Sphingonotus coerulans (Linnaeus, 1767)

Usmani, Mohammad Kamil, 2008, Studies on Acridoidea (Orthoptera) with some new records from Fezzan, Libya, Zootaxa 1946, pp. 1-41 : 34

41. Sphingonotus coerulans (Linnaeus, 1767)

Diagnosis: It can be distinguished from S. rubescens by its intercalary vein almost straight ( Chopard, 1943: Fig. 493; Harz, 1975: Fig. 1824) parallel to discoidal vein; median vein gives off 2 or 3 branches; wings bluish at base; inside of hind femur dark with one or sometimes two light fasciae (one incomplete).

Habitats: It is found in semi-desert and desert especially in sandy soils.

Material examined: Al Shati Region: Brack , 2♂, 2♀, on ground around grass, 13.vi.95 .

Localities: Cyrenaica: Bengasi, Feuihat; Tripolitania: Gebel Gharian; Gebel Teghrinna, Qasr Bin Ghashir, Tripoli; Fezzan: Brack .

Distribution: Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia, Socotra, Sudan, Somaliland, Eritrea, Natal, Canary Is., Madeira, Southern Sweden, North Spain, North Italy, Greece, Western Coast of Black Sea, Middle and Southern part of European USSR, Crimea, North Cancasus, Europe.

Remarks: This species was recorded from Tripolitania by Werner (1908 b), I. Bolivar (1915) and from Cyrenaica by Zanon (1924).