No.17 Smaller longheaded locust

A major grasshopper that can be seen in most parts of Japan from summer to autumn, the ombu grasshopper is named after the male that rides on top of the female even when not mating. The adult male is 25 to 30 mm and the female is around 35 to 45 mm, making it one of the smaller grasshoppers. They are herbivorous and feed on many kinds of plants, but they sometimes cause damage to vegetables and other crops, and are sometimes regarded as an insect pest. They have a unique habit of kicking off feces with their hind legs.

A male individual of approximately 28 mm in length was scanned with a nanofocus CT/voxel size of 20 μm, capturing the shape of the characteristic indirect limbs extending from the jaw and mouth organ. In addition, a 3D model with the body in a transparent setting visualizes areas of low CT value (close to air) inside the body, allowing observation of the trachea extending mainly from the sides of the body.