Antaxius pedestris is a species of "bush crickets" belonging to the family Tettigoniidae. It was originally described by Johan Christian Fabricius under the scientific name of Locusta pedestris.Catalogue of Life
Subspecies Subspecies include:BioLib.cz Antaxius pedestris apuanus Nadig, 1958 - occurs in Italy, Austria and Switzerland Antaxius pedestris pedestris (Fabricius, 1787) - occurs in France, Italy, Austria and Switzerland
Distribution This species is present in Pyrenees of Spain, the northwestern part of Portugal and in the western and southern Alps of Austria, France, Italy and Switzerland.Fauna Europaea
Habitat It prefers warm habitats in mountainous and semi-mountainous areas with high vegetation and low bushes, at an elevation up to above sea level.Pyrgus - Orthoptera and their ecologyLinnea
Description
Antaxius pedestris can reach a length of about . Its ovipositor is slightly shorter than the body, it reaches about .
The basic color of the body is dark brown, gray brown or dark gray with light whitish or yellow to light gray drawings. Pronotum is tinged with white on the lateral margins. Abdomen is long, thick and strong. Wings are very short in the females, while in males they protrude 3–4 mm out from under the pronotum.
Cerci of the males are unusual. They are whitish, flattened and internally toothed. All pairs of the powerful legs bear small spines on the lower part.
Biology Adults can be found from July to October. They feed on plants and insects, mainly small locusts. Eggs are laid in the ground.
References
Fabricius (1787), Mantissa insectorum exhibens species nuper in Etruria collectas a Ptro Rossio, Pisis, Polloni
External links Orthoptera Species Orthoptera