Bandwing

Bandwings
Austroicetes vulgaris
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Orthoptera
Family: Acrididae
Subfamily: Oedipodinae
Walker, 1871
Tribes

14, and see text

Synonyms

Locustidae Kirby, 1825
Locustinae Kirby, 1825
Oedipodidae Walker, 1871

Bandwings, or band-winged grasshoppers (subfamily Oedipodinae) is a group of insects classified under the family Acrididae. They are sometimes elevated to full family status as Oedipodidae. They inhabit primarily xeric weedy fields.

These species are colorful, usually with hindwings that are yellow or red and edged with black. Others have black hindwings with pale edges, and a few species (including the most economically important ones) 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 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 selected genera

Wikispecies has information related to: Oedipodinae
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Oedipodinae.

Numerous genera are not yet assigned to tribes. These include:

Angaracrisoides – Asphingoderus – Atympanum – Aulocaroides – Aurilobulus – Austroicetes – Brancsikellus – Chloebora – Chondronotulus – Chortoicetes – Crinita – Cyanicaudata – Diraneura – Dittopternis – Elmisia – Eokingdonella – Eremoscopus – Eurysternacris – Fitzgeraldia – Flatovertex – Homoeopternis – Humbe – Jacobsiella – Jinabia – Kinshaties – Leptopternis – Longipternis – Mecistopteryx – Mioedipoda – Morphacris – Nepalacris – †Nymphacrida – †Oedemastopoda – Oreacris – Promesosternus – Pseudaiolopus – Pycnocrania – Pycnodella – Pycnodictya – Pycnostictus – Qualetta – Rashidia – Tibetacris – Tmetonota – Wernerella – Yiacris – Zimbabwea

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. [6] [7] [8] [9]

References

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  8. ↑
    • Daniel Otte, 1982, 'The North American Grasshoppers, Volume 1: Acrididae: Gomphocerinae and Acridinae', Harvard University Press. ISBN 9780674626607
  9. ↑
    • DCF Rentz, RC Lewis, YN Su & MS Upton, 2003, 'A Guide to Australian Grasshoppers and Locusts', Natural History Publications (Borneo). ISBN 983-812-074-X , ISBN 978-983-812-074-6
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