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Species
Orthoptera
IUCN
NCBI
EOL Text
Order Orthoptera consists of grasshoppers, katydids, and crickets. More than 20, 000 species have been described. They vary from about five millimeters to eleven centimeters in length. They can be found throughout the world, but are more concentrated in tropical areas because they prefer warmth and sunlight. Species in deserts or grasslands tend to have wings and species inhabiting mountaintops or islands tend to be wingless. Their legs are long and made for jumping. Most males rub their wings or legs together to produce vibrations that can be picked up by another individual’s tympanum (ear). All of the species undergo incomplete metamorphosis. The nymphs usually molt four or more times before becoming adults. If a limb is lost, the nymph can regenerate it during the next molt. Orthopterans can shed limbs voluntarily if a predator grasps it or it gets caught in a spider web. They can be seen in the fossil record as far back as the Upper Carboniferous-Permian.
| License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ |
| Rights holder/Author | Rhianna Hruska, Rhianna Hruska |
| Source | No source database. |
A key to the families and subfamilies of crickets occurring in North America north of Mexico is accessible on the Singing Insects of North America website.
| License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ |
| Rights holder/Author | Singing Insects of North America |
| Source | No source database. |
A key to the families and subfamilies of katydids occurring in North America north of Mexico is accessible on the Singing Insects of North America website.
| License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ |
| Rights holder/Author | Singing Insects of North America |
| Source | No source database. |
These insects occur in just about all the habitats on earth, except in the extreme cold of ice sheets and high mountaintops. There are even some that swim and eat plants underwater!
Habitat Regions: temperate ; tropical ; terrestrial ; freshwater
Terrestrial Biomes: taiga ; desert or dune ; chaparral ; forest ; rainforest ; scrub forest ; mountains
Aquatic Biomes: lakes and ponds
Wetlands: marsh ; swamp
| License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ |
| Rights holder/Author | ©1995-2012, The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors |
| Source | http://www.biokids.umich.edu/critters/Orthoptera/ |
Animal / parasitoid / endoparasitoid
larva of Blaesoxipha is endoparasitoid of Orthoptera
Other: sole host/prey
In Great Britain and/or Ireland:
Animal / pathogen
colony of Entomophaga grylli infects live adult of Orthoptera
Animal / parasite / endoparasite
larva of Sarcophaga jacobsoni endoparasitises Orthoptera
Other: minor host/prey
Animal / predator / stocks nest with
female of Tachysphex nitidus s.s. stocks nest with Orthoptera
Animal / predator / stocks nest with
female of Tachysphex pompiliformis stocks nest with Orthoptera
Animal / predator / stocks nest with
female of Tachysphex unicolor s.s. stocks nest with Orthoptera
| License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ |
| Rights holder/Author | BioImages, BioImages - the Virtual Fieldguide (UK) |
| Source | http://www.bioimages.org.uk/html/Orthoptera.htm |
Orthoptera (orthoptera) is prey of:
Corvus
Rana pipiens
Myiarchus
Baeolophus bicolor
Tyrannidae
Cyanocitta stelleri
Gerbillus
Solpugidae
Scorpiones
Araneae
Talpinae
Typhlosaurus
Canis
Hyaeninae
Aves
Oreoscoptes montanus
Turdus migratorius
Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus
Icteridae
Icterus
Mimus polyglottos
Cardinalis cardinalis
Mephitinae
Geococcyx velox
Eremophila alpestris
Calcarius mccownii
Calcarius ornatus
Spermophilus
Calamospiza melanocorys
Asilidae
Peromyscus maniculatus
Orthoptera
Athene cunicularia
Asio otus
Tyto alba
Saurothera vieilloti
Otus nudipes
Herpestes auropunctatus
Eleutherodactylus coqui
Eleutherodactylus portoricensis
Eleutherodactylus wightmanae
Eleutherodactylus eneidae
Melanerpes portoricensis
Todus mexicanus
Mimocichla plumbea
Margarops fuscatus
Anolis cuvieri
Anolis evermanni
Anolis stratulus
Anolis gundlachi
Leptodactylus albilabris
Phyrnus longipes
Myiarchus antillarum
Vireo latimeri
Nesospingus speculiferus
Icterus dominicensis
Vireo altiloquus
Seiurus aurocapillus
Sphaerodactylus klauberi
Sphaerodactylus macrolepis
Tityus obtusus
Mniotilta varia
Loxigilla portoricensis
Diptera
Diplopoda
Falco sparverius
Margarops fuscus
Tyrannus dominicensis
Dendroica petechia
Tiaris
Anolis gingivinus
Anolis pogus
Based on studies in:
Canada: Manitoba (Forest)
USA: Arizona, Sonora Desert (Desert or dune)
USA: Illinois (Forest)
USA: Arizona (Forest, Montane)
Namibia, Namib Desert (Desert or dune)
Puerto Rico, El Verde (Rainforest)
USA: California, Cabrillo Point (Grassland)
This list may not be complete but is based on published studies.
| License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ |
| Rights holder/Author | Cynthia Sims Parr, Joel Sachs, SPIRE |
| Source | http://spire.umbc.edu/fwc/ |
Orthoptera (orthoptera) preys on:
Helianthus
Agropyron
Agrostis
Stipa
leaves
shrubs
grass
herbs
Stipagrostis
Monsonia
Eragrostis
perennials
Schismus barbatus
seeds of other plants
Bouteloua gracilis
Carex
Sporobolus cryptandrus
Pascopyrum smithii
forbs
Ericameria nauseosa
Cleome serrulata
Liatris punctata
Descurainia pinnata
Atriplex canescens
Elymus elymoides
Picradeniopsis oppositifolia
Opuntia macrorhiza
Artemisia frigida
Kochia
lichen forb/shrub
Coleoptera
Diptera
Hymenoptera
Papilionoidea
Orthoptera
Araneae
misc. fur
fin
feather
Arthropoda
Eleutherodactylus coqui
Plantae
live leaves
detritus
Collembola
Isoptera
Auchenorrhyncha
Sternorrhyncha
Formicidae
Acari
Isopoda
Based on studies in:
Canada: Manitoba (Forest)
USA: Illinois (Forest)
USA: Arizona, Sonora Desert (Desert or dune)
USA: Arizona (Forest, Montane)
Namibia, Namib Desert (Desert or dune)
USA: California, Cabrillo Point (Grassland)
Puerto Rico, El Verde (Rainforest)
This list may not be complete but is based on published studies.
| License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ |
| Rights holder/Author | Cynthia Sims Parr, Joel Sachs, SPIRE |
| Source | http://spire.umbc.edu/fwc/ |
Orthopterans are hemimetabolous. Females lay eggs, and the babies that hatch out are called nymphs. They look a lot like the adults. As they grow they shed their exoskeleton (usually 5 or 6 times). The last time they shed they emerge as adults, and not until then do they have wings. In temperate climates with cold winters, it is usually the egg stage that survives the winter, though a few species survive the winter as nymphs or adults.
| License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ |
| Rights holder/Author | ©1995-2012, The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors |
| Source | http://www.biokids.umich.edu/critters/Orthoptera/ |
Mating System: monogamous ; polygynous
Key Reproductive Features: semelparous ; iteroparous ; seasonal breeding ; year-round breeding ; parthenogenic ; sexual ; fertilization (Internal ); oviparous ; sperm-storing
Parental Investment: no parental involvement
| License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ |
| Rights holder/Author | ©1995-2012, The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors |
| Source | http://www.biokids.umich.edu/critters/Orthoptera/ |
Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLD) Stats
Specimen Records:20433
Specimens with Sequences:16408
Specimens with Barcodes:14102
Species:1753
Species With Barcodes:1597
Public Records:13169
Public Species:1013
Public BINs:1934