Bandwing


Bandwings, or band-winged grasshoppers, are the subfamily Oedipodinae of grasshoppers classified under the family Acrididae. They have a worldwide distribution and were originally elevated to full family status as the Oedipodidae. Many species primarily inhabit xeric weedy fields, and some are considered to be important locusts:
These grasshoppers often have colorful hindwings that may be yellow or red and edged with black. Others have black hindwings with pale edges, and a few species have clear hindwings. The arolium is extremely small or absent.

Defense

When bandwings feel safe, they appear drab. When they feel threatened, they leap out to reveal bold and bright colors. Some predators might even mistake the blue-winged grasshopper for a butterfly. But when the predator looks for the grasshopper, it is hiding in the grass. Bandwings continue this process if the predator tries to attack them.

Tribes and genera

The Orthoptera Species File lists the following:

Tribe Acrotylini

Auth. Shumakov 1963; distribution: Africa, Europe, Asia, Australia
  1. Acrotylus Fieber, 1853
  2. Pusana Uvarov, 1940

    Tribe Anconiini

Auth. Otte, 1995; distribution: N. America
  1. Anconia Scudder, 1876

    Tribe Arphiini

Auth. Otte, 1995; distribution: N. America
  1. Arphia Stål, 1873
  2. Lactista Saussure, 1884
  3. Leuronotina Hebard, 1932
  4. Tomonotus Saussure, 1861

    Tribe Bryodemini

Auth. Bei-Bienko 1930; distribution: mostly central Asia
  1. Andrea Mishchenko, 1989
  2. Angaracris Bei-Bienko, 1930
  3. Bryodema Fieber, 1853
  4. Bryodemacris Benediktov, 1998
  5. Bryodemella Yin, 1982
  6. Compsorhipis Saussure, 1889
  7. Uvaroviola Bei-Bienko, 1930

    Tribe Chortophagini

Auth. Otte, 1984; distribution: N. America
  1. Chimarocephala Scudder, 1875
  2. Chortophaga Saussure, 1884
  3. Encoptolophus Scudder, 1875
  4. Nebulatettix Gómez, Lightfoot & Miller, 2012
  5. Shotwellia Gurney, 1940

    Tribe Epacromiini

Auth. Brunner von Wattenwyl 1893; distribution: Africa, Europe, Asia through to New Caledonia
  1. Aiolopus Fieber, 1853
  2. Demirsoyus Sirin & Çiplak, 2004
  3. Epacromius Uvarov, 1942
  4. Heteropternis Stål, 1873
  5. Hilethera Uvarov, 1923
  6. Jasomenia Bolívar, 1914
  7. Paracinema Fischer, 1853
  8. Parahilethera Zheng & Ren, 2007
  9. Platypygius Uvarov, 1942

    Tribe Hippiscini

Auth. Otte, 1984; distribution: Americas
  • Agymnastus Scudder, 1897
  • Camnula Stål, 1873
  • Cratypedes Scudder, 1876
  • Hadrotettix Scudder, 1876
  • Heliastus Saussure, 1884
  • Hippiscus Saussure, 1861
  • Leprus Saussure, 1861
  • Pardalophora Saussure, 1884
  • Sticthippus Scudder, 1892
  • Xanthippus Saussure, 1884

    Tribe Locustini

Auth. Kirby, 1825; distribution: Africa, Europe, Asia, Australia
;subtribe Locustina Kirby, 1825
  1. Locusta Linnaeus, 1758
  2. Oedaleus Fieber, 1853
  3. Psophus Fieber, 1853 - monotypic Psophus stridulus
;subtribe undetermined
  1. Brunnerella Saussure, 1888
  2. Chifanicus Benediktov, 2001
  3. Gastrimargus Saussure, 1884
  4. Grammoscapha Uvarov, 1942
  5. Locustana Uvarov, 1921
  6. Pternoscirta Saussure, 1884
  7. Ptetica Saussure, 1884
  8. Pycnodictya Stål, 1873
  9. Pyrgodera Fischer von Waldheim, 1846
  10. Scintharista Saussure, 1884

    Tribe Macherocerini

Auth. Otte, 1995; distribution: N. America
  1. Machaerocera Saussure, 1859

    Tribe Oedipodini

Auth. Walker, 1871; distribution: N. Africa, Europe, Asia
  1. Celes Saussure, 1884
  2. Mioscirtus Saussure, 1888
  3. Ochyracris Zheng, 1991
  4. Oedipoda Latreille, 1829
  5. Oedipodacris Willemse, 1932

    Tribe Parapleurini

Auth. Brunner von Wattenwyl 1893 ; distribution: N. America, Europe, Asia
  1. Ceracris Walker, 1870
  2. Ceracrisoides Liu, 1985
  3. Formosacris Willemse, 1951
  4. Mecostethus Fieber, 1852
  5. Parapleurodes Ramme, 1941
  6. Stethophyma Fischer, 1853
  7. Yiacris Zheng & Chen, 1993

    Tribe Psinidiini

Auth. Otte, 1984; distribution: N. America
  • Derotmema Scudder, 1876
  • Hippopedon Saussure, 1861
  • Mestobregma Scudder, 1876
  • Metator McNeill, 1901
  • Psinidia Stål, 1873
  • Trachyrhachys Scudder, 1876
  • Trepidulus McNeill, 1901

    Tribe Sphingonotini

Auth. Johnston, 1956; distribution: worldwide, esp. Africa, Europe, Asia
  1. Conipoda Saussure, 1884
  2. Cophotylus Krauss, 1902
  3. Eusphingoderus Bei-Bienko, 1950
  4. Eusphingonotus Bey-Bienko, 1950
  5. Heliopteryx Uvarov, 1914
  6. Helioscirtus Saussure, 1884
  7. Hyalorrhipis Saussure, 1884
  8. Microtes Scudder, 1900
  9. Phaeonotus Popov, 1951
  10. Pseudoceles Bolívar, 1899
  11. Quadriverticis Zheng, 1999
  12. Sphingoderus Bei-Bienko, 1950
  13. Sphingonotus Fieber, 1852 - type species: Sphingonotus caerulans
  14. Tetramerotropis Saussure, 1888
  15. Thalpomena Saussure, 1884
  16. Vosseleriana Uvarov, 1924

    Tribe Trilophidiini

Auth. Shumakov 1963; distribution: Africa, Asia
  1. Trilophidia Stål, 1873

    Tribe [Trimerotropini]

Auth. Blatchley, 1920; distribution: Americas
  1. Circotettix Scudder, 1876
  2. Conozoa Saussure, 1884
  3. Dissosteira Scudder, 1876
  4. Spharagemon Scudder, 1875
  5. Trimerotropis Stål, 1873

    Tribe Tropidolophini

Auth. Otte, 1995; distribution: N. America
  1. Tropidolophus Thomas, 1873 - monotypic ''Tropidolophus formosus''

    Genera ''[incertae sedis]''

  • Angaracrisoides Gong & Zheng, 2003
  • Asphingoderus Bei-Bienko, 1950
  • Atympanum Yin, 1982
  • Aulocaroides Werner, 1913
  • Aurilobulus Yin, 1979
  • Austroicetes Uvarov, 1925
  • Brancsikellus Berg, 1899
  • Chloebora Saussure, 1884
  • Chondronotulus Uvarov, 1956
  • Chortoicetes Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1893
  • Crinita Dirsh, 1949
  • Cyanicaudata Yin, 1979
  • Diraneura Scudder, 1897
  • Dittopternis Saussure, 1884
  • Elmisia Dirsh, 1949
  • Eokingdonella Yin, 1984
  • Eremoscopus Bei-Bienko, 1951
  • Eurysternacris Chopard, 1947
  • Fitzgeraldia Uvarov, 1952
  • Flatovertex Zheng, 1981
  • Granada Koçak & Kemal, 2008
  • Homoeopternis Uvarov, 1953
  • Humbe Bolívar, 1882
  • Jinabia Uvarov, 1952
  • Kinshaties Zheng, 1977
  • Leptopternis Saussure, 1884
  • Mecistopteryx Saussure, 1888
  • Morphacris Walker, 1870
  • Nepalacris Balderson & Yin, 1987
  • Oreacris Bolívar, 1911
  • Promesosternus Yin, 1982
  • Pseudaiolopus Hollis, 1967
  • Pycnocrania Uvarov, 1941
  • Pycnodella Descamps, 1965
  • Pycnodictya Stål, 1873
  • Pycnostictus Saussure, 1884
  • Qualetta Sjöstedt, 1921
  • Rashidia Uvarov, 1933
  • Tibetacris Chen, 1964
  • Tmetonota Saussure, 1884
  • Zimbabwea Miller, 1949
  • †Mioedipoda Stidham & Stidham, 2000
  • †Nymphacrida Zhang, Sun & Zhang, 1994
  • †Oedemastopoda Zhang, Sun & Zhang, 1994
The genus Cibolacris was originally placed in Oedipodinae, and later moved to Gomphocerinae. The genus Stethophyma is traditionally included in Oedipodinae, but North American authors in particular sometimes place it in the Gomphocerinae or Acridinae. Some authors place all members of Oedipodinae within the subfamily Acridinae, and there has been much confusion and debate about the limits and relationships of the two subfamilies.