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biodiversity explorer

the web of life in southern Africa

Family: Acrididae (grasshoppers and locusts)

Life > Eukaryotes > Opisthokonta > Metazoa (animals) > Bilateria > Ecdysozoa > Panarthropoda > Tritocerebra > Phylum: Arthopoda > Mandibulata > Atelocerata > Panhexapoda > Hexapoda > Insecta (insects) > Dicondyla > Pterygota > Metapterygota > Neoptera > Polyneoptera > Anartioptera > Orthopterida > Orthoptera > Caelifera > Acrididea > Acridomorpha > Acridoidea

The majority of non-colourful grasshopper species fall within the family Acrididae. The acridids include the locusts which are a select group of grasshoppers that are able to pass into a swarming phase subject to the right environmental conditions. There are 114 genera and 300 species native to southern Africa.

Most of the non-colourful grasshoppers are acridids whereas most of the colourful grasshoppers are pyrgomorphids. The acridids include the locusts which are a select group of grasshoppers that are able to pass into a swarming phase subject to the right environmental conditions. Large, non-swarming, grasshoppers are often loosely referred to as locusts which is incorrect.

Subfamilies native to southern Africa

List from Orthoptera Species File.

Acridinae

Worldwide distribution except polar regions. Sixteen genera and 39 species are native to southern Africa.

Calliptaminae

Distributed from Africa and Europe through to Russia and southeast Asia. Three genera and seven species are native to southern Africa.

Catantopinae

Distribution includes Africa, Europe, Asia through to Australia and New Zealand.  Three genera and six species are native to southern Africa.

Coptacridinae

Distribution includes Africa, Madagascar and Asia but excludes Middle East and northern Russia. Three genera and eight species are native to southern Africa.

Cyrtacanthacridinae

Worldwide distribution except polar regions. Nine genera and 15 species native to southern Africa.

Egnatiinae

Distribution includes Africa, Middle East, western Russia, and Central Asia to China. One species, Leptoscirtus herero, is native to southern Africa. There are five species in Leptoscirtus, occurring through Africa and the Middle East.

 

Euryphyminae

Distribution includes Africa and Madagascar. Eighteen genera and 49 species are native to southern Africa.

Eyprepocnemidinae

Distribution includes Africa, Madagascar, Europe and Asia. Seven genera and 22 species are native to southern Africa. 

Gomphocerinae

Worldwide except Antarctica. Twenty-five genera and 50 species are native to southern Africa.

Hemiacridinae

Distribution includes Africa and Asia. Eight genera and 34 species are native to southern Africa.

Oedipodinae

Worldwide except Antarctica. Sixteen genera and 62 species are native to southern Africa.

Oxyinae

Distribution includes Africa, Madagascar, Asia and Australia. Two genera and three species are native to southern Africa.

Spathosterninae

 Distributed across Africa, Madagascar, southern Asia and Australia. One species, Spathosternum nigrotaeniatum, is native to southern Africa.

Tropidopolinae

Distribution includes Africa, Madagascar, southern Europe, Asia. Two genera and three species are native to southern Africa.

References