Dericorys minutus
Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maspalomas_bow-legged_grasshopper
Overview
The Maspalomas bow-legged grasshopper is a species of grasshopper of the family Acrididae. The species was once thought to be endemic to the town of Maspalomas on Gran Canaria Island but a second population was found in the north of Gran Canaria. The species hasn't been found around Maspalomas since 1949. It is considered Critically endangered, or almost extinct.
Dericorys minutus faces severe population decline due to intensive agricultural practices that destroy its specialized grassland habitat through plowing, pesticide application, and conversion to monoculture crops. Urban expansion across its limited Mediterranean range has fragmented remaining populations, while overgrazing by livestock degrades the native plant communities this cricket depends on for food and shelter.
Habitat
This species inhabits dry Mediterranean grasslands, scrublands, and open areas with sparse vegetation, typically found in coastal and inland regions with calcareous soils. It requires areas with specific microhabitat conditions including scattered rocks and low-growing native plants that provide both food resources and shelter.
