Orthopterans of India & India Biodiversity Portal Who are Orthopterans? • Scientifically comes under the Order: Orthoptera; In Greek Ortho means „Straight‟ and Petron means „Wings‟ • Crickets, Katydids, Locusts etc. are the other insects that classified under Orthoptera. • Generally 2 types of grasshoppers 1. Short Horned Grasshopper 2. Long Horned Grasshopper Oxya hyla hyla Conocephalus (Anisoptera) maculatus Photo Courtesy: http://www.nbair.res.in/insectpests/Oxya-hyla.php Important Characters • Strong muscular hind legs for jumping. • Produce sounds by rubbing certain parts of their body. This is known as “stridulations”. • Antennae is short in short horned grasshoppers and long in long horn grasshoppers. • Mouth parts specialized for chewing. Mandibles for cutting (Most orthopterans feed on plants whereas rarely some do feed on other insects.) General Anatomy Anal Lamina Fore Leg Tympanum Hind Leg Metamorphosis (Simple) General Taxonomic Tree Phylum: Arthropoda Class: Insecta Sub Class: Pterygota (Winged Insects) Order: Orthoptera (Straight Winged Insects) SUB ORDERS (Short Horned Grasshoppers) CAELIFERA ENSIFERA (Long Horned Grasshoppers) 1. Acrididae 1. Anostostomatidae 11. Stenopelmatidae 2. Chorotypidae 2. Gryllacrididae 12. Tettigoniidae 3. Dericorythidae 3. Gryllidae 13. Trigonidiidae 4. Eumastacidae 4. Gryllotalpidae FAMILIES 5. Mastacideidae 5. Mogoplistidae 6. Pamphagidae 6. Myrmecophilidae 7. Pyrgomorphidae 7. Phalangopsidae 8. Tetrigidae 8. Prophalangopsidae 9. Tridactylidae 9. Rhaphidophoridae 10. Schizodactylidae Distribution •Around 27,235 species have been reported in the world. • Number of species reported from India – 1,200. Taxon Pages for Orthopterans of India Common Families found in India Acrididae (Short Horned Grasshoppers) Oxya hyla hyla • Distinct and thick antennae with segments less than 30 • Head usually short and broad with compound eyes placed one on each side • Mouth parts developed for chewing; all species are herbivorous. • Diurnal in habit; some are migratory. Locusta migratoria is a migratory acridid. • Cosmopolitan in distribution • Possess very less or no stridulatory capacity Pyrgomorphidae (Gaudy Grasshoppers) Poikilocerus pictus • Very similar in external characters towards Acrididae • A total of 440 species reported from the world and 40 from India • Extravagantly bright and showy than acridids • Diurnal habit Gryllidae (True Crickets) Acheta domesticus • Cylindrical body, round head and elongated antennae • Possess long cerci as well as ovipositor • Usually produce sound by stridulation of elytra • Noctural habit • Cosmopolitan in distribution Stridulations Acheta domesticus Gryllotalpidae (Mole Crickets) Gryllotalpa africana • Cylindrical bodied insects; with shovel like forelimbs, specialized for burrowing. • Head bears two thread like antennae which are usually short. • Wings short and rounded. • They are usually herbivores; but occasionally omnivores also. • Spend a great part of their life underground in burrows. • Relatively common in Europe, Asia & Australia. But rarely seen because of their nocturnal habit and burrow life. Stridulations Gryllotalpa africana Tettigoniidae (Long Horned Grasshoppers) Conocephalus (Anisoptera) maculatus • Possess fine thread like antennae with over 30 segments • Prominent Stridulatory capacity • Sword of needle like ovipositor (When present) • Almost all members have tegmina (Fore- wing); have a leathery appearance. Mainly used to produce sound, rather than flight • Tettigonids are present in all contienents except Antartica Stridulations Conocephalus Conocephalus (Anisoptera) maculatus (Anisoptera) melaenus Ducetia japonica Mecopoda elongata .