Eumastacidae


Eumastacidae are a family of grasshoppers sometimes known as monkey- or matchstick grasshoppers. They usually have thin legs that are held at right angles to the body, sometimes close to the horizontal plane. Many species are wingless. Their heads are held at an angle with the top of the head often jutting above the line of the thorax and abdomen. They have three segmented tarsi and have a short antenna with a knobby organ at the tip. They do not have a prosternal spine or tympanum. Most species inhabit the tropics, with a greater diversity in the neotropics. They are considered primitive within the Orthoptera and feed on algae, ferns, and gymnosperms, the more ancient plant groups.
The families Chorotypidae and Morabidae were formerly included in this group as subfamilies but are now considered as separate families within the Eumastacoidea. With the exception of the central Asian Gomphomastacinae, all other subfamilies are restricted to South America.

Subfamilies and genera

The Orthoptera Species File lists the following:

Eumastacinae

Auth.: Burr, 1899 - central and south AmericaAmedegnatomastax Cadena-Castañeda & Cardona, 2015Andeomastax Descamps, 1979Araguamastax Descamps, 1982Beomastax Descamps, 1979Caenomastax Hebard, 1923Cardonamastax Cadena-Castañeda, 2015Descampsmastax Cadena-Castañeda & Cardona, 2015Erythromastax Descamps, 1971Eumastax Burr, 1899Hebardomastax Cadena-Castañeda, 2016Helicomastax Rowell & Bentos-Pereira, 2001Homeomastax Descamps, 1979Hysteromastax Descamps, 1979Phryganomastax Descamps, 1982Santanderia Hebard, 1923Sciaphilomastax Descamps, 1979Zeromastax Porras, 2007

Gomphomastacinae

Auth.: Burr, 1899 - India, central and north-eastern AsiaAfghanomastax Descamps, 1974Brachymastax Ramme, 1939Clinomastax Bei-Bienko, 1949Gomphomastax Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1898Gyabus Özdikmen, 2008Myrmeleomastax Yin, 1984Nepalomastax Yamasaki, 1983Oreomastax Bei-Bienko, 1949Paedomastax Bolívar, 1930Pentaspinula Yin, 1982Phytomastax Bei-Bienko, 1949Ptygomastax Bei-Bienko, 1959Sinomastax Yin, 1984

Masynteinae

Auth.: Descamps, 1973 - CubaMasyntes Karsch, 1889

Morseinae

Auth.: Rehn, 1948 - Americas
  • tribe Daguerreacridini Descamps, 1973
  • * Daguerreacris Descamps & Liebermann, 1970
  • tribe Morseini Rehn, 1948
  • * Eumorsea Hebard, 1935
  • * Morsea Scudder, 1898
  • tribe Psychomastacini Descamps, 1973
  • * Psychomastax Rehn & Hebard, 1918

Paramastacinae

Auth.: Rehn & Grant Jr., 1958 - south AmericaParamastax Burr, 1899

Parepisactinae

Auth.: Descamps, 1971 - south AmericaChapadamastax Descamps, 1979Parepisactus Giglio-Tos, 1898

Pseudomastacinae

Auth.: Rehn & Grant Jr., 1958 - south AmericaPseudomastax Bolívar, 1914

Temnomastacinae

Auth.: Rehn & Grant Jr., 1958 - south America

''Incertae sedis''

Acutacris Dirsh, 1965 - MadagascarAngulomastax Zheng, 1985 - central AsiaArchaeomastax Sharov, 1968Taphacris Cockerell, 1926