The Monte Gordo Grasshopper, a rare living fossil, was found again in Cape Verde, revealing its resilience in harsh environments.
The Monte Gordo Grasshopper (Eyprepocprifas insularis) is one of the rarest and most elusive insect species.
Until recently, its only recorded sighting was a single specimen collected in 1980. Based on the absence of any further evidence, researcher Dr. Michel Lecoq declared the species extinct in 1996.
A lucky encounter in Cape Verde
More than 40 years later, a surprising rediscovery occurred during a trip to Cape Verde, the grasshopper’s only known habitat.
Field biologist Rob Felix, accompanied by fellow researcher Annelies Jacobs, visited the islands for a holiday with hopes of spotting birds and other wildlife. Before the trip, they had read about the Monte Gordo Grasshopper and, while knowing it hadn’t been seen for decades, they dreamed of the possibility of finding it again.
“During a night walk on our first evening on São Nicolau to a colony of a unique seabird species, the Fea, I stumbled upon a grasshopper sitting on the path. When I looked closer in the torch’s light, I immediately recognised its unique appearance. I shouted out loud: it’s Eyprepocprifas! To my surprise, correct at once because it’s not the most easily pronounceable genus name,” he says.
Confirming a living fossil
In the following days, Rob and Annelies found several other specimens in Monte Gordo Natural Park and its surroundings.
Endemic to the island of São Nicolau, this grasshopper is a “living fossil,” meaning it hasn’t evolved significantly for millions of years and has few or no living relatives.
“E. insularis must have been there for a very long time and has been able to withstand the severe ecological conditions,” the researchers write in their paper, which was published in the Journal of Orthoptera Research.
Implications for conservation
This montane grasshopper has shown remarkable resilience, surviving in the challenging environment of Cape Verde’s islands and enduring periods of intense drought and strong winds that can introduce new species from the African continent.
“The rediscovery of the only endemic brachypterous (short-winged) grasshopper, Eyprepocprifas insularis, on São Nicolau, an island with a volcanic origin dating back approximately five million years, provides significant insight into the island’s ecological and evolutionary history,” the researchers write.
They say this rediscovery is a crucial first step toward the insect’s conservation: as a threatened species restricted to a small area, E. insularis might actually be closer to extinction than we think. Now that it has been found again, we have the opportunity to take steps to protect this unique species and its habitat.
Reference: “Rediscovery of the Monte Gordo Grasshopper Eyprepocprifas insularis: An ancient brachypterous species endemic to São Nicolau, Cape Verde (Orthoptera, Eyprepocnemidinae)” by Rob Felix, Annelies Jacobs and Michel Lecoq, 24 April 2025, Journal of Orthoptera Research.
DOI: 10.3897/jor.34.144016
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