grasshopper - Characteristics, Families, Biology, Other information, Source, Gallery

A medium to large, terrestrial insect with hindlimbs adapted for jumping; forewings leathery; hindwings forming membranous fan, or reduced; feeds mostly on plants; many produce sound by rubbing together forewings or hindlimbs, or rubbing forewings against hindlimbs; antennae may be long (as in the family Tettigoniidae) or short (as in the family Acrididae). (Order: Orthoptera.)

iCaelifera
Dissosteira carolina, a common American grasshopper.
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Arthropoda Class: Insecta Order: Orthoptera Suborder: Caelifera
Families
Superfamily: Tridactyloidea Cylindrachaetidae Ripipterygidae Tridactylidae Superfamily: Tetrigoidea Tetrigidae Superfamily: Eumastacoidea Chorotypidae Episactidae Eumastacidae Euschmidtiidae Mastacideidae Morabidae Proscopiidae Thericleidae Superfamily: Pneumoroidea Pneumoridae Superfamily: Pyrgomorphoidea Pyrgomorphidae Superfamily: Acridoidea Acrididae Charilaidae Dericorythidae Lathiceridae Lentulidae Lithidiidae Ommexechidae Pamphagidae Pyrgacrididae Romaleidae Tristiridae Superfamily: Tanaoceroidea Tanaoceridae Superfamily: Trigonopterygoidea Trigonopterygidae Xyronotidae

Grasshoppers are herbivorous insects of the suborder Caelifera in the order Orthoptera.

Characteristics

The Caelifera have antennae that are almost always shorter than the body (sometimes filamentous), and short ovipositors.

They are easily confused with the other sub-order of Orthoptera, Ensifera, but are different in many aspects, such as the number of segments in their antennae and structure of the ovipositor, as well as the location of the tympana and modes of sound production.

Families

The Sub Order consists primarily of five major families:

Acrididae (field grasshoppers and locusts) Eumastacidae (monkey grasshoppers) Tanaoceridae (tanaocerids) Tetrigidae (grouse locusts, pygmy grasshoppers, and pygmy locusts) Tridactylidae (pygmy mole crickets)

The most important family is Acrididae, consisting of about 10,000 species.

Eggs are commonly laid in the ground with a foamy substance around them to protect them during incubation;

Biology

Digestion and excretion

The digestive system of insects includes a foregut (stomodaeum - the mouth region), a hindgut (proctodaeum - the anal region), and a midgut (mesenteron).

Nervous System

The grasshopper's nervous system is controlled by ganglia, dense groups of nerve cells which are found in most animals more advanced than cnidarians.

Reproduction

The grasshopper's reproductive system consists of the gonads, the ducts which carry sexual products to the exterior, and accessory glands.

During reproduction, the male grasshopper introduces sperm into the vagina through its aedeagus (reproductive organ), and inserts its spermatophore, a package containing the sperm, into the female's ovipositor.

Circulation and respiration

Grasshoppers have open circulatory systems, with most of the body fluid (hemolymph) filling body cavities and appendages.

Respiration is performed using tracheae, air-filled tubes which open at the surfaces of the thorax and abdomen through pairs of spiracles. For more information on respiration, see Insect.)

Other information

Grasshoppers as food

In many places around the world, grasshoppers are eaten as a good source of protein.

In Korea rice field grasshoppers are eaten as a side dish at meals, as a lunch box ingredient, or as a drinking snack.

Raw grasshoppers should be eaten with caution, as they can contain tapeworms.

Locusts

See also locust and desert locust

Locusts are several species of short-horned grasshoppers of the family Acrididae that sometimes form very large groups (swarms);

Source

Firefly Encyclopedia of Insects and Spiders, edited by Christopher O'Toole, ISBN 1-55297-612-2, 2002 ^ Survivorman television show, Sonoran Desert episode, broadcasted on Science Channel 1 November 2006

Gallery

Common Grasshopper on a rock	Female Humpback grasshopper, Abisares viridipennis	Grasshopper	Eastern Lubber Grasshopper, Romalea microptera
Grasshopper in Louisiana	Grasshopper	Green Grasshopper	Grasshopper
Tropidacris violaceus at Bristol Zoo, Bristol, England	Panama Juvenile Lubber Grasshoppers?	A lubber grasshopper eating grass	Giant Green Slantface Grasshopper eating grass
Grasshopper in the UK	Grasshopper in Hawaii	Grasshopper in The Netherlands	Grasshopper in Nova Scotia