The African rice grasshopper, Hieroglyphus daganensis is a medium-sized grasshopper species found in the Sahel region. Although not called a locust in English, this species shows gregarious behaviour and some morphological change (phase polymorphism) on crowding and may become a moderately important pest species for small-holder farmers in the region.
Description and biology
Adults The overall colour of adult insects is usually green, with a finely dotted shiny integument. Antennae are longer than the head and pronotum together. The pronotum is cylindrical, with three deep and wide sulci (grooves) crossing the dorsum.
Hoppers
The colour of immature insects may vary depending on their phase (illustrated right) during a particularly fertile year, dense populations of H. daganensis showed a distinct blackening in certain areas of cuticle.
Outbreaks and control
Outbreaks are frequent in Sahelian countries such as Senegal, Mauritania, Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger and Benin. It has also been recorded as a sorghum pest in India.
A biological pesticide product called 'Green Muscle' is based on the entomopathogenic fungus (Metarhizium acridum) is now available (see desert locust). Early demonstrations of efficacy took place in northern Benin, with field tests by the LUBILOSA Programme on H. daganensis.
Human consumption The Northern Dogon people of Mopti Region, Mali consume the species.
References COPR (Centre for Overseas Pest Research) (1982), The Locust and Grasshopper Agricultural Manual Johnston, H.B. (1968), Annotated catalogue of African grasshoppers, The Cambridge University Press, Cambridge Suppl:448 pp. Johnston, H.B. (1956), Annotated catalogue of African grasshoppers, The Cambridge University Press, Cambridge 833 pp. Dirsh (1965), The African Genera of Acridoidea, Cambridge University Press, Antilocust Centre, London 579 pp. Krauss (1877) Orthoptera von Senegal, gesammelt von Dr. Franz Steindachner, Sitzungsberichte der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften. Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Klasse (Abt. 1) (Sitz. öst. Akad. Wiss. Math-naturw. Kl. Abt. 1) 76(1):29-38 Mestre & Chiffaud (2006), Catalogue et atlas des acridiens d'Afrique de l'Ouest Descamps (1965) Acridoides du Mali (Deuxieme contribution). Regions de San et Sikasso (Zone soudanaise) (1 partie) et (2 partie), Bulletin de l'Institut Fondamental d'Afrique Noire (IFAN). Série A: Sciences Naturelles (Bull. IFAN (A)) 27:922-962, 1259-1314 Davey, Descamps & Demange (1959) Notes on the Acrididae of the French Sudan with special reference to the central Niger delta (I, II), Bulletin de l'Institut Fondamental d'Afrique Noire (IFAN). Série A: Sciences Naturelles (Bull. IFAN (A)) 21(1-2):60-112, 565-600 Descamps (1956) Insectes nuisibles au riz dans le Nord Cameroun, AgronomieTropicale (Nogent-sur-Marne) (Agron. Trop. (Nogent-sur-Marne)) 11:732-755 Kevan, D.K.M. (1956) Results from the Danish Expedition to the French Cameroons 1949-50: XV. Orthoptera: Acrididae, Bulletin de l'Institut Fondamental d'Afrique Noire (IFAN). Série A: Sciences Naturelles (Bull. IFAN (A)) 18(3):960-977 Popov, G.B. (1959) Some notes on injurious Acrididae (Orthoptera) in the Sudan-Chad area, Entomologist's Monthly Magazine, London (Ent. Monthly Mag.) 95:90-92 Mason, J.B. (1973) A revision of the genera Hieroglyphus Krauss, Parahieroglyphus Carl and Hieroglyphodes Uvarov (Orthoptera: Acridoidea), Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History) Entomology (Bull. Br. Mus. (Nat. Hist.) Ent.) 28(7):507-560 Southcott (1994) A new larval erythraeine mite (Acari: Erythraeidae) from West Africa, International Journal of Acarology (Int. J. Acarology) 20(2):81-85
External links
AcridAfrica OSF: Hieroglyphus daganensis