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Orthoptera
Patanga japonica
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Arthropoda Class: Insecta Subclass: Pterygota Infraclass: Neoptera Superorder: Exopterygota Order: Orthoptera Latreille, 1793
Extant Suborders and families
Suborder Ensifera - crickets, katydids, and allies Superfamily Grylloidea Gryllidae - true crickets Gryllotalpidae - mole crickets Mogoplistidae Myrmecophilidae - ant crickets Superfamily Hagloidea Prophalangopsidae Superfamily Rhaphidophoroidea Rhaphidophoridae - camel crickets, cave crickets, cave wetas Superfamily Schizodactyloidea Schizodactylidae - dune crickets Superfamily Stenopelmatoidea Anostostomatidae - wetas, king crickets Cooloolidae Gryllacrididae - leaf-rolling crickets Stenopelmatidae - Jerusalem crickets Superfamily Tettigonioidea Tettigoniidae - katydids / bush crickets Suborder Caelifera - grasshoppers, locusts Superfamily Acridoidea Acrididae - grasshoppers, locusts Arcypteridae Catantopidae Charilaidae Chrotogonidae Lathiceridae Lentulidae Pamphagidae - toad grasshoppers Pneumoridae - bladder grasshoppers Proscopiidae Pyrgomorphidae - gaudy grasshoppers Superfamily Eumastacoidea Chorotypidae Episactidae Eumastacidae Euschmidtiidae Mastacideidae Morabidae Proscopiidae Thericleidae Superfamily Pneumoroidea Pneumoridae Superfamily Pyrgomorphoidea Pyrgomorphidae Superfamily Tanaoceroidea Tanaoceridae Superfamily Tetrigoidea Tetrigidae - grouse locusts Superfamily Tridactyloidea Cylindrachetidae Rhipipterygidae Tridactylidae - pygmy mole crickets Superfamily Trigonopterygoidea Trigonopterygidae Xyronotidae

The Orthoptera ("Straight Wings") are an order of insects with incomplete metamorphosis, including the grasshoppers, crickets and locusts. Many insects in this order produce sound (known as a "stridulation") by rubbing their wings against each other or their legs, the wings or legs containing rows of corrugated bumps. Their ears, located in the front legs, are interconnected in such a way that they are able to locate each other by sound.

Contents 1 Characteristics 2 Life cycle 3 Orthoptera as food 4 Taxonomy note 5 See also 6 External links

Orthopterans have two pairs of wings; the forewings are narrower than the hind wings and hardened at the base. They are held overlapping the abdomen at rest. The hind wing is membranous and held folded fan-like under the forewings when at rest. They have mandibulate mouthparts, large compound eyes, antennae length varies with species. Their hind legs are enlarged for jumping.

Orthopterans develop by incomplete metamorphosis. Most orthopterans lay their eggs in the ground or on vegetation. The eggs hatch and the young nymphs resemble adults but lack wings and at this stage are often called hoppers. Through successive moults the nymphs develop wings buds until their final moult into a mature adult with fully developed wings.

The number of moults varies between species; growth is also very variable and may take a few weeks to some months depending on food availability and weather conditions.

The Orthoptera are the only insects considered kosher in Judaism. Although the Bible may be read as stating that all Orthoptera are kosher except those, such as the mole cricket, that do not jump, halakhic authorities state that only four species known in Yemen are kosher.

Note that the cricket suborder Ensifera will probably be given its own order soon, the Grylloptera. The Orthopterists' Society also recently (December 2005) decided upon a major change in the classificatory organization of the Ensifera.

• List of orthoptera recorded in Britain

• Orthoptera Species File Online
• Orthoptera Image Gallery (Iowa State University Entomology Department)
• Australian Plague Locust Commission
• The Orthopterists' Society