SUBORDER
Ensifera
Long-horned Orthoptera
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods) Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods) Class Insecta (Insects) Order Orthoptera (Grasshoppers, Crickets, Katydids) Suborder Ensifera (Long-horned Orthoptera) |
Ensifera is Latin for sword-bearing, and refers to the sword-like ovipositor typical of this group.
About 10 families, 1,200 species in North America. Worldwide, more than 15,000 species |
FAMILY
Tettigoniidae
|
SUBFAMILY
Phaneropterinae
|
GENUS / SPECIES
Scudderia furcata
|
tettig from Greek'cicada'
|
|
Gryllidae
|
Hapithinae
|
Hapithus agitator
|
English cricket is from Middle English creket, that from Old French crequet. The ultimate origin is onomatopoeic, imitative of the sound made by these animals (1).
|
Range mostly southeastern states; not present in the west
Habitat on bushes, forbs, and canopies of trees Food Leaves, flowers, and fruit of plants. Life Cycle Eggs are laid in the stems of living plants. |
Short-horned Orthoptera
Apparently from Latin caelare, (noun caelatura), to engrave in relief, plus -fer, bearing (Internet searches) (1)--likely refers to the sculptured integument of many in this group. The related term Ensifera means sword-bearing.
The group that contains the insects familiar to most people as grasshoppers. Also includes the Pygmy Mole 'Crickets' (Tridactylidae), which are not closely related to crickets. Characteristics:
back legs large, modified for jumping antennae usually shorter than body antennae have fewer than 30 segments (more than 30 in Ensifera) ovipositor short (not obvious), structural details--4 valves, as opposed to six in Ensifera (see Tree of Life) auditory organ (tympanum) if present, is on the abdomen (typically on front tibiae in Ensifera) stridulation (if performed) typically accomplished by rubbing serration of inner surface of hind femur across veins of front wing--mechanism typically involves just the forewings in Ensifera Feed almost exclusively on plants, though some will scavenge dead plant and animal material at times.
The fungus Entomophaga grylli attacks grasshoppers and is used as a biocontrol Cornell University.
|