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 Alberta
- 2 Suborders
- 7 Families
- 14 Subfamilies
- 57 Genera
- 114 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 Alberta
- 2 Families
- 5 Subfamilies
- 43 Genera
- 87 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 Alberta
- 5 Families
- 9 Subfamilies
- 14 Genera
- 27 Species
