Meconema thalassinum (De Geer, 1773)
(Oak Bush-cricket)

Taxonomic hierarchy:
SpeciesMeconema thalassinum (Oak Bush-cricket)
FamilyMECONEMATIDAE (oak bush crickets)
OrderORTHOPTERA (grasshoppers and crickets)
Division Exopterygota (earwigs, grasshoppers, stoneflies, true bugs, and other insects with wings developing externally)
InfraclassNeoptera (bees, beetles, flies, grasshoppers, moths and other advanced insects)
SubclassPTERYGOTA (bees, beetles, dragonflies, flies, grasshoppers, moths and other winged insects)
ClassINSECTA (true insects)
SubphylumHEXAPODA (insects and other 6-legged organisms)
PhylumARTHROPODA (arthropods)
SuperphylumECDYSOZOA (skin shedders)
CladeBilateria (bilaterally symmetrical animals)
SubkingdomEUMETAZOA (metazoans)
KingdomANIMALIA (animals)
DomainEukaryota (eukaryotes)
LifeBIOTA (living things)
Records of Meconema thalassinum (Oak Bush-cricket) :
1: Meconema thalassinum (Oak Bush-cricket)
5 Aug 2005 OSGR: SU56 51° 20’ N, 1° 10’ W Vice County: Berks (VC 22) England
female, entered house at night, 5/6 Aug.
Image 1: Female - dorsal view - close-upImage 2: Female - dorso-lateral viewImage 3: Female - dorso-lateral view (2)Image 4: Female - dorso-lateral view - close-upImage 5: Female - dorso-lateral view - close-up (2)Image 6: Female - dorso-lateral view - close-up (3)Image 7: Female - dorso-lateral view showing full length of antennaeImage 8: Female - lateral view - close-upImage 9: Female - lateral view - close-up (2)Image 10: Female - rear three-quarter viewImage 11: Female - rear three-quarter view (2)Image 12: Female - rear three-quarter view (3)
2: Meconema thalassinum (Oak Bush-cricket)
5 Aug 2004 OSGR: SU56 51° 20’ N, 1° 10’ W Vice County: Berks (VC 22) England
indoors, in late evening, after dark
Image 1: Female - dorsal - climbing up Birch trunkImage 2: Female - dorsal - close-upImage 3: Female - dorso-lateral viewImage 4: Female - dorso-lateral view (2)Image 5: Female - lateral viewImage 6: Female - lateral view - close-upImage 7: Female - ovipositor - close-upImage 8: Female - postero-lateral viewImage 9: Female - postero-lateral view - close-up
3: Meconema thalassinum (Oak Bush-cricket)
20 Aug 1997 OSGR: SU56 51° 20’ N, 1° 10’ W Vice County: Berks (VC 22) England
Image 1: Female - lateral view - pale backgroundImage 2: Female - latero-ventral view - pale backgroundImage 3: Female - ventral view - close-up - pale background
4: Meconema thalassinum (Oak Bush-cricket)
9 Aug 1997 OSGR: SU56 51° 20’ N, 1° 10’ W Vice County: Berks (VC 22) England
Image 1: Male - dorso-lateral view - close-up - pale backgroundImage 2: Male - dorso-lateral view - pale backgroundImage 3: Male - lateral view - close-up - pale backgroundImage 4: Male - lateral view - pale backgroundImage 5: Male - ventral view - close-up - pale backgroundImage 6: Male - ventral view - pale background

Identification Works

AuthorYearTitleSource
Widgery, J. 2002 Wildlife Reports - Grasshoppers and relatives British Wildlife Vol 13, No. 3: 207-208.

Meconema thalassinum (Oak Bush-cricket) may also be included in identification literature listed under the following higher taxa:

NBNNBN (data.nbn.org.uk) has a distribution map for Meconema thalassinum (Oak Bush-cricket)
BioInfoBioInfo (www.bioinfo.org.uk) has 0 host/parasite/foodplant and/or other relationships for Meconema thalassinum (Oak Bush-cricket)

Has well-developed wings whereas they are vestigial in the recent colonist, M. meridionale.

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