External morpology of the adult of grasshopper Valanga nigricornis (Orthoptera: Acrididae)

The external morpology of the adult of Valanga nigricornis (Burmeister,1838), has been described and illustrated. Salient characters of morphological structures of the head, thorax and abdomen were considered individually. Among the segmental appendages, antenna, mouth parts, thoracic legs, wings and the genitalia were studied. Body size, antennal size, wing coloration and the abdominal segments are markedly different in the male and female grasshoppers indicating a distinct sexual dimorphism. The types of the mouth parts that belong to the Valanga nigricornis species was also identified and distinguished. The mouth parts are indicating the types of food taken by the grasshopper. Moreover, the diffierences between male and female grasshoppers are also discussed and illustrated. The relationship between the grasshoppers and with the environment and ecology is also discussed in detail in the present study. The presence of grasshoppers in an ecosystem is giving both positive and also negative impacts to the environment.