Tetrigidae

Tetrigidae is an ancient family in the order Orthoptera, which also includes similar families such as crickets, grasshoppers, and their allies. Species within the Tetrigidae are variously called groundhoppers, pygmy grasshoppers, pygmy devils or (mostly historical) "grouse locusts".
Diagnostic characteristics
Tetrigidae are typically less than 20 mm in length and are recognizable by a long pronotum. This pronotum extends over the length of the abdomen, sometimes to the tip of the wings, and ends in a point. In other Orthoptera, the pronotum is short and covers neither the abdomen nor the wings. Tetrigidae are generally cryptic in coloration. Some species have enlarged pronota that mimic leaves, stones or twigs. Other characteristics pygmy grasshoppers exhibit in comparison to other Orthoptera families are the lack of an arolium between the claws, the first thoracic sternite being modified into collar-like structure called sternomentum, a tarsal formula of 2-2-3, scaly fore wings, and developed hind wings.
General biology
In temperate regions, Tetrigidae are generally found along streams and ponds, where they feed on algae and diatoms. The North American species Paratettix aztecus and Paratettix mexicanus, for example, depend on aquatic primary production for between 80% and 100% of their diet. Riparian species are capable of swimming on the surface of the water, and readily leap into the water when alarmed Some species in the tribe Scelimenini are fully aquatic and capable of swimming underwater.
The highest biodiversity of Tetrigidae is found in tropical forests. Some tropical species are arboreal and live among mosses and lichens in tree buttresses or in the canopy, while others live on the forest floor.
Like other Orthoptera, Tetrigidae have a hemimetabolous development, in which eggs hatch into nymphs. Unlike other temperate Orthoptera, however, temperate Tetrigidae generally overwinter as adults.
Some subfamilies within the Tetrigidae, such as the Batrachideinae, are sometimes elevated to family rank besides the Tetrigidae.
Arulenus miae is a pygmy grasshopper species from the tropical mountainous rainforests of the Philippines. The species was firstly discovered in Facebook post.
Etymology
Origin of the name of the family is not completely clear as there are different sources on its etymology. The name may be derived from Latin tetricus or taetricus, meaning harsh, sour, severe. The name may also originate from the earlier name 'Tettigidae', based on Tettix (synonym of Tetrix), which was preoccupied by Tettigidae (synonym of Cicadidae). Because of the preoccupation by the cicadas' family name, the second 't' in 'tt' was changed into 'r', resulting in the word Tetrigidae.
Subfamilies and Genera
Approximately 2,000 species have been described; according to the Orthoptera Species File the following genera are included:
Subfamily Batrachideinae
Auth.: Bolívar, 1887; selected genera:
Batrachidea Serville, 1838
Saussurella Bolívar, 1887
Tettigidea Scudder, 1862
Subfamily Cladonotinae
Auth.: Bolívar, 1887; selected genera:
Tribe Cladonotini Bolívar, 1887
Cladonotus Saussure, 1862
Deltonotus Hancock, 1904
Piezotettix Bolívar, 1887
Tribe Choriphyllini Cadena-Castañeda & Silva, 2019
Choriphyllum Serville, 1838
Phyllotettix Hancock, 1902
Tribe Valalyllini Deranja, Kasalo, Adžić, Franjević & Skejo, 2022
Lepocranus Devriese, 1991
Valalyllum Deranja, Kasalo, Adžić, Franjević & Skejo, 2022
Tribe Xerophyllini Günther, 1979
SE Asia - selected genera:
Potua Bolívar, 1887 (genus group)
Xerophyllum Fairmaire, 1846
Tribe Unassigned
Austrohancockia Günther, 1938
Cota Bolívar, 1887
Epitettix Hancock, 1907
Nesotettix Holdhaus, 1909
Subfamily Lophotettiginae
Auth.: Hancock, 1909
Lophotettix Hancock, 1909
Phelene Bolívar, 1906
Subfamily Metrodorinae
Auth.: Bolívar, 1887; selected genera:
Tribe Amorphopini Günther, 1939
Amorphopus Serville, 1838
Tribe Cleostratini Hancock, 1907
Cleostratus (insect) Stål, 1877 (Philippines)
Tribe Clinophaestini Storozhenko, 2013
Birmana Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1893
Clinophaestus Storozhenko, 2013
Tribe Miriatrini Cadena-Castañeda & Cardona, 2015 (monotypic)
Miriatra Bolívar, 1906
Tribe Ophiotettigini Tumbrinck & Skejo, 2017
Ophiotettix Walker, 1871
Uvarovithyrsus Storozhenko, 2016
Tribe Unassigned
Bolivaritettix Günther, 1939
Cleostratoides Storozhenko, 2013
Crimisus Bolívar, 1887
Hildegardia (insect) Günther, 1974
Holocerus Bolívar, 1887
Macromotettix Günther, 1939
Mazarredia Bolívar, 1887
Pseudoparatettix Günther, 1937
Pseudoxistrella Liang, 1991
Vaotettix Podgornaya, 1986
Subfamily Scelimeninae
Auth.: Hancock, 1907
Tribe Scelimenini Hancock, 1907; selected genera:
Amphibotettix Hancock, 1906
Austrohancockia Günther, 1938
Bidentatettix Zheng, 1992
Discotettix Costa, 1864
Gavialidium Saussure, 1862
Scelimena Serville, 1838
incertae sedis
Zhengitettix Liang, 1994
Subfamily Tetriginae
Auth.: Serville, 1838
Tribe Dinotettigini Günther, 1979
Afrocriotettix Günther, 1938
Dinotettix Bolívar, 1905
Ibeotettix Rehn, 1930
Lamellitettix Hancock, 1904
Marshallacris Rehn, 1948
Pseudamphinotus Günther, 1979
Tribe Tetrigini Serville, 1838
Clinotettix Bei-Bienko, 1933
Coptotettix Bolívar, 1887
Euparatettix Hancock, 1904
Exothotettix Zheng & Jiang, 1993
Hydrotetrix Uvarov, 1926
Paratettix Bolívar, 1887
Tetrix Latreille, 1802 (synonym Depressotetrix Karaman, 1960)
Thibron Rehn, 1939
Tribe unassigned:
Aalatettix Zheng & Mao, 2002
Alulatettix Liang, 1993
Ankistropleuron Bruner, 1910
Bannatettix Zheng, 1993
Bienkotetrix Karaman, 1965
Bufonides Bolívar, 1898
Carolinotettix Willemse, 1951
Coptottigia Bolívar, 1912
Cranotettix Grant, 1955
Ergatettix Kirby, 1914
Flatocerus Liang & Zheng, 1984
Formosatettix Tinkham, 1937
Formosatettixoides Zheng, 1994
Gibbotettix Zheng, 1992
Hedotettix Bolívar, 1887
Leptacrydium Chopard, 1945
Macquillania Günther, 1972
Micronotus Hancock, 1902
Neocoptotettix Shishodia, 1984
Neotettix Hancock, 1898
Nomotettix Morse, 1894
Ochetotettix Morse, 1900
Oxyphyllum Hancock, 1909
Phaesticus Uvarov, 1940
Sciotettix Ichikawa, 2001
Stenodorus Hancock, 1906
Teredorus Hancock, 1907
Tettiella Hancock, 1909
Tettiellona Günther, 1979
Uvarovitettix Bazyluk & Kis, 1960
Xiaitettix Zheng & Liang, 1993
Subfamily Tripetalocerinae
Auth.: Bolívar, 1887
Tripetalocerinae was originally described by Bolívar in 1887 to gather all the Tetrigidae genera of the old world with widened antennae (e.g. Arulenus, Discotettix, Hirrius, Ophiotettix, Tripetalocera). This subfamily today includes only two species in two genera - Tripetalocera (with one species) from India and Borneo and Tripetaloceroides (with one species) from Vietnam and PR China. Members of the subfamily are characteristic within Tetrigidae by massive antennae built up of only eight segments (other Tetrigidae have usually 11-16, Batrachideinae 18-22). Till recently, the subfamily included two tribes - Tripetalocerini and Clinophaestini (including Clinophaestus and Birmana), but the later was moved to the subfamily Metrodorinae due to similarity to Ophiotettigini.
Tripetalocera - monotypic Tripetalocera ferruginea Westwood, 1834
Tripetaloceroides Storozhenko, 2013 - monotypic Tripetaloceroides tonkinensis (Günther, 1938)
Subfamily unassigned
Criotettigini
Auth. Kevan, 1966
Criotettix Bolívar, 1887
Dasyleurotettix Rehn, 1904
Thoradontini
Auth. Kevan, 1966
Eucriotettix Hebard, 1930
Loxilobus Hancock, 1904
Thoradonta Hancock, 1909
Subfamily and tribe unassigned
Bolotettix Hancock, 1907
Cyphotettix Rehn, 1952
†Eozaentetrix Zessin, 2017
Euloxilobus Sjöstedt, 1936
Paramphinotus Zheng, 2004
Peronotettix Rehn, 1952
Phaesticus Uvarov, 1940 (synonym Flatocerus Liang & Zheng, 1984)
Probolotettix Günther, 1939
Pseudosystolederus Günther, 1939
Syzygotettix Günther, 1938
Tettitelum Hancock, 1915
†Archaeotetrix Sharov, 1968
†Prototetrix Sharov, 1968
References
External links
Pygmy locusts
Pygmy grasshoppers
BugGuide.net
Orthoptera families
Extant Triassic first appearances