The grasshopper (insecta: orthoptera) species in BartIn part of Kastamonu - Bartın Küre Mountains National Park

The aim of this study is to identify the grasshopper species spreading in Küre Mountains National Park in 2013 - 2014 and carried out as a TUBİTAK project coded "TÜBİTAK 113 0 734" under the name of "The Grasshopper (Insecta: Orthoptera) Species within the boundaries of Bartın Province in Kastamonu-Bartın Küre Mountains National Park". While selecting the Küre Mountains National Park as the study area of this research, the determining factors were that it was the first PAN Park in Turkey, that it was also one the Nine Hot Spots which certainly need to be protected and that it was among 305 Key Biodiversity Areas (KBA) and appointed as one of the 122 Key Botanical Sites. Grasshopper species in Küre Mountains National Park were observed and some data about species diversity were collected in the field, their distribution and their abundance degree were acquired. The samples collected in the field were evaluated along with such morphological properties as body size and shape; and vegetation properties, genetic features and climatic structure of the current ecosystem. As a result of investigating and defining the grasshopper samples collected in the field, it was found that there were 15 species pertaining to Acrididae family, 2 species to Gryllidae, 5 species to Tettigoniidae and 1 to Rhaphidophoridae. Totally 4 families, 11 subfamilies, 21 strains and 30 taxons were found. Also, since the samples of 2 families and 11 strains were in the nymphal period, the definitive diagnosis of these samples could not be made. These samples were investigated on the basis of strains and families. While this study was carried out, grasshopper outbreaks were also investigated in the 4 villages which are out of Küre Mountains National Park boundaries but affiliated to Bartın Province and the species causing to this outbreak were identified. Different from the species in the study area, 'Dociostaurus maroccanus (Thunberg, 1815)' was also identified. Therefore, this species is also considered to exist in the study area. For each taxon which is accurately defined, the place, time in which the collected materials were investigated and the number of collected samples and other related information are shown. Because no previous research has been made for 'orthoptera' team in the area, the species identified for the first time were recorded. However, they were mentioned in the previous records near the study area. The main aim of this study is to pave the way forfuture studies to define grasshopper species and to serve as a source for the future studies.