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Family EUMASTACIDAE
- This page contains pictures and information about Matchstick Grasshoppers
in subfamily Morabinae, family Eumastacidae, that we found in the
Brisbane area, Queensland, Australia.
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- Members in this family are wingless. They are small to medium in size,
usually grey-brown in colours. They are usually very elongated and slender, i.e., matchstick-like.
They have long and cone-shaped head. The front and middle pairs of legs are
short. They are well camouflaged and hide on trees or shrubs. Some
associated with grasses. Most of them are nocturnal, i.e., feed and mate at
the night. They rest on plants during the day. Some species are host
specific while some others feed on wide range of plants.
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- There are two subfamilies in
Eumastacidae, the Morabinae and Biroellinae. All species we found in
Brisbane are in Morabinae. The Biroellinae species are known as Tropical
Monkey Grasshoppers which are expected to be seen in Brisbane.
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- Some species are quite difficult to tell them apart from the Giant Green
Slantface Grasshopper nymph. Species in this subfamily Morabinae can be
recognized by the shape of the antenna (short and strongly ensiform).
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- Green-legged Matchstick
 - Callitala major, tribe Callitalini, male, female body length 35mm
- This Matchstick Grasshopper has the slender and smooth body. It has the
relatively long and straight antenna, with 13-15 segments. We found this Matchstick on Acacia a few
times. They are also found on other plants in Eucalypt Forest. We have more
infromation in this page.
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- Green-body Matchstick
 - Carnarvonella sp., tribe Callitalini, body length 40mm, nymph
30mm
- This Matchstick Grasshopper has the relatively long and straight antenna, with 14-16 segments.
Antennal top surface with a longitudinal ridge sulcate over most of its length. Please
check this page for more information.
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- Brown-striped Matchstick
 - Moritala hmta, tribe Callitalini, male, female, body length 40mm
- This Matchstick has pale brown strips pattern along the body. This species
can be found on shrubs or grasses. This Matchstick Grasshopper has the
slender and smooth body. Male has the very long cultriform "tail".
Please check this page for more
informtion.
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- Matchstick Grasshopper
 - ? Malleolopha sp., tribe Callitalini, female body length 30mm,
nymph 20mm
- This Matchstick has the antenna with 13-14 segments. The body is mottled
in colours. Please check this page for
more information.
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- Reference:
- 1. Insects
of Australia, CSIRO, Division of Entomology, Melbourne University
Press, 2nd Edition 1991, p387.
- 2. Grasshopper
Country - the Abundant Orthopteroid Insects of Australia, D Rentz,
UNSW Press, 1996, p163.
- 3. A generic and suprageneric classificatin of the Morabinae (Orthoptera : Eumastacidae), with description of the type species and a bibliography of the subfamily -
K.H.L. Key, 1976, Australian Journal of Zoology Supplementary Series 24 (37) 1 - 185.
- 4. Northern
Territory Insects, A Comprehensive Guide CD - Graham Brown, 2009.
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