Keyacris scurra (Key's Matchstick Grasshopper)
This rare and unusual grasshopper is flightless, and unlike most grasshoppers it is active during the winter.
Key's Matchstick Grasshopper is listed as ‘Endangered’ in Australia under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, and under ACT, NSW and VIC legislation.
SPRAT profile: https://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/sprat/public/publicspecies.pl?taxon_id=89739
It is also listed as an endangered species in NSW and a recovery program is being enacted. We would appreciate any records.
"Grasshoppers lay their eggs in pods inserted into the soil. Most species hatch in spring, the immatures (nymphs) passing through several moults to mature in summer. Key’s Matchstick is unusual in that the eggs hatch in late summer or autumn. Males mature quickly, becoming adults by May, but females continue through the winter as nymphs, maturing in spring. Mating takes place in spring and early summer, followed by egg laying, then the adults die. Thus they avoid the desiccating summer conditions altogether. There is one generation per year.” Quote from the Friends of Grasslands newsletter of Nov-Dec 2000, author Kim Pullen.
Keyacris scurra is listed in the following regions:
Canberra & Southern Tablelands | Southern Highlands | South Coast
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Species information
- Keyacris scurra Scientific name
- Key's Matchstick Grasshopper Common name
- Not Sensitive
- Endangered *
- Non-invasive or negligible
- Up to 1219m Recorded at altitude
- Machine learning
- External link More information
Location information
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Maps
Alison Hone Reserve Aranda Bushland Back Creek TSR Barneys Hill/Mt Stranger Bibbenluke Common Boro Bullen Range Collector TSR Crace Grasslands Dananbilla Nature Reserve Gibraltar Pines Gorman Road Bush Reserve, Goulburn Goulburn Mulwaree Council Gundary TSR Gunning Bush Block Hall Cemetery Hall Horse Paddocks Kambah Pool Kinleyside Kosciuszko National Park Lions Youth Haven - Westwood Farm A.C.T. Mulligans Flat Namadgi National Park O'Connor Ridge to Gungahlin Grasslands Pine Island to Point Hut Pomaderris Nature Reserve Rock Valley, Tidbinbilla Rugosa Six Mile TSR Souths TSR on Mountain Ash Road Sweeney's TSR The Tops at Nurenmerenmong Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve Tinderry Mountains Tuggeranong Hill -
Places
Bellmount Forest, NSW Bungendore, NSW Collector, NSW Conder, ACT Currawang, NSW Dalton, NSW Goulburn, NSW Gundary, NSW Gunning, NSW Hall, ACT Kambah, ACT Kingsdale, NSW Lake George, NSW Manar, NSW Mount Fairy, NSW Mulloon, NSW Nungar, NSW Royalla, NSW Tarago, NSW Throsby, ACT Wamboin, NSW
