Bandwings, or band-winged grasshoppers, are the subfamily Oedipodinae[1] of grasshoppers classified under the family Acrididae. They have a worldwide distribution and were originally elevated to full family status as the Oedipodidae.[2] Many species primarily inhabit xeric weedy fields, and some are considered to be important locusts:

Quick Facts Bandwings, Scientific classification ...
Bandwings
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Austroicetes vulgaris
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Orthoptera
Suborder: Caelifera
Family: Acrididae
Subfamily: Oedipodinae
Walker, 1871
Tribes

See text

Synonyms

Locustidae Kirby, 1825
Locustinae Kirby, 1825
Oedipodidae Walker, 1871

Close

These grasshoppers often have colorful hindwings 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 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:[3]

Tribe Acrotylini

Auth. Shumakov 1963; distribution: Africa, Europe, Asia, Australia

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Acrotylus patruelis
  1. Acrotylus Fieber, 1853
  2. Pusana Uvarov, 1940

Tribe Anconiini

Auth. Otte, 1995; distribution: N. America (monotypic)

  1. Anconia Scudder, 1876

Tribe Arphiini

Auth. Otte, 1995; distribution: N. America

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Arphia xanthoptera
  1. Arphia Stål, 1873
  2. Lactista Saussure, 1884 (synonym Rehnita[4])
  3. Leuronotina Hebard, 1932
  4. Tomonotus Saussure, 1861

Tribe Bryodemini

Auth. Bei-Bienko 1930; distribution: mostly central Asia

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Bryodemella tuberculata
  1. Andrea Mishchenko, 1989
  2. Angaracris Bei-Bienko, 1930
  3. Bryodema Fieber, 1853
  4. Bryodemacris Benediktov, 1998
  5. Bryodemella Yin, 1982 (Eastern Europe and temperate Asia)
  6. Compsorhipis Saussure, 1889
  7. Uvaroviola Bei-Bienko, 1930

Tribe Chortophagini

Auth. Otte, 1984; distribution: N. America

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Chortophaga viridifasciata
  1. Chimarocephala Scudder, 1875
  2. Chortophaga Saussure, 1884
  3. Encoptolophus Scudder, 1875
  4. Nebulatettix Gómez, Lightfoot & Miller, 2012
  5. Shotwellia Gurney, 1940

Tribe Epacromiini

Auth. Brunner von Wattenwyl 1893; distribution: Africa, Europe, Asia through to New Caledonia

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Aiolopus thalassinus
  1. Aiolopus Fieber, 1853
  2. Demirsoyus Sirin & Çiplak, 2004
  3. Epacromius Uvarov, 1942
  4. Heteropternis Stål, 1873
  5. Hilethera Uvarov, 1923
  6. Jasomenia Bolívar, 1914
  7. Paracinema Fischer, 1853
  8. Parahilethera Zheng & Ren, 2007
  9. Platypygius Uvarov, 1942

Tribe Hippiscini

Auth. Otte, 1984; distribution: Americas

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Hippiscus ocelote

Tribe Locustini

Auth. Kirby, 1825; distribution: Africa, Europe, Asia, Australia

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Locusta migratoria migratorioides female (solitary)
subtribe Locustina Kirby, 1825
  1. Locusta Linnaeus, 1758 (monotypic)
  2. Oedaleus Fieber, 1853
  3. Psophus Fieber, 1853 - monotypic Psophus stridulus
subtribe undetermined
  1. Brunnerella Saussure, 1888
  2. Chifanicus Benediktov, 2001
  3. Gastrimargus Saussure, 1884
  4. Grammoscapha Uvarov, 1942
  5. Locustana Uvarov, 1921
  6. Pternoscirta Saussure, 1884
  7. Ptetica Saussure, 1884
  8. Pycnodictya Stål, 1873
  9. Pyrgodera Fischer von Waldheim, 1846
  10. Scintharista Saussure, 1884

Tribe Macherocerini

Auth. Otte, 1995; distribution: N. America (monotypic)

  1. Machaerocera Saussure, 1859

Tribe Oedipodini

Auth. Walker, 1871; distribution: N. Africa, Europe, Asia

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Oedipoda caerulescens
  1. Celes Saussure, 1884
  2. Mioscirtus Saussure, 1888
  3. Ochyracris Zheng, 1991
  4. Oedipoda Latreille, 1829
  5. Oedipodacris Willemse, 1932

Tribe Parapleurini

Auth. Brunner von Wattenwyl 1893[5] (synonym Parapleuri); distribution: N. America, Europe, Asia

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Stethophyma magister
  1. Ceracris Walker, 1870
  2. Ceracrisoides Liu, 1985
  3. Formosacris Willemse, 1951
  4. Mecostethus Fieber, 1852
  5. Parapleurodes Ramme, 1941
  6. Stethophyma Fischer, 1853
  7. Yiacris Zheng & Chen, 1993

Tribe Psinidiini

Auth. Otte, 1984; distribution: N. America

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Psinidia fenestralis

Tribe Sphingonotini

Auth. Johnston, 1956; distribution: worldwide, esp. Africa, Europe, Asia

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Sphingonotus sp.
  1. Conipoda Saussure, 1884
  2. Cophotylus Krauss, 1902
  3. Eusphingoderus Bei-Bienko, 1950
  4. Eusphingonotus Bey-Bienko, 1950
  5. Heliopteryx Uvarov, 1914
  6. Helioscirtus Saussure, 1884
  7. Hyalorrhipis Saussure, 1884
  8. Microtes Scudder, 1900
  9. Phaeonotus Popov, 1951
  10. Pseudoceles Bolívar, 1899
  11. Quadriverticis Zheng, 1999
  12. Sphingoderus Bei-Bienko, 1950
  13. Sphingonotus Fieber, 1852 - type species: Sphingonotus caerulans[7]
  14. Tetramerotropis Saussure, 1888
  15. Thalpomena Saussure, 1884
  16. Vosseleriana Uvarov, 1924

Tribe Trilophidiini

Auth. Shumakov 1963; distribution: Africa, Asia (monotypic tribe)

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Trilophidia conturbata
  1. Trilophidia Stål, 1873

Tribe Trimerotropini

Auth. Blatchley, 1920; distribution: Americas

  1. Circotettix Scudder, 1876
  2. Conozoa Saussure, 1884
  3. Dissosteira Scudder, 1876
  4. Spharagemon Scudder, 1875
  5. Trimerotropis Stål, 1873

Tribe Tropidolophini

Auth. Otte, 1995; distribution: N. America (monotypic tribe)

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Tropidolophus formosus
  1. Tropidolophus Thomas, 1873 - monotypic Tropidolophus formosus

Genera incertae sedis

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Chortoicetes terminifera
  • Angaracrisoides Gong & Zheng, 2003
  • Asphingoderus Bei-Bienko, 1950
  • Atympanum Yin, 1982
  • Aulocaroides Werner, 1913
  • Aurilobulus Yin, 1979
  • Austroicetes Uvarov, 1925
  • Brancsikellus Berg, 1899
  • Chloebora Saussure, 1884
  • Chondronotulus Uvarov, 1956
  • Chortoicetes 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 Koçak & Kemal, 2008
  • Homoeopternis Uvarov, 1953
  • Humbe 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. The genus Stethophyma is traditionally included in Oedipodinae, but North American authors in particular sometimes place it in the Gomphocerinae or Acridinae. 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.[8] [9][10][11]

References

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