Feeding patterns in grasshoppers (Orthoptera: Acrididae): Factors influencing diet specialization

Diets of grasshopper species from two arid grassland communities in Trans-Pecos, Texas, were determined by gut analysis. Species-specific food plant choice and niche breadths are presented for each of these species. As a group, grasshoppers range from monophagous to polyphagous feeders although most species fall in the oligophagous to polyphagous group. Phylogenetic constraints are evident such that gomphocerinae are primarily grass feeders while melanoplinae feed predominantly on forbs; the oedipodinae show less clearcut tendencies.Feeding patterns are remarkably constant from site to site and overall, community niche breadth distributions between sites do not differ greatly. Individual species tend to eat the same plant species at various sites and maintain similar niche breadths. Species with relatively specialized diets tend to feed on predictable plant species such as grasses and long-lived perrenial forbs.Grasshopper feeding patterns present some problems to the current theory of herbivore diet specialization since forb feeding melanoplines tend to be polyphagous (contrary to predictions). Life history patterns unrelated to tracking host plants may explain some aspects of diet breadth since diet selectivities are presumably adjusted according to the probability of finding suitable food plants.