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ORTHOPTERA


The 'Orthoptera' (from the Greek ''orthos'' = "straight" and ''pteron'' = "wing") are an order of insects with 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. Their ears, located in the front legs, are interconnected in such a way that they are able to locate each other by sound.

Contents
Characteristics
Life cycle
Orthoptera as food
Classification
See also
External links

Characteristics


Orthopterans have two pairs of wings; the forewings are narrower than the hind wings and hardened at the base. They are held overlapping the abdomen at rest. The hind wing is membranous and held folded fan-like under the forewings when at rest. They have mandibulate mouthparts, large compound eyes, antennae length varies with species. Their hind legs are enlarged for jumping.

Life cycle


Grasshoppers develop by incomplete metamorphosis or also called paurometabola. 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''. Grasshoppers are able to fold their wings, a condition entomolgist refer to as neoptera. Through successive moults the nymphs develop wings buds until their final moult into a mature adult with fully developed wings.
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. Although the Bible may be read as stating that all Orthoptera are kosher except those, such as the mole cricket, that do not jump, halakhic authorities state that only four species known in Yemen are kosher.

Classification



★ Suborder Ensifera - crickets, katydids, and allies


★ Superfamily Gryllavoidea



Gryllavidae


★ Superfamily Grylloidea



Baissogryllidae



Gryllidae - true crickets



Gryllotalpidae - mole crickets



Mogoplistidae



Myrmecophilidae - ant crickets



Protogryllidae


★ 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 / bush crickets

★ 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


★ Infraorder Tridactylidea



★ Superfamily Dzhajloutshelloidea




Dzhajloutshellidae



★ Superfamily Regiatoidea




Regiatidae



★ Superfamily Tridactyloidea




Cylindrachetidae




Rhipipterygidae




Tridactylidae - pygmy mole crickets

See also



List of orthoptera recorded in Britain

Grasshopper

Locust

Walking Sticks

Crickets

Mantids

Katydids

External links



Orthoptera Species File Online

Orthoptera Image Gallery (Iowa State University Entomology Department)

Australian Plague Locust Commission

The Orthopterists' Society

This article provided by Wikipedia. To edit the contents of this article, click here for original source.