Bandwing

Bandwings
Austroicetes vulgaris
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Clade: Pancrustacea
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

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

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. Many species engage in crepitation, producing crackling sounds with their wings while in flight.

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:

Tribe Acrotylini

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

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

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

Tribe Bryodemini

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

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

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

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

Hippiscus ocelote

Tribe Locustini

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

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

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 (synonym Parapleuri); distribution: N. America, Europe, Asia

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

Psinidia fenestralis

Tribe Sphingonotini

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

Sphingonotus caerulans
  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
  14. Tetramerotropis Saussure, 1888
  15. Thalpomena Saussure, 1884
  16. Vosseleriana Uvarov, 1924

Tribe Trilophidiini

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

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)

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

Genera incertae sedis

Chortoicetes terminifera

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.

References

  1. ↑ Orthoptera Species File (retrieved 28 January 2018)
  2. ↑ Walker F (1871) Catalogue of the Specimens of Dermaptera Saltatoria in the Collection of the British Museum Supplement: 102
  3. ↑ "Grasshoppers". The Song of Insects. Retrieved Mar 24, 2026.
  4. ↑
  5. ↑ Hippopedon at Orthoptera Species File Online
  6. ↑ Parapleurini at Orthoptera Species File Online
  7. ↑ Lactista at Orthoptera Species File Online
  8. ↑ Sphingonotus at Orthoptera species File Online
  9. ↑ Cibolacris at Orthoptera Species File Online
  10. ↑ Oedipodinae at Orthoptera Species File Online
  11. ↑ Daniel Otte, 1982, 'The North American Grasshoppers, Volume 1: Acrididae: Gomphocerinae and Acridinae', Harvard University Press. ISBN 9780674626607
  12. ↑ DCF Rentz, RC Lewis, YN Su & MS Upton, 2003, 'A Guide to Australian Grasshoppers and Locusts', Natural History Publications (Borneo). ISBN 983-812-074-X , ISBN 978-983-812-074-6