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:Locusta migratoria: the migratory locustChortoicetes terminifera: the Australian plague locustLocustana pardalina the brown locust
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: AmericasAgymnastus Scudder, 1897Camnula Stål, 1873Cratypedes Scudder, 1876Hadrotettix Scudder, 1876Heliastus Saussure, 1884Hippiscus Saussure, 1861 Leprus Saussure, 1861Pardalophora Saussure, 1884Sticthippus Scudder, 1892Xanthippus 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. AmericaDerotmema Scudder, 1876Hippopedon Saussure, 1861 Mestobregma Scudder, 1876Metator McNeill, 1901Psinidia Stål, 1873Trachyrhachys Scudder, 1876Trepidulus 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, 2003Asphingoderus Bei-Bienko, 1950Atympanum Yin, 1982Aulocaroides Werner, 1913Aurilobulus Yin, 1979Austroicetes Uvarov, 1925Brancsikellus Berg, 1899Chloebora Saussure, 1884Chondronotulus Uvarov, 1956Chortoicetes Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1893Crinita Dirsh, 1949Cyanicaudata Yin, 1979Diraneura Scudder, 1897Dittopternis Saussure, 1884Elmisia Dirsh, 1949Eokingdonella Yin, 1984Eremoscopus Bei-Bienko, 1951Eurysternacris Chopard, 1947Fitzgeraldia Uvarov, 1952Flatovertex Zheng, 1981Granada Koçak & Kemal, 2008Homoeopternis Uvarov, 1953Humbe Bolívar, 1882Jinabia Uvarov, 1952Kinshaties Zheng, 1977Leptopternis Saussure, 1884Mecistopteryx Saussure, 1888Morphacris Walker, 1870Nepalacris Balderson & Yin, 1987Oreacris Bolívar, 1911Promesosternus Yin, 1982Pseudaiolopus Hollis, 1967Pycnocrania Uvarov, 1941Pycnodella Descamps, 1965Pycnodictya Stål, 1873Pycnostictus Saussure, 1884Qualetta Sjöstedt, 1921Rashidia Uvarov, 1933Tibetacris Chen, 1964Tmetonota Saussure, 1884Zimbabwea 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.