Sigaus robustus

Sigaus robustus is a New Zealand species of grasshopper classified as Threatened: Nationally Endangered. It is restricted to open stony habitat of the Mackenzie Basin of the South Island. Although a grasshopper, it is a poor jumper, relying on camouflage to hide from predators. It is threatened by introduced mammals such as stoats, hedgehogs, and rats.

The New Zealand entomologist Tara Murray told North & South magazine in 2019: “They can actually jump, they just don’t land very well. On a hot day, an adult male can jump up to 1.5m, multiple times. Females are bulkier, so they don’t jump as far. These grasshoppers freeze as a first defence. If they do jump, it often ends as a back flop, belly flop or general ‘thock’ on the ground.”