Pyrgomorphidae is a

family Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...

grasshopper Grasshoppers are a group of insects belonging to the suborder Caelifera. They are amongst what are possibly the most ancient living groups of chewing herbivorous insects, dating back to the early Triassic around 250 million years ago. Grassh ...

s in the order

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 – gras ...

; it is the only family in the superfamily Pyrgomorphoidea. Pyrgomorphidae are found worldwide in tropical and warm temperate regions (though none are from US mainland), but the vast majority of the family's approximately 500 species are from Africa, Asia and Australia. Their name is probably derived from ''pyrgos'' (Greek: ''Πύργος'') meaning "tower": a reference to the form (''morph'') of the head in the type genus '' Pyrgomorpha'' and other genera. They may sometimes be known as "gaudy grasshoppers", due to the striking, bright aposematic colouration of a number of genera, warning of their toxicity. However, about 90% of the species in the family are harmless and well-camouflaged, with a few, notably '' Sphenarium'', even caught for human consumption.

Subfamilies and tribes

Incomplete list of genera and species:

Subfamily Orthacridinae

All tribes and selected genera only are shown here: * Tribe Brunniellini Kevan, 1963 - Philippines * Tribe Chapmanacridini Kevan & Akbar, 1964 - W. Africa * Tribe Fijipyrgini Kevan, 1966 - Fiji * Tribe Geloiini Bolívar, 1905 - Madagascar * Tribe Gymnohippini Kevan & Akbar, 1964 - Madagascar * Tribe Ichthiacridini Kevan, Singh & Akbar, 1964 - Mexico * Tribe Ichthyotettigini Kevan, Singh & Akbar, 1964 - Mexico * Tribe Malagasphenini Kevan & Akbar, 1964 - Madagascar * Tribe Mitricephalini Kevan & Akbar, 1964 - Malesia * Tribe Nereniini Kevan, 1964 - Vietnam, PNG ** Genus ''Nerenia: Nerenia francoisi'' Bolívar, 1905 (monotypic) ** Genus ''Megradina: Megradina festiva'' Storozhenko, 2004 (monotypic) * Tribe Orthacridini Bolívar, 1905 - E. Africa, Madagascar, India, Indo-China Neorthacris simulans-Kadavoor-2016-09-13-002

Neorthacris simulans-Kadavoor-2016-09-13-002

** Genus '' Kuantania'' Miller, 1935 ** Genus '' Neorthacris'' Kevan & Singh, 1964 ** Genus '' Orthacris'' Bolívar, 1884 * Tribe Popoviini Kevan & Akbar, 1964 - E. Africa to India ** Genus '' Popovia'' Uvarov, 1952 * Tribe Psednurini Burr, 1904 - Australia * Tribe Sagittacridini Descamps & Wintrebert, 1966 - Madagascar * Tribe Verduliini Kevan & Akbar, 1964 - Philippines to PNG

Subfamily Pyrgomorphinae

Some notable genera and species are shown here: * Tribe Atractomorphini - Africa, Asia, Australia ** Genus '' Atractomorpha'' * Tribe Chlorizeinini Kevan & Akbar, 1964 - Africa, Asia ** Genus '' Chlorizeina'' Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1893 * Tribe Chrotogonini Bolívar, 1904 - Africa, Asia * Tribe Desmopterini - W. Africa, Asia, Australia ** Genus '' Desmoptera'': including '' Desmoptera truncatipennis'' * Tribe Dictyophorini - Africa Immature Dictyophorus spumans Cedarberg South Africa

Immature Dictyophorus spumans Cedarberg South Africa

** Genus '' Dictyophorus'': including '' Dictyophorus spumans'' * Tribe Monistriini - Australia ** Genus '' Monistria'': including '' Monistria cicatricosa'' Kioloa cricket stack

and '' Monistria pustulifera'' * Tribe Omurini Kevan, 1961 -

South America South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a considerably smaller portion in the Northern Hemisphere. It can also be described as the southern Subregion#Americas, subregion o ...

* Tribe Petasidini - Australia ** Genus '' Petasida'': including '' Petasida ephippigera'' (Leichhardt's grasshopper) * Tribe Phymateini - Africa (incl. Madagascar), China Pyrgomorphidae Phymateus morbillosus Male Common milkweed locust 9258

Pyrgomorphidae Phymateus morbillosus Male Common milkweed locust 9258

** Genus '' Phymateus'' ** Genus '' Zonocerus'' * Tribe Poekilocerini Burmeister, 1840 - Africa, India, Indo-China, Malesia, PNG ** Genus '' Poekilocerus'' Serville, 1831 * Tribe Psednurini - Australia ** Genus '' Psednura'' * Tribe Pseudomorphacridini Kevan & Akbar, 1964 - Indo-China ** Genus '' Pseudomorphacris'' Carl, 1916 * Tribe Pyrgomorphini - Africa, W. Asia through to India ** Genus '' Pyrgomorpha'' Serville, 1838 ** Genus '' Pyrgomorphella'' Bolívar, 1904 * Tribe Schulthessiini Kevan & Akbar, 1964 - Madagascar * Tribe Sphenariini Bolívar, 1884 - Central America, Africa, China ** Genus '' Sphenarium'' Charpentier, 1845 * Tribe Tagastini Bolívar, 1905 - SE Asia ** Genus '' Tagasta'' Bolívar, 1905 * Tribe Taphronotini Bolívar, 1904 - Africa, India, Indo-China ** Genus ''Aularches'' Stål, 1873: monotypic '' Aularches miliaris''

References

External links

* *
Pyrgomorphoidea
at the

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Portal {{Authority control Orthoptera families Taxa named by Carl Brunner von Wattenwyl