This information was extracted from Ritchie (1980): "Fastigium of vertex slightly convex. Pronotum with median carina arcuate, sometimes intersected by posterior sulcus; hind margin sharply acutangular. Tegmen surpassing folded hind knees by one quarter to two fifths of hind femur length. Genitalia variable, similar to G. africanus, but with aedeagus more strongly projecting. Colouration variable. Pronotal x-marking with posterior arms usually indistinct or absent. Transverse bands on tegmen sometimes reduced. Hind wing fascia complete, with some diffusion of dark pigment towards wing apex along third and subsequent anal veins, more marked in female; basal area of wing pale yellow with pale blue tinge on bases of veins; apex lightly infumate. Hind femora externally with variable oblique transverse banding, often absent except for rows of black dots on upper and lower carinulae; internal surface with dots on carinulae and indistinct brown patch in basal half of medial area only; ventral surface straw-coloured. Hind tibiae light red".

Ritchie (1980) reported that Gastrimargus marmoratus is closely related to G. africanus from which it differs principally by the longer wings and hind femora, the more pointed pronotal hind margin, the pale basal area of the hind wing, and the absence of blue pigment on the underside of the hind femur. In E.China and Burma where G. africanus loses the bright yellow hind wing colour and blue underside of the hind femur, there is need of care to distinguish the two species.

This information was extracted from Ritchie (1982): "Gastrimargus marmoratus stirps sundaicus was based on female specimens of the brown morph of G. marmoratus from Sumatra. These exhibit light and dark brown mottling or streaking on the dorsum of the pronotum. This type of colouration occurs widely and is of no geographical or racial significance. The type locality 'Cap.' (Cape of Good Hope) for G. marmoratus is a labelling error first noted. by Stal (1873) which probably arose during Thunberg's extensive travels, first to the Cape and then to east Asia. From Thunberg's descriptions of G. virescens and G. assimilis there is some suggestion that the two type specimens may have been subsequently switched. In Thunberg's description of G. assimilis (1815) he states that it is 'simillimus G. virescenti sed duplo fere minor', i.e. half the size of G. virescens. In fact, as noted by Sjostedt (1928: 35), the specimen now labelled as G. virescens is the smaller, but a confusion of labels cannot be proved and is not now of taxonomic importance. An interesting historical note is that Thunberg's Gastrimargus specimens, with the exception of the lectotype of G. marmoratus and the holotype of G. assimilis which have both been repinned, are mounted on contemporary eighteenth-century needles rather than pins".

A full list of synonyms of this species is found in Ritchie (1982).

Ritchie (1980) reported that Gastrimargus marmoratus is widely distributed in SE Asia from Assam NE to Japan, SW to Sumatra, and SE to the Vogelkop Peninsula of New Guinea. He proposed that records from India other than Assam (e.g. Katiyar, 1960) should be referred to G. africanus. The species is also found in South Africa (Naran & Bazelet 2013).

In South Africa, this species is found in Gauteng, Limpopo and Mpumalanga Provinces (Naran & Bazelet 2013).

Grasshoppers usually move by walking or jumping, but most adults fly, often exposing brightly coloured hindwings. Their adaptations for movement include the forewings (called tegmina) which are thickened and with numerous veins; the hind wings also contain many veins but are membranous, fanlike, and folded when in repose. Most Orthoptera display hind legs enlarged and adapted for jumping (Gibb & Oseto, 2006). Gastrimargus species are strong fliers (Picker et al. 2012).

Herbivore - Graminivore (grass-eating)

Orthopterans have well-developed mandibles and their mouthparts are adapted for chewing. They are mainly herbivorous, favouring a range of grasses and often consuming more even than antelope and cattle (up to 130 kg of grass yearly per hectare). Gastrimargus species feed on soft and tough grasses, of the subfamily Andropogonae (Picker et al. 2012).

Females in orthopterans have the egg-laying tube which is short and usually concealed, as are the male genitalia, and the abdomen in males always turns up at the end. Eggs are laid in groups in soil and mixed with a frothy substance that hardens to form the egg pod. Gastrimargus species eggs are over-wintered and they produce one generation in a year.

Unknown

Unknown