family
Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...
in the
order
Order, ORDER or Orders may refer to:
* Categorization, the process in which ideas and objects are recognized, differentiated, and understood
* Heterarchy, a system of organization wherein the elements have the potential to be ranked a number of d ...
Orthoptera
Orthoptera () is an order of insects that comprises the grasshoppers, locusts, and crickets, including closely related insects, such as the bush crickets or katydids and wētā. The order is subdivided into two suborders: Caelifera – grassho ...
, which also includes similar families such as
cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field at the centre of which is a pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two bails balanced on three stumps. The batting side scores runs by striki ...
s,
grasshopper
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.
Grasshopp ...
s, and their allies. Species within the Tetrigidae are variously called groundhoppers, pygmy grasshoppers,Borror DJ, Tripplehorn CA, Johnson NF (1989) An Introduction to the Study of Insects, 6th edition. Harcourt Brace College Publishers. New York. pg 213 pygmy devils or (mostly historical) "grouse locusts".Imms AD, rev. Richards OW & Davies RG (1970) ''A General Textbook of Entomology'' 9th Ed. Methuen 886 pp.
Diagnostic characteristics
Tetrigidae are typically less than 20 mm in length and are recognizable by a long pronotum. This pronotum extends over the length of the
abdomen
The abdomen (colloquially called the belly, tummy, midriff, tucky or stomach) is the part of the body between the thorax (chest) and pelvis, in humans and in other vertebrates. The abdomen is the front part of the abdominal segment of the torso. ...
, sometimes to the tip of the wings, and ends in a point. In other
Orthoptera
Orthoptera () is an order of insects that comprises the grasshoppers, locusts, and crickets, including closely related insects, such as the bush crickets or katydids and wētā. The order is subdivided into two suborders: Caelifera – grassho ...
, the pronotum is short and covers neither the abdomen nor the wings. Tetrigidae are generally cryptic in coloration. Some species have enlarged pronota that
mimic
MIMIC, known in capitalized form only, is a former simulation computer language developed 1964 by H. E. Petersen, F. J. Sansom and L. M. Warshawsky of Systems Engineering Group within the Air Force Materiel Command at the Wright-Patterson AFB in ...
leaves
A leaf (plural, : leaves) is any of the principal appendages of a vascular plant plant stem, stem, usually borne laterally aboveground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", wh ...
,
stones
In geology, rock (or stone) is any naturally occurring solid mass or aggregate of minerals or mineraloid matter. It is categorized by the minerals included, its chemical composition, and the way in which it is formed. Rocks form the Earth's o ...
or
twig
A twig is a thin, often short, branch of a tree or bush.
The buds on the twig are an important diagnostic characteristic, as are the abscission scars where the leaves have fallen away. The color, texture, and patterning of the twig bark are ...
s. Other characteristics pygmy grasshoppers exhibit in comparison to other
Orthoptera
Orthoptera () is an order of insects that comprises the grasshoppers, locusts, and crickets, including closely related insects, such as the bush crickets or katydids and wētā. The order is subdivided into two suborders: Caelifera – grassho ...
families are lack of
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 (anat ...
between the clows, first
thoracic
The thorax or chest is a part of the anatomy of humans, mammals, and other tetrapod animals located between the neck and the abdomen. In insects, crustaceans, and the extinct trilobites, the thorax is one of the three main divisions of the crea ...
sternite modified into collar-like structure called sternomentum,
tarsal formula
Tarsal formula is the number of segments of the tarsi, which has 3 numbers a-b-c, starting with the fore leg (a), then the middle leg (b), then the hind leg (c). For example, a tarsal formula of "5-5-4" as found in the Trictenotomidae means the ...
2-2-3, scaly fore wings, and developed hind wings.
General biology
In temperate regions, Tetrigidae are generally found along streams and ponds, where they feed on
algae
Algae (; singular alga ) is an informal term for a large and diverse group of photosynthetic eukaryotic organisms. It is a polyphyletic grouping that includes species from multiple distinct clades. Included organisms range from unicellular mic ...
and
diatoms
A diatom (New Latin, Neo-Latin ''diatoma''), "a cutting through, a severance", from el, διάτομος, diátomos, "cut in half, divided equally" from el, διατέμνω, diatémno, "to cut in twain". is any member of a large group com ...
.Resh VH, Cardé RT (2003) Encyclopedia of Insects. Academic Press, Amsterdam, pg 839 The North American species ''
Paratettix aztecus
''Paratettix aztecus'', the Aztec pygmy grasshopper, is a species of pygmy grasshopper in the family Tetrigidae
Tetrigidae is an ancient family in the order Orthoptera, which also includes similar families such as crickets, grasshoppers, and ...
'' and ''Paratettix mexicanus'', for example, depend on aquatic
primary production
In ecology, primary production is the synthesis of organic compounds from atmospheric or aqueous carbon dioxide. It principally occurs through the process of photosynthesis, which uses light as its source of energy, but it also occurs through c ...
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 alarmedPreston-Mafham K (1990) Grasshoppers and Mantids of the World. Facts of File, New York. pg 32 Some species in the
tribe
The term tribe is used in many different contexts to refer to a category of human social group. The predominant worldwide usage of the term in English language, English is in the discipline of anthropology. This definition is contested, in p ...
Scelimenini
Scelimeninae is a subfamily of ground hoppers belonging to the Tetrigidae family of Orthopterans.
Tribes and genera
The ''Orthoptera Species File'' lists: Scelimenini
Auth. Hancock, 1907
* '' Amphibotettix'' Hancock, 1906
* ''Bidentatettix'' ...
are fully aquatic and capable of swimming underwater.
The highest
biodiversity
Biodiversity or biological diversity is the variety and variability of life on Earth. Biodiversity is a measure of variation at the genetic (''genetic variability''), species (''species diversity''), and ecosystem (''ecosystem diversity'') l ...
of Tetrigidae is found in
tropical forests
Tropical forests (a.k.a. jungle) are forested landscapes in tropical regions: ''i.e.'' land areas approximately bounded by the tropic of Cancer and Capricorn, but possibly affected by other factors such as prevailing winds.
Some tropical fores ...
. Some tropical species are arboreal and live among
mosses
Mosses are small, non-vascular flowerless plants in the taxonomic division Bryophyta (, ) ''sensu stricto''. Bryophyta (''sensu lato'', Schimp. 1879) may also refer to the parent group bryophytes, which comprise liverworts, mosses, and horn ...
and
lichens
A lichen ( , ) is a composite organism that arises from algae or cyanobacteria living among hypha, filaments of multiple fungus, fungi species in a mutualism (biology), mutualistic relationship.buttresses or in the canopy, while others live on the forest floor.Grimaldi D, Engel MS (2005) Evolution of the Insects. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. pg 211
Like other
Orthoptera
Orthoptera () is an order of insects that comprises the grasshoppers, locusts, and crickets, including closely related insects, such as the bush crickets or katydids and wētā. The order is subdivided into two suborders: Caelifera – grassho ...
, Tetrigidae have a
hemimetabolous
Hemimetabolism or hemimetaboly, also called incomplete metamorphosis and paurometabolism,McGavin, George C. ''Essential Entomology: An Order-by-Order Introduction''. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2001. pp. 20. is the mode of development of certa ...
development, in which
egg
An egg is an organic vessel grown by an animal to carry a possibly fertilized egg cell (a zygote) and to incubate from it an embryo within the egg until the embryo has become an animal fetus that can survive on its own, at which point the a ...
s hatch into
nymph
A nymph ( grc, νύμφη, nýmphē, el, script=Latn, nímfi, label=Modern Greek; , ) in ancient Greek folklore is a minor female nature deity. Different from Greek goddesses, nymphs are generally regarded as personifications of nature, are ty ...
s. Unlike other temperate Orthoptera, however, temperate Tetrigidae generally overwinter as adults.
Some
subfamilies
In biological classification, a subfamily (Latin: ', plural ') is an auxiliary (intermediate) taxonomic rank, next below family but more inclusive than genus. Standard nomenclature rules end subfamily botanical names with "-oideae", and zoologi ...
within the Tetrigidae, such as the
Batrachideinae
Batrachideinae is a subfamily of groundhoppers or pygmy grasshoppers. There are thought to be 20 genera in Batrachideinae, with genera found in the Americas, Africa, (mostly tropical) Asia and Australia.
Genera
About 25 genera in three tribes ...
, are sometimes elevated to family rank besides the Tetrigidae.
''
Arulenus miae
''Arulenus miae'' is a species of pygmy grasshopper which is found on the island Mindanao in the Philippines. It was described in 2016 by Josip Skejo and Joy Honezza S. Caballero. They became aware of the species' existence through a photograph ...
'' is a pygmy grasshopper species from the tropical mountainous rainforests of the Philippines. The species was firstly discovered in
Facebook
Facebook is an online social media and social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. Founded in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg with fellow Harvard College students and roommates Eduardo Saverin, Andrew McCollum, Dustin M ...
post.
Etymology
Origin of the name of the family is not completely clear as there are different sources on its etymology. The name may be derived from Latin ''tetricus'' or ''taetricus'', meaning harsh, sour, severe. The name may also originate from the earlier name 'Tettigidae', based on ''Tettix'' (synonym of ''Tetrix''), which was preoccupied by Tettigidae (synonym of Cicadidae). Because of the preoccupation by the cicadas' family name, the second 't' in 'tt' was changed into 'r', resulting in the word Tetrigidae.
Subfamilies and Genera
Approximately 2,000
species
In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...
have been described; according to the ''Orthoptera Species File'' the following genera are included:
Subfamily
Batrachideinae
Batrachideinae is a subfamily of groundhoppers or pygmy grasshoppers. There are thought to be 20 genera in Batrachideinae, with genera found in the Americas, Africa, (mostly tropical) Asia and Australia.
Genera
About 25 genera in three tribes ...
Saussurella
''Saussurella''Bolívar I (1887) ''Ann. Soc. Entom. Belgique'' 31: 189, 196, 303. is an Asian genus of ground-hoppers (Orthoptera: Caelifera) in the subfamily Batrachideinae.
Species
The Catalogue of Life
The Catalogue of Life is an online ...
'' Bolívar, 1887
* ''
Tettigidea
''Tettigidea lateralis''
''Tettigidea'' is a genus of groundhoppers or pygmy grasshoppers in the tribe Batrachideini from the Americas
The Americas, which are sometimes collectively called America, are a landmass comprising the totali ...
'' Scudder, 1862
Subfamily
Cladonotinae
Cladonotinae is a subfamily of groundhoppers (Orthoptera: Caelifera) containing more than 70 genera and 260 described species. These insects are found in tropical areas world-wide.
Tribes and Genera
The following genera, in four tribes, belon ...
Deltonotus
''DeltonotusHancock JL (1904) ''Spolia Zeylanica'' 2: 107. is an Asian genus of ground-hoppers (Orthoptera: Caelifera) in the subfamily Cladonotinae and tribe Cladonotini.
Species
''Deltonotus'' includes the species:
* ''Deltonotus gibbiceps
...
Xerophyllini
Cladonotinae is a subfamily of groundhoppers (Orthoptera: Caelifera) containing more than 70 genera and 260 described species. These insects are found in tropical areas world-wide.
Tribes and Genera
The following genera, in four tribes, belon ...
Günther, 1979
SE Asia - selected genera:
* ''
Potua
''Potua'' is a genus of Asian groundhoppers in the subfamily Cladonotinae and tribe Xerophyllini, erected by Bolívar in 1887.Bolívar I (1887) ''Ann. Soc. Entom. Belgique'' 31: 183, 192, 208.
Species
The ''Orthoptera Species File'' lists:
# '' ...
Nesotettix
''Nesotettix'' is a genus of Tetrigidae, groundhoppers belonging to the subfamily Cladonotinae.
The species of this genus are found in Central America.
Species:
*''Nesotettix cheesmanae''
*''Nesotettix samoensis''
References
Tetrigi ...
'' Holdhaus, 1909
Subfamily Lophotettiginae
Auth.: Hancock, 1909
* ''
Lophotettix
''Lophotettix'' is a genus of South American groundhoppers or pygmy grasshopper. There are about five described species in ''Lophotettix''.
Species
These five species belong to the genus ''Lophotettix'':
* '' Lophotettix alticristatus'' Hancock ...
Metrodorinae
MetrodorinaeBolívar I (1887) ''Ann. Soc. Entom. Belgique 31:185. is a subfamily of groundhoppers or pygmy grasshoppers. There are at least 90 genera and more than 590 described species, found in South America, Africa and Asia.
Genera
The ''Or ...
Bolivaritettix
''Bolivaritettix''Günther K (1939) ''Abh. Mus. Tierkd. Völkerkd., (A) Zool.'' (N.F.) 20 (NF Bd.1): 57. is an Asian genus of Tetrigidae, ground-hoppers (Orthoptera: Caelifera) in the subfamily Metrodorinae and not assigned to any Tribe (biology) ...
Crimisus
CRIMISUS or CRIMISSUS (Κριμισός, Lycophr., Dionys.; Κριμησός, Plut.; Κριμισσός, Ael.), a river of Sicily, in the neighbourhood of Segesta, celebrated for the great battle fought on its banks in B.C. 339, in which Timoleon, ...
'' Bolívar, 1887
* ''
Hildegardia (insect)
Hildegardia is a genus of insect, belonging to the family Tetrigidae and subfamily of Metrodorinae.
The known species of this genus are found in Mauritius
Mauritius ( ; french: Maurice, link=no ; mfe, label=Mauritian Creole, Moris ), off ...
Scelimeninae
Scelimeninae is a subfamily of ground hoppers belonging to the Tetrigidae family of Orthopterans.
Tribes and genera
The ''Orthoptera Species File'' lists: Scelimenini
Auth. Hancock, 1907
* '' Amphibotettix'' Hancock, 1906
* '' Bidentatettix'' ...
Amphibotettix
''Amphibotettix''Hancock JL (1906) ''Entomol. News'' 17: 86. is an Asian genus of ground-hoppers (Orthoptera: Caelifera) in the subfamily Scelimeninae and the tribe Scelimenini
Scelimeninae is a subfamily of ground hoppers belonging to the T ...
Bidentatettix
''Bidentatettix''Zheng Z (1992) ''Entomotaxonomia'' 14(1): 4. is an Asian genus of ground-hoppers (Orthoptera: Caelifera) in the subfamily Scelimeninae and the tribe
The term tribe is used in many different contexts to refer to a catego ...
'' Zheng, 1992
* ''
Discotettix
''Discotettix'' is a genus of pygmy grasshoppers (Orthoptera: Tetrigidae) found in Malesia, Brunei, Indonesia and the Philippines. They are commonly known as spiky pygmy devils. After revision of this genus, from being the type genus of the subf ...
'' Costa, 1864
* ''
Gavialidium
''Gavialidium''Saussure (1862)861''Ann. Soc. ent. Fr.'' 4 1: 481. is a genus of insects found in India and Sri Lanka, belonging to the Tetrigidae family of Orthopterans in the tribe Scelimenini
Scelimeninae is a subfamily of ground hoppers bel ...
'' Saussure, 1862
* ''
Scelimena
''Scelimena'' is a genus of ground hoppers, with records from India, Indo-China, Malesia and PNG, belonging to the Tetrigidae family of Orthopterans.
Species
The ''Orthoptera Species File'' lists:
* '' Scelimena bellula'' Storozhenko & Dawwrue ...
Zhengitettix
''Zhengitettix''Liang G (1994) ''Entomological Research'' 1: 33-34. is an Asian genus of ground-hoppers (Orthoptera: Caelifera) in the subfamily Scelimeninae and not assigned to any tribe
The term tribe is used in many different contex ...
'' Liang, 1994
Subfamily
Tetriginae
Tetriginae is a large subfamily of groundhoppers or pygmy grasshoppers. Members of Tetriginae occur on every continent except Antarctica.
Tribes and genera
Tribes and genera include:
Dinotettigini
Auth. Günther, 1979; recorded distributio ...
Coptotettix
''Coptotettix'' is an Asian genus of ground-hoppers (Orthoptera: Caelifera) in the subfamily Tetriginae.
Species have been recorded from Africa, Asia (India, Sri Lanka, southern China, Indo-China, Malesia) and eastern Australia.
Species
The ...
'' Bolívar, 1887
* ''
Euparatettix
''Euparatettix''Hancock JL (1904) ''Spolia Zeylanica'' 2: 145. is an Asian genus of Tetrigidae, ground-hoppers (Orthoptera: Caelifera) in the subfamily Tetriginae and tribe Tetrigini.
Species
The Catalogue of Life lists:
*''Euparatettix alboma ...
Paratettix
''Paratettix''Bolívar I (1887) ''Ann. Soc. Entom. Belgique'' 31: 195. is a genus of ground-hoppers or pygmy grasshoppers, with more than 60 described species found worldwide.
Species
These species have been assigned to the genus ''Paratettix' ...
Thibron
''Thibron'' is a genus of insect in the family Tetrigidae (the groundhoppers), tribe Tetrigini, from the central part of Africa
Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At abou ...
'' Rehn, 1939
Tribe unassigned:
* ''
Aalatettix
''Aalatettix'' OSF genus Aalatettix Zheng & Mao, 2002 is a genus of gr ...
Bienkotetrix
''Bienkotetrix'' is a genus of groundhoppers in the family Tetrigidae
Tetrigidae is an ancient family in the order Orthoptera, which also includes similar families such as crickets, grasshoppers, and their allies. Species within the Tetrigida ...
Ergatettix
''Ergatettix''Kirby WF (1914) ''Fauna of British India, including Ceylon and Burma. Orthoptera (Acrididae)'' 69. is an Asian genus of ground-hoppers (Orthoptera: Caelifera) in the subfamily Tetriginae (no tribe assigned).
Species
The Catalog ...
Neotettix
''Neotettix'' is a genus of pygmy grasshoppers in the family Tetrigidae. There are four described species in ''Neotettix'': all from North America.
Species
These four species belong to the genus ''Neotettix'':
* ''Neotettix femoratus'' (Scudder ...
Phaesticus
''Phaesticus'' is a genus of groundhoppers (Orthoptera: Tetrigidae ''incertae sedis'') found in Malesia and Indo-China.
Species
The ''Orthoptera Species File'' lists:
# ''Phaesticus hainanensis'' Liang, 1988
# ''Phaesticus mellerborgi'' (Stål, ...
Auth.: Bolívar, 1887
Tripetalocerinae was originally described by Bolívar in 1887 to gather all the Tetrigidae genera of the old world with widened antennae (e.g. ''Arulenus, Discotettix, Hirrius, Ophiotettix, Tripetalocera''). This subfamily today includes only two species in two genera - '' Tripetalocera'' (with one species) from India and Borneo and '' Tripetaloceroides'' (with one species) from
Vietnam
Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam, ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,., group="n" is a country in Southeast Asia, at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of and population of 96 million, making i ...
and PR China. Members of the subfamily are characteristic within Tetrigidae by massive antennae built up of only eight segments (other Tetrigidae have usually 11-16, Batrachideinae 18-22). Till recently, the subfamily included two tribes - Tripetalocerini and Clinophaestini (including '' Clinophaestus'' and '' Birmana''), but the later was moved to the subfamily
Metrodorinae
MetrodorinaeBolívar I (1887) ''Ann. Soc. Entom. Belgique 31:185. is a subfamily of groundhoppers or pygmy grasshoppers. There are at least 90 genera and more than 590 described species, found in South America, Africa and Asia.
Genera
The ''Or ...
Loxilobus
''Loxilobus''Hancock JL (1904) ''Spolia Zeylanica'' 2: 108. is a genus of Tetrigidae, ground-hoppers (Orthoptera: Caelifera) in the Tribe (biology), tribe Thoradontini. Species have been recorded from West Africa, throughout Asia and Australia.
...
'' Hancock, 1904
* ''
Thoradonta
''Thoradonta'' is an Asian genus of ground-hoppers ( Orthoptera: Caelifera) and typical of the tribe Thoradontini.
This genus contains species distributed from India to southern China, Indo-China, Malesia through to New Guinea.
Species
The ...
Phaesticus
''Phaesticus'' is a genus of groundhoppers (Orthoptera: Tetrigidae ''incertae sedis'') found in Malesia and Indo-China.
Species
The ''Orthoptera Species File'' lists:
# ''Phaesticus hainanensis'' Liang, 1988
# ''Phaesticus mellerborgi'' (Stål, ...