Diversity, species richness and distribution of grasshoppers (Orthoptera: Acrididae) in Khairpur Sindh Pakistan

Grasshoppers are the world’s most common and diversified insect. They are polyphagous and become ravenous leaf feeders when population density is high. The present survey was conducted to explore grasshoppers from district Khairpur Sindh, Pakistan, during March to October 2021. During this study, 267 grasshopper’s specimens were captured from different localities of district Khairpur. The collected material was sorted into single family Acrididae, 03 subfamilies: Oedipodinae, Eyprepocnemidinae and Cyrtacanthacridinae, 06 genera: Aiolopus , Trilophidia , Locusta , Acrotylus , Heteracris and Anacridium and 07 species: Aiolopus thalassinus thalassinus , Aiolopus thalassinus tamulus , Trilophidia annulata Locusta migratoria migratoria , Acrotylus humbertianus , Heteracris littoralis , Anacridium aegyptium . The highest population of A. humbertianus with 25.84% followed by A. thalassinus thalassinus with 21.34%, H.littoralis with 17.22% and T. annulata with 12.35% and lowest population of L. migratoria migratoria with 4.49%, A. aegyptium with 6.74% and A. thalassinus tamulus with 11.98%. In the recorded 07 species A. humbertianus was the most common species found in district Khairpur Pakistan. While the rarest species was L. migratoria migratoria during this study. Additionally, taxonomic key for easily identification species is provided. The current explorative work was the new detailed work on the grasshopper’s fauna from Khairpur district, Pakistan.