Orthoptera is an order of insects that includes grasshoppers, crickets, locusts, and mole crickets. It contains over 20,000 species worldwide and 900 species in India. They range in size from 2 to 200 mm and have chewing mouthparts. Their antennae and legs can vary in structure between suborders and among species for tasks like digging, walking, running or jumping. Most species have two pairs of wings but some are wingless. They exhibit diverse habitats, behaviors, and roles as herbivores, predators, or crop pests.

1. ORTHOPTERA

2. Greek ortho= straight, pteron= wing,
World spp. more than 20,000
India spp. 900 sp

3. grasshopper

4. Katydid

5. Mole cricket

6. Tree Cricket

7. Locust

8. ORDER ORTHOPTERA
• Grasshoppers, Crickets, Mole crickets,
Tree crickets, Katydids, Locusts

9. Indentifying characters

10. Orthoptera are moderately small to very large insects,
ranging in body length from 2 to 200 mm.
Most species are moderately elongated and slightly
compressed laterally.

11. May be
prognathous in
some burrowing
species, katydids,
and tree crickets.
The head is
usually
hypognathous

13. The compound eyes are typically large

14. Three ocelli are usually present and arranged in a triangle
on the frontal region

15. Antennae consist of several segments [15 or more] Filiform,
comparatively short (suborder Caelifera) to very long (suborder
Ensifera).

16. Mouth part – chewing type

18. The pronotum is large and extends lateroventrally to
cover the pleural region.

19. The legs are unequally developed.
Legs are variously modified for digging , walking
or running or jumping in different species.
Tarsal segments vary from zero to four in three
legs.

20. The forelegs of
primarily digging forms
are short but much
enlarged (Fossorial).
Ex. Mole Cricket

21. In some predaceous species the fore-femora and/or
tibiae are equipped with rows of long spines.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQJiTBWc5pw

22. The hind femora of most species are greatly enlarged
to accommodate the muscles used in jumping

23. In almost all Ensifera the fore tibiae bear auditory
organs (Tympanum)

24. Winged [2 pairs], with reduced wings or
wingless.
Forewings elongate, many-veined and
somewhat thickened – called tegmina.
Hind wings membranous, broad and many –
veined and folded fanwise beneath the front
wings while at rest

26. In several groups, the wings may be modified to resemble leaves,
grass blades, or stems so as to camouflage the insect.

27. Eleven abdominal segments are distinguishable.
In Caelifera, Paired auditory (tympanal) organs present
in both sexes and are found on the first abdominal
segment.

29. In females a well-developed ovipositor is usually
found, except in primarily burrowing forms.
It is made up of three pairs of valves, though the
inner pair may be reduced.

35. Classification

37. Sub orders Ensifera Caelifera
Antenna Long
(are as long as or longer
than the body)
Short
Tympanum Base of fore tibia Lateral side of 1st
abdominal segment
Ovipositor Sword like
or needle like
Short, lobes triangular
Important
families
Gryllidae,
Gryllotalpidae,
Tettigoniidae,
Schizodactylidae,
Gryllacrididae
Acrididae,
Pyrgomorphidae,
Tridactylidae,
Tetrigidae

38. Tettigoniidae (Long
horned grasshopper &
katydids)
1. Cryptic colouration
2. Antenna as long as or
longer than the body
3. Tarsus 4 segmented
4. Stridulation - alary
type
5. Mainly herbivorous
but some carnivorous
SUBORDER ENSIFERA

39. SUBORDER ENSIFERA
Gryllidae (Cricket)
• Antenna is long
• Tarsus 4 segmented
• Ovipositor is slender
and needle like
• Cerci long,
unsegmented
• Stridulation - alary
type

41. SUBORDER ENSIFERA
Gryllotalpidae (mole crickets)
Brown coloured insects found under burrows.
Eyes are reduced
Forelegs are fossorial.
A humming sound is produced by rubbing the
forewings

42. SUBORDER CAELIFERA
Acrididae (short horned grasshopper)
1. Antennae filiform shorter than the body with less than 30
segments
2. Pronotum saddle shaped
3. Auditory or tympanal organs situated one on either side of
1st abdominal segment

43. Acrididae
4. Stridulation femoro – alary type.
5. Tarsus 3 segmented.
6. Ovipositor short and well develpped. Its valves are
short and curved.
SUBORDER CAELIFERA

44. Habit and Habitat

45. ORDER ORTHOPTERA
Habit and Habitat
• Most of them are plant feeders; some are crop
pest. (rice grasshopper, locusts etc.)
• Few of them are predaceous on other insects
or scavengers.
• Many species are known for their unique
song. (the sound is produced by ‘stridulation’,
rubbing one body part against another)
• Auditory organs : Singing Orthoptera usually
have– eardrums or tympana (sng. tympanum)

46. ORDER ORTHOPTERA
Habit and Habitat
• In China and
Japan insect
sellers were
common in
the markets
and it was
fashionable
to keep
crickets and
katydids as
pets.