Order: Orthoptera
Description
Antennae
- multiple joints
- filiform type
Mouthparts
- mandibulate for biting and chewing
Eyes
- large compound eyes
- may or may not have ocelli (simple eyes)
Body
Wings
- two pairs of wings
- forewings (tegmina) hardened, leathery, spread in flight, help overlapping the abdomen at rest
- hindwigs membranous, held folded fan-like under the forewings
Legs
- hind legs long
- hind tibiae with two dorsal rows of teeth
Thorax
- first and third segments are enlarged, while the second segment is much shorter
- pronotum usually with large descending lobes on sides
Abdomen
- cerci unsegmented
- the final two to three segments of the abdomen are reduced
Diversity in Canada
- 2 Suborders
- 11 Families
- 25 Subfamilies
- 95 Genera
- 235 Species
Suborders in Orthoptera
- Grasshoppers
(Suborder: Caelifera)Antennae
- shorter than body
- less than 30 segments
Size
Legs
- hind legs greatly enlarged, modified for jumping
Abdomen
- ovipositor short (not obvious)
- auditory organ (tympanum) if present, is on the first abdominal segment
Diversity in Canada
- 3 Families
- 8 Subfamilies
- 61 Genera
- 141 Species
- Long-horned Orthoptera
(Suborder: Ensifera)Antennae
- greater than 2/3 body length (except mole crickets)
- more than 30 segments
- slender
Legs
Abdomen
- ovipositor long
- tympanum (hearing organ) on the front tibia in most groups (or absent)
Diversity in Canada
- 8 Families
- 17 Subfamilies
- 34 Genera
- 94 Species
