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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. |
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Calliptaminae
Distributed from Africa and Europe through to Russia and southeast Asia.
Three genera and seven species are native to southern Africa. |
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Catantopinae
Distribution includes Africa, Europe, Asia through to Australia and New
Zealand. Three genera and six species are native to southern Africa. |
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Coptacridinae
Distribution includes Africa, Madagascar and Asia but excludes Middle East
and northern Russia. Three genera and eight species are native to southern
Africa. |
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Cyrtacanthacridinae
Worldwide distribution except polar regions. Nine genera and 15 species
native to southern Africa. |
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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. |
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Euryphyminae
Distribution includes Africa and Madagascar. Eighteen genera and 49 species
are native to southern Africa. |
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Eyprepocnemidinae
Distribution includes Africa, Madagascar, Europe and Asia. Seven genera
and 22 species are native to southern Africa. |
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Gomphocerinae
Worldwide except Antarctica. Twenty-five genera and 50 species are native to
southern Africa. |
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Hemiacridinae
Distribution includes Africa and Asia. Eight genera and 34 species are
native to southern Africa. |
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Oedipodinae
Worldwide except Antarctica. Sixteen genera and 62 species are native to
southern Africa. |
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Oxyinae
Distribution includes Africa, Madagascar, Asia and Australia. Two genera and
three species are native to southern Africa. |
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Spathosterninae
Distributed across Africa, Madagascar, southern
Asia and Australia. One species,
Spathosternum nigrotaeniatum,
is native to southern Africa. |
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Tropidopolinae
Distribution includes Africa, Madagascar, southern Europe, Asia. Two genera
and three species are native to southern Africa. |
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References
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