C.H.F. Rowell, C. Hemp & A. W. Harvey (vol. I only)
This splendid set of handbooks for the identification of the Acridoid grasshoppers of Eastern Africa covers Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda and to some extent Ethiopia, Eritrea and Somalia.
Over 700 species are listed with dichotomous keys to families, subfamilies and tribes, genera and species, with additional recognition notes and illustrations. Where available there is further information on natural history, foodplants, distribution and any significant comments.
Illustrations are of live and pinned specimens, including type material, with additional drawings of features essential for identification. This will enable identification to species level in most groups, even in the field, apart from those which require a closer examination of male genitalia.
The editors emphasise the difficulties of morphological convergence of grasshoppers living in similar habitats so that many genera may currently be misplaced, to be relocated when phylogenetic knowledge is gained through recent techniques, particularly molecular systematics. Subfamilial placement follows the current placement in the Orthoptera Species File. An outstanding example of this dilemma is the inclusion in Volume 6 of the new family Ixalidiidae, following research on the internal genital structures of the group.
The series was planned by Nick Jago, as detailed in the Editors’ Foreword in Volume 1, followed by Nick’s comprehensive introduction which includes biogeographical information, detailed grasshopper anatomy and life forms, biology and ecology including camouflage and aposematic coloration, sound communication and locust phase polymorphism – an ‘all you need to know’ source for the study of grasshoppers in Africa. He retired in 1996 after many years working with the Natural Resources Institute (NRI), originally the Anti-locust Research Centre (ALRC) then the Centre for Overseas Pest Research (COPR), mostly in Africa, and his post-retirement plan had been to cover the grasshopper fauna of East Africa – Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda and also Northeast Africa – Ethiopia, Eritrea and Somalia. Sadly, though he had prepared the introduction and list of taxa and started collation of distribution records and species information, he died in 2005, and whilst Andrew Harvey had been assisting with the project during Nick’s illness, he was unable to continue to complete the project.
Ted Cohn, when President of the Orthopterists’ Society, had promised Nick both his personal support and that of the Orthopterists’ Society, and eventually persuaded Hugh Rowell to continue preparation of the handbook. Hugh realised that completion would require additional expertise and recruited Claudia Hemp, with her extensive knowledge of the Kilimanjaro region and Eastern Arc mountains of Kenya and Tanzania, though further research on the Northeast African fauna was not possible with the political situation there. Many valuable contributions to the text were received from former colleagues in the NRI and a summary chapter on climate and vegetation was provided by Andreas Hemp.
This now complete series on the grasshoppers of East Africa is essential for anyone working in the field. Unfortunately, it is an expensive outlay when purchased from the publisher, but it is available through some dealers at lower prices and is now also available more economically as PDFs.
