Overview
The Orthoptera are an order of with paurometabolous or incomplete metamorphosis, including the grasshoppers, crickets and locusts.
Many insects in this order produce sound (known as a "stridulation") by rubbing their wings against each other or their legs, the wings or legs containing rows of corrugated bumps. The tympanum or ear is located in the front tibia in crickets, mole crickets, and katydids, and on the first abdominal segment in the grasshoppers and locusts.1] These organisms use vibrations to locate other individuals.
Grasshoppers are able to fold their wings, placing them in the group Neoptera.
Characteristics
Orthopterans have a generally cylindrical body, with hind legs elongated for jumping. They have mandibulate mouthparts and large compound eyes, and may or may not have ocelli, depending on the species. The antennae have multiple joints, and are of variable length.[1]
The first and third segments of the thorax are enlarged, while the second segment is much shorter. They have two pairs of wings, which are held overlapping the abdomen at rest. The forewings, or tegmina, are narrower than the hind wings and hardened at the base, while the hind wing is membranous, with straight veins and numerous cross-veins. At rest, the hingwings are held folded fan-like under the forewings. The final two to three segments of the abdomen are reduced, an have single-segmented cerci.[1]
Life Cycle
Orthopteroid species have a pau rometabolous life cycle or gradual metamorphosis. The use of sound is generally crucial in courtship, and most species have distinct songs. Most grasshoppers lay their eggs in the ground or on vegetation. The eggs hatch and the young nymphs resemble adults but lack wings and at this stage are often called hoppers. They may often also have a radically different coloration from the adults. Through successive moults the nymphs develop wings until their final moult into a mature adult with fully developed wings.[1]
The number of moults varies between species; growth is also very variable and may take a few weeks to some months depending on food availability and weather conditions.
Orthoptera As Food
The Orthoptera are the only insects considered kosher in Judaism. (Leviticus 11:2 2) Although the Bible may be read as stating that all Orthoptera are kosher except those, such as the mole cricket, that do not jump.
Classification
- Suborder Ensifera
- Superfamily Hagloidea
- Haglidae†
- Hagloedischiidae†
- Prophalangopsidae
- Tuphellidae†
- Superfamily Phasmomimoidea†
- Phasmomimidae†
- Superfamily Rhaphidophoroidea
- Rhaphidophoridae - camel crickets, cave crickets, cave wetas
- Superfamily Schizodactyloidea
- Schizodactylidae - dune crickets
- Superfamily Stenopelmatoidea
- Anostostomatidae - wetas, king crickets
- Cooloolidae
- Gryllacrididae - leaf-rolling crickets
- Stenopelmatidae - Jerusalem crickets
- Superfamily Tettigonioidea
- Haglotettigoniidae†
- Tettigoniidae - katydids / b ush crickets
- Superfamily Hagloidea
- Suborder Caelifera - grasshoppers, locusts
- Infraorder Acrididea
- Superfamily Acridoidea
- Acrididae - grasshoppers, locusts
- Charilaidae
- Dericorythidae
- Lathiceridae
- Lentulidae
- Lithidiidae
- Ommexechidae
- Pamphagidae - toad grasshoppers
- Pyrgacrididae
- Romaleidae
- Tristiridae
- Superfamily Eumastacoidea
- Chorotypidae
- Episactidae
- Eumastacidae
- Euschmidtiidae
- Mastacideidae
- Morabidae
- Promastacidae†
- Proscopiidae
- Thericleidae
- Superfamily Locustopsoidea†
- Araripelocustidae†
- Bouretidae†
- Eolocustopsidae†
- Locustavidae†
- Locustopsidae†
- Superfamily Pneumoroidea
- Pneumoridae - bladder grasshoppers
- Superfamily Pyrgomorphoidea
- Pyrgomorphidae - gaudy grasshoppers
- Superfamily Tanaoceroidea
- Tanaoceridae
- Superfamily Tetrigoidea
- Tetrigidae - grouse locusts
- Superfamily Trigonopterygoidea
- Trigonopterygidae
- Xyronotidae
- Superfamily Acridoidea
- Infraorder Tridactylidea
- Superfamily Dzhajloutshelloidea†
- Dzhajloutshellidae†
- Superfamily Regiatoidea†
- Regiatidae†
- Superfamily Tridactyloidea
- Cylindrachetidae
- Rhipipterygidae
- Tridactylidae - pygmy mole crickets
- Superfamily Dzhajloutshelloidea†
- Infraorder Acrididea
Photos
Taxonomy
The Order Orthoptera is further organized into finer groupings including:
- Suborder (2): Caelifera · Ensifera
- Infraorder (8): Acrididea · Elcanidea · Gryllidea · Oedischiidea · Schizodactylidea · Stenopelmatidea · Tettigoniidea · Tridactylidea
- Family (97): Acrididae · Adumbratomorphidae · Anelcanidae · Anostostomatidae · Araripelocustidae · Baissogryllidae · Batrachideidae · Bintoniellidae · Biroellidae · Borneacrididae · Bouretidae · Cachoplistidae · Charilaidae · Chorotypidae · Cooloolidae · Cylindrachetidae · Dericorythidae · Dzhajloutshellidae · Elcanidae · ; Eneopteridae · Eolocustopsidae · Episactidae · Eruciidae · Eumastacidae · Euschmidtiidae · Gomphomastacidae · Gryllacrididae · Gryllavidae · Gryllidae · Gryllotalpidae · Haglidae · Hagloedischiidae · Haglotettigoniidae · Lathiceridae · Lentulidae · Lezinidae · Lithidiidae · Locustavidae · Locustidae · Locustopseidae · Locustopsidae · Macropathidae · Malgasiidae · Mastacideidae · Mesoedischiidae · Mimnermidae · Miraculidae · Mogoplistidae · Morabidae · Myrmecophilidae · Oecanthidae · Oedischiidae · Ommexechidae · Pamphagidae · Paragryllidae · Pentacentridae · Permelcanidae · Permoraphidiidae · Phalangopsidae · Phaneropteridae · Phasmomimidae · Pneumoridae · Podoscirtidae · Promastacidae · Proparagryllacrididae · Prophalangopsidae · Proscopiidae · Protogryllidae · Pruvostitidae · Pseudelcanidae · Pseudophyllidae · Pteroplistidae · Pyrgacrididae · Pyrgomorphidae · Raphoglidae · Regiatidae · Rhaphidophoridae · Ripipterygidae · Romaleidae · Schizodactylidae · Scleropteridae · Stenopelmatidae · Tanaoceridae · Tcholmanvissiidae · Tetrigidae · Tettigoniidae · Thericleidae · Thueringoedischiidae · Triassomanteidae · Tridactylidae · Trigonidiidae · Trigonopterygidae · Tristiridae · Tuphellidae · Vitimiidae · Xenopteridae · Xyronotidae
- Species: ZipcodeZoo has pages for 26,502 species and subspecies in the Order Orthoptera.
Families
Acrididae
Adumbratomorphidae
Anelcanidae
Anostostomatidae
Anostostomatidae is a family in the order . It is sometimes referred to as Mimnermidae or Henicidae in some taxonomies, and common names include King crickets in South Africa, and wetas in New Zealand. They are believed to be most closely related to the Jerusalem crickets of North America. Prominent members includes the Parktown prawn of South Africa, and the giant wetas of New Zealand. The cave wetas belong to another family, the Rhaphidophoridae. [more]
Araripelocustidae
Baissogryllidae
Batrachideidae
Bintoniellidae
Biroellidae
Borneacrididae
Bouretidae
Cachoplistidae
Charilaidae
Chorotypidae
Cooloolidae
Cooloola is a of ensiferan orthopterans. It is the only genus in the family Cooloolidae of the superfamily Gryllacridoidea. [more]
Cylindrachetidae
Sandgropers are wholly larviform insects of the family Cylindrachetidae that may grow up to 7 cm (3 in) long. Three genera are currently recognised: Cylindracheta, Cylindraustralia and Cylindrodes. Like many subterranean animals, little is known about their habits and diet, but Western Australian farmers have blamed them for substantial crop losses. [more]
Dericorythidae
Dzhajloutshellidae
Elcanidae
Eneopteridae
Eolocustopsidae
Episactidae
Eruciidae
Eumastacidae
Euschmidtiidae
Gomphomastacidae
Gryllacrididae
A Gryllacrididae are Australianverification needed] insect related to a grasshopper. They are known for being more aggressive than other insects. They are also referred to as "camel crickets." [more]
Gryllavidae
Gryllidae
Crickets, family Gryllidae (also known as "true crickets"), are somewhat related to grasshoppers and more closely related to katydids or bush crickets (family Tettigoniidae). They have somewhat flattened bodies and long antennae. There are about 900 species of crickets. They tend to be nocturnal and are often confused with grasshoppers because they have a similar body structure including jumping hind legs. [more]
Gryllotalpidae
The mole crickets compose Gryllotalpidae, of thick-bodied insects about 3-5 cm (1-2 inches) long, with large beady eyes and shovel-like forelimbs highly developed for burrowing and swimming. They can also fly—the adult mole cricket may fly as far as 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) during mating season, is active most of the year, and spends the winter in hibernation. Younger insects can have shorter wings, and their appearance varies by species, with some resembling grasshoppers or very large ants or dark-colored "termites" when wings are short. [more]
Haglidae
Hagloedischiidae
Haglotettigoniidae
Lathiceridae
Lentulidae
Lezinidae
Lithidiidae
Locustavidae
Locustidae
Locustopseidae
Locustopsidae
Macropathidae
Malgasiidae
Mastacideidae
Mesoedischiidae
Mimnermidae
Miraculidae
Mogoplistidae
Morabidae
Myrmecophilidae
The ant crickets are rarely-encountered relatives of , and are obligate inquilines within ant nests. They are very small, wingless, and flattened, therefore resembling small cockroach nymphs. There are a few genera, containing fewer than 100 species. [more]
Oecanthidae
Oedischiidae
Ommexechidae
Pamphagidae
Paragryllidae
Pentacentridae
Permelcanidae
Permoraphidiidae
Phalangopsidae
Phaneropteridae
Phasmomimidae
Pneumoridae
Podoscirtidae
Promastacidae
Proparagryllacrididae
Prophalangopsidae
"Grig" redirects here. For the fictional Dungeons and Dragons creature, see . [more]
Proscopiidae
Protogryllidae
Pruvostitidae
Pseudelcanidae
Pseudophyllidae
Pteroplistidae
Pyrgacrididae
Pyrgomorphidae
Raphoglidae
Regiatidae
Rhaphidophoridae
The family Rhaphidophoridae includes the cave wetas, cave crickets, camel crickets and sand treaders, of the suborder Ensifera, most are found in association with caves, animal burrows, cellars, under stones, in wood or in similar environments. They are characterized in part by their long antennae and legs. They may be found on all continents and many continental islands, though Africa has but one species and that is confined to the southern Cape region. Those occurring in New Zealand, Australia, and Tasmania are typically referred to as wetas. The well-known field crickets are from a different superfamily (Grylloidea) and only look vaguely similar, while members of the family Tettigoniidae may look superficially similar in body form. [more]
Ripipterygidae
Romaleidae
The Romaleidae or lubber grasshoppers are a family of . [more]
Schizodactylidae
Schizodactylidae is a of orthopteran insects found in Asia and Africa, known as dune crickets or splay-footed crickets. They are usually found in desert and sandy areas. Some species are believed to be predatory. T. B. Fletcher notes that one individual did not feed on any vegetable matter. [more]
Scleropteridae
Stenopelmatidae
Jerusalem crickets ( Stenopelmatus) are a group of large (body length up to 69mm), flightless insects native to the western United States, along the Pacific Coast, and south into Mexico. Because of their large, human-like head, they are commonly called niño de la tierra (Spanish for "child of the earth"), Earth baby, cara de niño (Spanish for "child's face"), wó see ts'inii (Navajo for "skull insect"), or old bald-headed man. They are also often called potato bugs. [more]
Tanaoceridae
Tcholmanvissiidae
Tetrigidae
Tetrigidae is a in the order Orthoptera, which also includes crickets, grasshoppers, and katydids. Species within the Tetrigidae are variously called grouse locusts, pygmy locusts, groundhoppers or pygmy grasshoppers. There are roughly 1,600 species in about 250 genera altogether. In temperate regions, Tetrigidae are generally found along streams and ponds, where they feed on algae and diatoms . The North American species Paratettix aztecus and Paratettix mexicanus, for example, depend on aquatic primary production for between 80% and 100% of their diet . Riparian species are capable of swimming on the surface of the water, and readily leap into the water when alarmed . Some species in the tribe Scelimenini are fully aquatic and capable of swimming underwater . The highest biodiversity of Tetrigidae is found in tropical forests. Some tropical species are arboreal and live among mosses and lichens in tree buttresses or in the canopy , while others live on the forest floor . [more]
Tettigoniidae
For other uses of the term "katydid", see [more]
Thericleidae
Thueringoedischiidae
Triassomanteidae
Tridactylidae
Trigonidiidae
Trigonopterygidae
Tristiridae
Tuphellidae
Vitimiidae
Xenopteridae
Xyronotidae
More info about the Family Xyronotidae may be found here.
References
- ^ a b c d Hoell, H.V., Doyen, J.T. & Purcell, A.H. (1998). Introduction to Insect Biology and Diversity, 2nd ed.. Oxford University Press. pp. 392-394. ISBN 0-19-510033-6.
Sources
- The text on this page is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It includes material from Wikipedia retrieved Thursday, August 13, 2009.
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