Orthoptera is an order of insects that comprises the grasshoppers, locusts and crickets, including closely related insects such as the katydids and wetas. The order is subdivided into two suborders: Caelifera – grasshoppers, locusts and close relatives; and Ensifera – crickets and close relatives.
3. Medium to large sized insect.
Antenna is filiform .
Mouthparts are mandibulate.
Prothorax is large.
Pronotum is curved, ventrally covering the pleural region.
Hind legs are saltatorial.
Forewing is leathery, thickened and known as tegmina. They are
capable of bending without breaking.
Hind wing are membranous with large anal area. The are folded
by longitudinal pleats between veins and kept beneath the tegmina.
4. Cont...
Cerci are short and un-segmented.
Ovipositor is well developed in female.
In many orthoptera is newly hatched first instars nymphs
are covered by loose cuticle and are called pronymphs.
Wing pads of nymphs undergo reversal during
development.
Specialised stridulatory (sound-producing) and auditory
(hearing) organs are present.
5. Suborder : Caelifera
Family : (1)Acrididae
Suborder : Ensifera
Family : (1)Tettigonidae
Ex. Long horned grasshopper
(2)Gryllidae
Ex. Crickets
(3)Gryllotalpidae
Ex. Mole crickets
Example:- Short horned grasshopper
6. Caelifera Ensifera
1. Antenna is short with less than 30 segments. Antenna is long with more than 30 segments.
2. Tympanum is found on the lateral side of the
first abdominal segment.
Tympanum is fund on the the foretibia.
3. Vision and hearing acute Tactile respones is well developed.
4. Mandibles are specialized for consuming
monocot foliage
Feed on dicot plants
5. Diurnal Nocturnal
6. Rely on jumping to escape from predators Rely on crypsis
7. Eggs are laid in groups in soil inside shallow
burrows.
Eggs are singly inserted into plant tissue or soil.
7. •Antennae is short.
•Tarsus is 3 segmented.
•Ovipositor is short and horny.
•Tympanum is located one on either side of the first abdominal
segment.
•Sound is produced by femoro – alary
mechanism.
•eg. Short horned grasshopper and
locust.
8. •Antennae is long, slender as long as or longer than the body.
•Tarsus is four segmented.
•Ovipositor is sword like.
•Auditory organs are in fore tibiae.
•In each fore tibiae a pair of
tympanums present.
•Sound production is alary type.
Eg: long horned grasshopper,
Katydids, bush crickets.
9. •Tarsus is four segmented.
•Ovipositor is slender and needle like.
•Forewing are abruptly bent down to cover the sides of body.
•Hind wings are acuminate.
•Cerci are long and un-segmented.
•Auditory and stridulatory organs are
similar to the long horned grasshopper.
•The produce a shrill chirping noise
during night.
•Eg: Gryllus spp.
10. •They are brown coloured insects found inside the burrow.
•Eyes are reduced.
•Pronotum is elongated, ovate and rounded posterior.
•Forelegs are fossorial.
•Tibiae are expanded.
•hind wing are extended beyond the tegmina
as a pair of processes.
•Special stridulatory organs are absent.
•A pair of tympanum is found under
surface of the tibiae.
•Ovipositor is vestigial.
•Example:- Mole crickets.