Asiotmethis jubatus (Uvarov, 1926)

Popova, Kristina V., Molodtsov, Vladimir V. & Sergeev, Michael G., 2020, Rare grasshoppers (Orthoptera, Acridoidea) of the Baraba and Kulunda steppes (South Siberia), Acta Biologica Sibirica 6, pp. 595-609 : 595

Asiotmethis jubatus (Uvarov, 1926)

Figure 3

General distribution.

SE West Siberia (steppes), NE, E Kazakhstan, NW China (N Xinjiang).

Local distribution and ecology.

This species was described as Tmethis jubatus Uvarov from the vicinities of Severnaya settlement, Slavgorod District, Omsk Province (now Severka settlement, Klyuchevsky District, Altai Krai (Altaj Region), Russia) ( Uvarov 1926). In the first half of the 20th century A. jubatus was more or less common in the southern part of the Kulunda steppe (Berezhkov, 1956). Unfortunately, the species is absent in our collections from the region. However, it is relatively common in the semi-deserts of E Kazakhstan. It prefers habitats with scarce vegetation in the typical and dry steppes (commonly with some sagebrushes and halophytes) and some similar stony habitats in the mountain semi-deserts. A. jubatus is an early hatching grasshopper. Its adults can be usually caught in the first half of a summer. That explains, at least partly, its relative rarity, because here acridologists usually study grasshoppers in the second part of a summer. Besides, some habitats of this species could be destroyed or damaged during the co-called Virgin Lands campaign in the middle of the 20th century when huge steppe areas have been ploughed and many steppe remains have become overgrazed.

Figures

Figures 2 - 9. 2 - Asiotmethis muricatus. 3 - Asiotmethis jubatus. 4 - Arcyptera fusca. 5 - Notostaurus albicornis. 6 - Eremippus simplex. 7 - Stenobothrus carbonarius. 8 - Myrmeleotettix antennatus. 9 - Megaulacobothrus aethalinus.