Southcentral Pyrgomorph - Monistria consobrina
A more recently described member of the Pyrgomorphidae family and differs from a similar local species, the Orange Grasshopper - Monistria maculicornis http://esperancewildlife.blogspot.com/2009/07/orange-grasshopper-monistria.html primarily by the size of the spots, which are smaller with M. consobrina.
The above couple were encountered during the day in shallow sand over limestone near Quagi Beach (55 km or 34 miles west of Esperance) where they were part of several individuals in an opening, who scattered at my approach. The smaller one who is riding on the back of the much larger female is a male, which is apparently not unusual in the Monistria genus, where the genders are markedly different in size. The male in this instance is not mating with the female, but has made his claim on her by taking up his jockey-like (and mating) position, thereby stopping other males from mounting her. In this position he will vigorously defend his seat against other males and may have lost one of his small wings in the process to reveal the bright red marking that normally covers it.
The red patch is a means of defence against predators, not other males, and if they are about to be attacked by a bird, retile or mammal will flutter these small wings to flash the bright red splashes to indicate to the potential predator that they are not very good to eat, or be dangerous in other ways. As these grasshoppers generally eat highly aromatic foliage and other plants that would make them very distasteful, therefore from the predators point of view, not worth eating.
The size of the female was 4-5 cm (2") in length and quite stocky, and going on the action of the male, they were likely gathering to mate, which in this instance was the end of September.
My thanks to Dr David Rentz and Martyn Robinson, the latter from the Australian Museum for identification and background information on the Monistria genus.
