Common Cone-headed Grasshopper vs Common Spangle Gall

Acrida ungarica compared with Neuroterus quercusbaccarum

Key Differences

• Common Cone-headed Grasshopper is Least Concern while Common Spangle Gall is Not Evaluated.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Common Cone-headed Grasshopper	Common Spangle Gall
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Arthropoda (artrópodos)	Arthropoda (artrópodos)
Class same	Insecta (insecto)	Insecta (insecto)
Order	Orthoptera (Orthoptera)	Hymenoptera (himenópteros)
Family	Acrididae	Cynipidae
Genus	Acrida	Neuroterus
Species	Acrida ungarica	Neuroterus quercusbaccarum

Evolutionary Relationship

Common Cone-headed Grasshopper and Common Spangle Gall share a common ancestor at the Class level: Insecta. (insecto)

Conservation Status

Common Cone-headed Grasshopper

LC — Least Concern

Common Spangle Gall

NE — Not Evaluated

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Common Cone-headed Grasshopper	Common Spangle Gall
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Common Cone-headed Grasshopper

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Common Spangle Gall

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and United States.

Common Cone-headed Grasshopper

<em>Acrida ungarica</em>, commonly known as the common cone-headed grasshopper, is a large grasshopper in the family Acrididae. This species is notable for its distinctively elongated, conical head that gives it a slender, streamlined appearance. It typically inhabits open grasslands, meadows, scrublands, and the margins of wetlands, where tall grasses provide both food and cover. <em>Acrida ungarica</em> is a phytophagous species that feeds primarily on grasses and other herbaceous plants. Its coloration varies from green to brownish-yellow, offering effective camouflage in its grassy habitat. The species is distributed across parts of Europe and western Asia. It is assessed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, with no major threats identified to its populations. Biological traits of this species remain poorly documented in the scientific literature.

Common Spangle Gall

<em>Neuroterus quercusbaccarum</em>, commonly known as the common spangle gall, is a small gall wasp in the family Cynipidae, closely associated with oaks in Europe and western Asia. This species is notable for its complex life cycle involving alternating sexual and asexual generations, each producing morphologically distinct galls on its oak hosts. The asexual generation typically induces flat, disc-shaped "spangle" galls on the undersides of oak leaves, while the sexual generation produces small "currant" galls on oak catkins and leaves in spring. <em>Neuroterus quercusbaccarum</em> is widely distributed across Europe, extending into parts of western Asia and North Africa wherever suitable oak hosts, particularly <em>Quercus robur</em> and <em>Quercus petraea</em>, occur. The species has not been evaluated under IUCN Red List criteria, and population trends are not formally monitored, though it remains common across much of its range. Biological traits such as average lifespan in years, body dimensions, and weight remain poorly documented in the scientific literature for this minute insect. The larvae develop entirely within gall tissue, feeding on plant nutrients provided by the gall structure they induce. Adult wasps are free-living and do not feed substantially. Conservation status is listed as Not Evaluated.