The below photograph was taken at
the Taif Euphorbia Forest and may be Sphingonotus
savignyi ss. This
grasshopper is a member of Band-winged Grasshoppers a group of insects
classified under the family Acrididae. They are sometimes elevated to full
family status as Oedipodidae and inhabit primarily weedy fields containing
little water. These species are colorful, usually with hindwings that are
yellow or red and edged with black. Others have black hindwings with pale edges.This
particular grasshopper was quite small and coloured to match the rock/soil type
it was present amongst. I am extremely grateful to Mansur Al Fahad for help
with the identification of this grasshopper.
