulcated. Two broad blackish band or dark greenish-band running behind the lower part of the eyes and below the lateral carinae of the pronotum which is banded above by a narrow pale yellow line and lateral carinae present, Prosternal process large, strongly, antero–posteriorly compressed, spathulated, inclined backwards.

Material examined: 2 females, 9.vii.2009, on roadside grasses, Sitamarhi ; 1 male, 1 female, 19.vi.2009, on paddy, Bihar Sharif, Nalanda ; 2 females, 7.vii.2009, on grasses, Muzaffarpur ; 2 females, 5.vii.2009, on grasses, Darbhanga ; 2 females, 24.vi.2009, on paddy, Banka ; 1 female, 23.vi.2009, on grasses, Khagaria ; 1 female, 16.vi.2009, on paddy, Gaya ; 1 female, 9.vi.2009, on paddy, Patna ; 2 females, 29.x.2010, on grasses, Buxar ; 1 female, 2males, 27.x.2010, on grasses, Hajipur, Vaishali ; 3 males, 26.x.2010, on grasses, Samastipur ; 1 male, 4.vi.2010, on grasses, Bettiah, Pascim Champaran ; 3 females, 28.x.2010, on grasses, Supaul ; 1 female, 8.vi.2009, on grasses, Begusarai ; 4 females, 7.vi.2009, on grasses, Luckeesarai .

Morphometry: (length in mm). Male: Body 17.5, Tegmina 12.8, Hind femur 8.65, Pronotum 2.85. Female: Body 19.2, Tegmina 14.5, Hind femur 9.65, Pronotum 3.0.

Remarks: This species is generally found on either side of road, in pastures and in crop fields. It is a pest of crop.

Natural enemies: No natural enemies recorded.

Distribution: West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Bihar, Goa, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh.