Bandwings, or band-winged grasshoppers, are the
subfamily Oedipodinae of
grasshoppers
Grasshoppers are a group of insects belonging to the suborder Caelifera. They are among what is possibly the most ancient living group of chewing herbivorous insects, dating back to the early Triassic around 250 million years ago.
Grasshop ...
classified under the
family
Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...
Acrididae. They have a worldwide distribution and were originally elevated to full family status as the Oedipodidae. Many species primarily inhabit
xeric
Deserts and xeric shrublands are a biome defined by the World Wide Fund for Nature. Deserts and xeric (ancient Greek xērós, “dry") shrublands form the largest terrestrial biome, covering 19% of Earth's land surface area. Ecoregions in this h ...
weedy fields, and some are considered to be important
locust
Locusts (derived from the Vulgar Latin ''locusta'', meaning grasshopper) are various species of short-horned grasshoppers in the family Acrididae that have a swarming phase. These insects are usually solitary, but under certain circumst ...
s:
* ''
Locusta migratoria
The migratory locust (''Locusta migratoria'') is the most widespread locust species, and the only species in the genus ''Locusta''. It occurs throughout Africa, Asia, Australia and New Zealand. It used to be common in Europe but has now become ...
'': the migratory locust
* ''
Chortoicetes terminifera'': the Australian plague locust
* ''
Locustana pardalina
The brown locust (''Locustana pardalina'') is a medium-sized small locust species in the monotypic genus ''Locustana''. It is found in Southern Africa and shows classic gregarious behaviour with phase polymorphism on crowding.
Biology
Control ...
'' the brown locust
These grasshoppers often have colorful
hindwing
Insect wings are adult outgrowths of the insect exoskeleton that enable insects to fly. They are found on the second and third thoracic segments (the mesothorax and metathorax), and the two pairs are often referred to as the forewings and hi ...
s that may be yellow or red and edged with black. Others have black hindwings with pale edges, and a few species (including the most economically important ones) have clear hindwings. The
arolium The arthropod leg is a form of jointed appendage of arthropods, usually used for walking. Many of the terms used for arthropod leg segments (called podomeres) are of Latin origin, and may be confused with terms for bones: ''coxa'' (meaning hip, plur ...
is extremely small or absent.
Defense
When bandwings feel safe, they appear drab. When they feel threatened, they leap out to reveal bold and bright colors. Some predators might even mistake the
blue-winged grasshopper for a butterfly. But when the predator looks for the grasshopper, it is hiding in the grass. Bandwings continue this process if the predator tries to attack them.
Tribes and genera
The ''Orthoptera Species File'' lists the following:
Tribe Acrotylini
Auth. Shumakov 1963; distribution:
Africa
Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...
,
Europe
Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a subcontinent of Eurasia and it is located enti ...
,
Asia
Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an ...
,
Australia

# ''
Acrotylus'' Fieber, 1853
# ''
Pusana
''Pusana'' is a genus of grasshoppers in the subfamily Oedipodinae with species found in the Indian subcontinent.Uvarov. 1940. ''Ann. Mag. nat. Hist.'' 11 6:117.
Species
The following species are recognised in the genus ''Pusana'':
* ''Pusa ...
'' Uvarov, 1940
Tribe Anconiini
Auth. Otte, 1995; distribution: N. America (monotypic)
# ''
Anconia
''Anconia'' is a genus of band-winged grasshoppers in the family Acrididae. There are at least two described species in ''Anconia''.
Species
These two species belong to the genus ''Anconia'':
* ''Anconia hebardi'' Rehn, 1919 (Hebard's blue-wing ...
'' Scudder, 1876
Tribe Arphiini
Auth. Otte, 1995; distribution: N. America

# ''
Arphia
''Arphia'' is a genus of band-winged grasshoppers in the family Acrididae. There are at least 11 described species in ''Arphia''.
Species
* ''Arphia behrensi'' Saussure, 1884 (California sulphur-winged grasshopper)
* ''Arphia conspersa'' Scudde ...
'' Stål, 1873
# ''
Lactista
''Lactista'' is a genus of band-winged grasshoppers in the family Acrididae. There are about 10 described species in ''Lactista''.
Species
These 10 species belong to the genus ''Lactista'':
* ''Lactista azteca'' (Saussure, 1861) (Aztec grasshop ...
'' Saussure, 1884 (synonym ''Rehnita'')
# ''
Leuronotina
''Leuronotina'' is a genus of band-winged grasshoppers in the family Acrididae. There are at least four described species in ''Leuronotina''.
Species
These four species belong to the genus ''Leuronotina'':
* ''Leuronotina obesa'' Otte, 1984
* ' ...
'' Hebard, 1932
# ''
Tomonotus
''Tomonotus'' is a genus of band-winged grasshoppers in the family Acrididae. There are at least two described species in ''Tomonotus''.
Species
These two species belong to the genus ''Tomonotus'':
* ''Tomonotus ferruginosus'' Bruner, 1905 (oak ...
'' Saussure, 1861
Tribe Bryodemini
Auth. Bei-Bienko 1930; distribution: mostly central Asia

# ''
Andrea'' Mishchenko, 1989
# ''
Angaracris'' Bei-Bienko, 1930
# ''
Bryodema'' Fieber, 1853
# ''
Bryodemacris'' Benediktov, 1998
# ''
Bryodemella'' Yin, 1982 (Eastern Europe and temperate Asia)
# ''
Compsorhipis'' Saussure, 1889
# ''
Uvaroviola'' Bei-Bienko, 1930
Tribe Chortophagini
Auth. Otte, 1984; distribution: N. America

# ''
Chimarocephala
''Chimarocephala'' is a genus of band-winged grasshopper
Bandwings, or band-winged grasshoppers, are the subfamily Oedipodinae of grasshoppers classified under the family Acrididae. They have a worldwide distribution and were originally elev ...
'' Scudder, 1875
# ''
Chortophaga'' Saussure, 1884
# ''
Encoptolophus'' Scudder, 1875
# ''
Nebulatettix'' Gómez, Lightfoot & Miller, 2012
# ''
Shotwellia'' Gurney, 1940
Tribe Epacromiini
Auth. Brunner von Wattenwyl 1893; distribution: Africa, Europe, Asia through to New Caledonia

# ''
Aiolopus'' Fieber, 1853
# ''
Demirsoyus'' Sirin & Çiplak, 2004
# ''
Epacromius'' Uvarov, 1942
# ''
Heteropternis
''Heteropternis'' is a genus of grasshoppers in the family Acrididae, subfamily Oedipodinae, and tribe Epacromiini. The recorded distribution of species in ''Heteropternis'' is from Africa and India through to Japan, Malesia, and Papua New Guine ...
'' Stål, 1873
# ''
Hilethera'' Uvarov, 1923
# ''
Jasomenia'' Bolívar, 1914
# ''
Paracinema
Paracinema is an academic term to refer to a wide variety of film genres out of the mainstream, bearing the same relationship to 'legitimate' film as paraliterature like comic books and pulp fiction bears to literature.
Definition
In terms of ta ...
'' Fischer, 1853
# ''
Parahilethera'' Zheng & Ren, 2007
# ''
Platypygius'' Uvarov, 1942
Tribe Hippiscini
Auth. Otte, 1984; distribution: Americas

* ''
Agymnastus
''Agymnastus'' is a genus of band-winged grasshopper
Bandwings, or band-winged grasshoppers, are the subfamily Oedipodinae of grasshoppers classified under the family Acrididae. They have a worldwide distribution and were originally elevated ...
'' Scudder, 1897
* ''
Camnula'' Stål, 1873
* ''
Cratypedes'' Scudder, 1876
* ''
Hadrotettix'' Scudder, 1876
* ''
Heliastus
''Heliastus'' is a genus of band-winged grasshoppers in the family Acrididae. There are about 10 described species in the genus ''Heliastus''.
Species
These 10 species belong to the genus ''Heliastus'':
* ''Heliastus aztecus
''Heliastus'' is ...
'' Saussure, 1884
* ''
Hippiscus
''Hippiscus'' is a genus of band-winged grasshoppers in the family Acrididae
The AcrididaeMacLeay WS (1821) ''Horae Entomologicae or Essays on the Annulose Animals'' 2 are the predominant family of grasshoppers, comprising some 10,000 of the 1 ...
'' Saussure, 1861 (monotypic)
* ''
Leprus'' Saussure, 1861
* ''
Pardalophora'' Saussure, 1884
* ''
Sticthippus'' Scudder, 1892
* ''
Xanthippus (grasshopper)'' Saussure, 1884
Tribe Locustini
Auth. Kirby, 1825; distribution: Africa, Europe, Asia, Australia

;subtribe Locustina Kirby, 1825
# ''
Locusta
Locusta or Lucusta (died 69), was a notorious maker of poisons in the 1st-century Roman Empire, active in the final two reigns of the Julio-Claudian dynasty. She supposedly took part in the assassinations of Claudius and Britannicus. She was a ...
'' Linnaeus, 1758 (
monotypic
In biology, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group (taxon) that contains only one immediately subordinate taxon. A monotypic species is one that does not include subspecies or smaller, infraspecific taxa. In the case of genera, the term "unispec ...
)
# ''
Oedaleus'' Fieber, 1853
# ''
Psophus'' Fieber, 1853 - monotypic ''
Psophus stridulus
''Psophus'' is a monotypic genus of grasshopper of the family Acrididae, subfamily Oedipodinae and in the tribe Locustini. The one species in the genus is ''Psophus stridulus'', commonly known as the rattle grasshopper.
Description
''Psophus ...
''
;subtribe undetermined
# ''
Brunnerella'' Saussure, 1888
# ''
Chifanicus'' Benediktov, 2001
# ''
Gastrimargus'' Saussure, 1884
# ''
Grammoscapha'' Uvarov, 1942
# ''
Locustana
The brown locust (''Locustana pardalina'') is a medium-sized small locust species in the monotypic genus ''Locustana''. It is found in Southern Africa and shows classic gregarious behaviour with phase Polymorphism (biology), polymorphism on crowd ...
'' Uvarov, 1921
# ''
Pternoscirta'' Saussure, 1884
# ''
Ptetica'' Saussure, 1884
# ''
Pycnodictya'' Stål, 1873
# ''
Pyrgodera'' Fischer von Waldheim, 1846
# ''
Scintharista'' Saussure, 1884
Tribe Macherocerini
Auth. Otte, 1995; distribution: N. America (monotypic)
# ''
Machaerocera'' Saussure, 1859
Tribe Oedipodini
Auth. Walker, 1871; distribution: N. Africa, Europe, Asia

# ''
Celes (grasshopper)
''Celes'' is a genus of Palaearctic grasshoppers in the tribe Oedipodini, erected by Henri Louis Frédéric de Saussure
Henri Louis Frédéric de Saussure (; ; 27 November 1829 – 20 February 1905) was a Swiss mineralogist and entomolo ...
'' Saussure, 1884
# ''
Mioscirtus'' Saussure, 1888
# ''
Ochyracris'' Zheng, 1991
# ''
Oedipoda
''Oedipoda'' is the type genus of grasshoppers, in the subfamily Oedipodinae, mostly from the Palaearctic realm. The type species is the European "blue-winged grasshopper", ''Oedipoda caerulescens''.
Species
The ''Orthoptera Species File'' list ...
'' Latreille, 1829
# ''
Oedipodacris'' Willemse, 1932
Tribe Parapleurini
Auth. Brunner von Wattenwyl 1893 (synonym Parapleuri); distribution: N. America, Europe, Asia

# ''
Ceracris'' Walker, 1870
# ''
Ceracrisoides'' Liu, 1985
# ''
Formosacris'' Willemse, 1951
# ''
Mecostethus'' Fieber, 1852
# ''
Parapleurodes'' Ramme, 1941
# ''
Stethophyma'' Fischer, 1853
# ''
Yiacris'' Zheng & Chen, 1993
Tribe Psinidiini
Auth. Otte, 1984; distribution: N. America
* ''
Derotmema'' Scudder, 1876
* ''
Hippopedon
''Hippopedon'' is a genus of band-winged grasshoppers in the family Acrididae
The AcrididaeMacLeay WS (1821) ''Horae Entomologicae or Essays on the Annulose Animals'' 2 are the predominant family of grasshoppers, comprising some 10,000 of the ...
'' Saussure, 1861 (synonym ''Platylactista'')
* ''
Mestobregma
''Mestobregma'' is a genus of band-winged grasshopper
Bandwings, or band-winged grasshoppers, are the subfamily Oedipodinae of grasshoppers classified under the family Acrididae. They have a worldwide distribution and were originally elevate ...
'' Scudder, 1876
* ''
Metator'' McNeill, 1901
* ''
Psinidia'' Stål, 1873
* ''
Trachyrhachys'' Scudder, 1876
* ''
Trepidulus'' McNeill, 1901
Tribe Sphingonotini
Auth. Johnston, 1956; distribution: worldwide, esp. Africa, Europe, Asia

# ''
Conipoda'' Saussure, 1884
# ''
Cophotylus'' Krauss, 1902
# ''
Eusphingoderus'' Bei-Bienko, 1950
# ''
Eusphingonotus'' Bey-Bienko, 1950
# ''
Heliopteryx'' Uvarov, 1914
# ''
Helioscirtus'' Saussure, 1884
# ''
Hyalorrhipis'' Saussure, 1884
# ''
Microtes
''Microtes'' is a genus of North American band-winged grasshoppers in the family Acrididae, and has at least 3 described species in ''Microtes''.
Species
* ''Microtes helferi'' (Strohecker, 1960)
* ''Microtes occidentalis'' (Bruner, 1893) (littl ...
'' Scudder, 1900
# ''
Phaeonotus'' Popov, 1951
# ''
Pseudoceles'' Bolívar, 1899
# ''
Quadriverticis'' Zheng, 1999
# ''
Sphingoderus'' Bei-Bienko, 1950
# ''
Sphingonotus'' Fieber, 1852 -
type species
In zoological nomenclature, a type species (''species typica'') is the species name with which the name of a genus or subgenus is considered to be permanently taxonomically associated, i.e., the species that contains the biological type specimen( ...
: ''
Sphingonotus caerulans''
# ''
Tetramerotropis'' Saussure, 1888
# ''
Thalpomena'' Saussure, 1884
# ''
Vosseleriana'' Uvarov, 1924
Tribe Trilophidiini
Auth. Shumakov 1963; distribution: Africa, Asia (monotypic tribe)

# ''
Trilophidia
''Trilophidia'' is a genus of grasshoppers in the family Acrididae, subfamily Oedipodinae and the only member of the tribe Trilophidiini. The recorded distribution of species is from Africa and the middle-East through to Japan and Malesia
...
'' Stål, 1873
Tribe Trimerotropini
Auth. Blatchley, 1920; distribution: Americas
# ''
Circotettix
''Circotettix'' is a genus of band-winged grasshoppers in the family Acrididae. There are about 9 described species in ''Circotettix''.
Species
* '' Circotettix carlinianus'' (Thomas, 1870) (carlinian snapper)
* '' Circotettix coconino'' ...
'' Scudder, 1876
# ''
Conozoa'' Saussure, 1884
# ''
Dissosteira'' Scudder, 1876
# ''
Spharagemon'' Scudder, 1875
# ''
Trimerotropis
''Trimerotropis'' is a genus of band-winged grasshopper
Bandwings, or band-winged grasshoppers, are the subfamily Oedipodinae of grasshoppers classified under the family Acrididae. They have a worldwide distribution and were originally eleva ...
'' Stål, 1873
Tribe Tropidolophini
Auth. Otte, 1995; distribution: N. America (monotypic tribe)

# ''
Tropidolophus'' Thomas, 1873 - monotypic ''
Tropidolophus formosus
''Tropidolophus'' is a genus of band-winged grasshoppers in the family Acrididae. ''Tropidolophus'' is monotypic
In biology, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group (taxon) that contains only one immediately subordinate taxon. A monotypic spe ...
''
Genera ''
incertae sedis
' () or ''problematica'' is a term used for a taxonomic group where its broader relationships are unknown or undefined. Alternatively, such groups are frequently referred to as "enigmatic taxa". In the system of open nomenclature, uncertain ...
''

* ''
Angaracrisoides'' Gong & Zheng, 2003
* ''
Asphingoderus'' Bei-Bienko, 1950
* ''
Atympanum'' Yin, 1982
* ''
Aulocaroides'' Werner, 1913
* ''
Aurilobulus'' Yin, 1979
* ''
Austroicetes
''Austroicetes'' is a genus of grasshoppers in the subfamily Oedipodinae (''incertae sedis'') and family Acrididae. Members of the genus typically feed on grass and herbs.
Species
Several species were placed previously in the genus '' Chorto ...
'' Uvarov, 1925
* ''
Brancsikellus'' Berg, 1899
* ''
Chloebora'' Saussure, 1884
* ''
Chondronotulus'' Uvarov, 1956
* ''
Chortoicetes
''Chortoicetes'' is a genus of grasshoppers in the subfamily Oedipodinae and is notable for including the Australian plague locust.
Species
The ''Orthoptera Species File'' '' Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1893
* ''
Crinita'' Dirsh, 1949
* ''
Cyanicaudata'' Yin, 1979
* ''
Diraneura'' Scudder, 1897
* ''
Dittopternis'' Saussure, 1884
* ''
Elmisia'' Dirsh, 1949
* ''
Eokingdonella'' Yin, 1984
* ''
Eremoscopus'' Bei-Bienko, 1951
* ''
Eurysternacris'' Chopard, 1947
* ''
Fitzgeraldia'' Uvarov, 1952
* ''
Flatovertex'' Zheng, 1981
* ''
Granada (insect)'' Koçak & Kemal, 2008
* ''
Homoeopternis'' Uvarov, 1953
* ''
Humbe (insect)'' Bolívar, 1882
* ''
Jinabia'' Uvarov, 1952
* ''
Kinshaties'' Zheng, 1977
* ''
Leptopternis'' Saussure, 1884
* ''
Mecistopteryx'' Saussure, 1888
* ''
Morphacris'' Walker, 1870
* ''
Nepalacris'' Balderson & Yin, 1987
* ''
Oreacris'' Bolívar, 1911
* ''
Promesosternus'' Yin, 1982
* ''
Pseudaiolopus'' Hollis, 1967
* ''
Pycnocrania'' Uvarov, 1941
* ''
Pycnodella'' Descamps, 1965
* ''
Pycnodictya'' Stål, 1873
* ''
Pycnostictus'' Saussure, 1884
* ''
Qualetta'' Sjöstedt, 1921
* ''
Rashidia'' Uvarov, 1933
* ''
Tibetacris'' Chen, 1964
* ''
Tmetonota'' Saussure, 1884
* ''
Zimbabwea'' Miller, 1949
* ''†
Mioedipoda'' Stidham & Stidham, 2000
* ''†
Nymphacrida'' Zhang, Sun & Zhang, 1994
* ''†
Oedemastopoda'' Zhang, Sun & Zhang, 1994
The genus ''
Cibolacris'' was originally placed in Oedipodinae, and later moved to
Gomphocerinae
Gomphocerinae, sometimes called "slant-faced grasshoppers", are a subfamily of grasshoppers found on every continent but Antarctica and Australia.
Tribes and genera
Tribes and genera include:
Arcypterini
Auth.: Bolívar, 1914 - Africa, Palearc ...
. The genus ''
Stethophyma'' is traditionally included in Oedipodinae, but North American authors in particular sometimes place it in the
Gomphocerinae
Gomphocerinae, sometimes called "slant-faced grasshoppers", are a subfamily of grasshoppers found on every continent but Antarctica and Australia.
Tribes and genera
Tribes and genera include:
Arcypterini
Auth.: Bolívar, 1914 - Africa, Palearc ...
or
Acridinae
The grasshopper subfamily Acridinae, sometimes called silent slant-faced grasshoppers, belong of the large family Acrididae in the Orthoptera: Caelifera.
Description
In appearance, the species are often similar to those of the subfamily Gomp ...
. Some authors place all members of Oedipodinae within the subfamily Acridinae, and there has been much confusion and debate about the limits and relationships of the two subfamilies.
[DCF Rentz, RC Lewis, YN Su & MS Upton, 2003, 'A Guide to Australian Grasshoppers and Locusts', Natural History Publications (Borneo). , ]
References
External links
*
*
{{Taxonbar, from=Q30107