STUDY ON THE IMMATURE STAGES OF POEKILOCERUS PICTUS (FABRICUS, 1775) (ORTHOPTERA: ACRIDOIDEA: PYRGOMORPHIDAE)

The present study described the keys and morphological description of immature stages of poekilocerus pictus. it comprised of six nymphal instars which had 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, and 14 segments, respectively. similarly, length of antenna, pronotum, head, tegmina, wings, femur, tibia and whole body exhibited variation in 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th nymphal instar. the length of antenna, pronotum, head, tegmina, wings, femur, tibia and whole body ranged from 2.41±0.26 mm to 10.80±0.63 mm, 1.43±0.29 mm to 8.91±0.47 mm, 1.61±0.84 mm to5.59±0.37 mm, 0.54±0.19 mm to 8.63±0.60 mm, 0.24±0.03 mm to 8.95±0.64 mm, 2.62±0.12mm to 17.34±0.51 mm, 2.43±0.25 mm to 16.87±0.51 mm and 9.25±0.71 to 37.61±0.98 mm,respectively, being lower for 1st instar and higher for 6th instar. these measurements of different body parameters can be exploited for easy identification of p. pictus instars.