Ignat's Stone Grasshopper (Acinipe ignatii)

Mohamed bin Zayed Species project number 222530593

Distribution, ecology and conservation status of two little known Iberian endemic Stone Grasshoppers of the genus Acinipe in South Portugal

 

 

Two Acinipe species occur in mainland Portugal: Acinipe ignatii and Acinipe paulinoi. Both species are endemic to the SW part of Iberian Peninsula occurring mainly in Portugal. Despite their relatively large body size there is little knowledge about their biology and ecology as well as their distribution ranges. They inhabit coastal areas, forest, and bushy habitats. These ecosystems are essential for the Portuguese biodiversity but still don't have an adequate state of conservation.

Since the revision of the Iberian pamphagids (Llorente & Presa 1997) no intensive studies about distribution, biology and ecology of these species have been carried out. This planned work will be the first comprehensive study concerning these matters which are crucial to evaluate species conservation status. These species were evaluated as Data Deficient in the European Red List of Grasshoppers, Crickets and Bush-crickets shedding light to the necessity of this type of research. The species were observed during the last years' field work on Orthoptera faunistic in South Portugal done by the applicant and key persons of the project. The results of this study will also greatly contribute to the first Red List of Terrestrial and Freshwater Invertebrates of Portugal, which is currently in progress. With this study we aim to:

- determine the life cycle features and food plant preferences through a study in captivity

- document all known localities and their ecological parameters (population size, habitat preferences and endangering factors). Further, based on the already exact knowledge of locations and habitats, to model the potential best places for them (MAXENT analyses) and check the predictions on the field in order to clear their distribution

- establish their conservation status based on the gathered data and overview the actual and potential endangering factors for each population. This knowledge will let us to give suggestions for the evidence-based conservation of them in Portugal as well as their associated habitats. The main aim is to support these species in South Portugal, but the results to be obtained may similarly help their conservation in Spain.

 

Key personnel: Gergely Szövényi, Francisco Barros, Gellért Puskás, Márk László