Grasshoppers are insects of the order Orthoptera, suborder Caelifera. They are sometimes referred to as short-horned grasshoppers to distinguish them from the katydids (bush crickets). Grasshopper species which change colour and behaviour at high population densities are called locusts.
Grasshoppers are plant-eaters, sometimes becoming serious pests of cereals and other crops, especially when they swarm in their millions as locusts and destroy crops over wide areas. They protect themselves from predators by camouflage; when detected, many species attempt to startle the predator with a brilliantly-coloured wing-flash while jumping with their strong hind legs and (if adult) also flying, usually for a short distance. Other species such as the rainbow grasshopper have warning coloration which deters predators.
Grasshoppers are plant-eaters, sometimes becoming serious pests of cereals and other crops, especially when they swarm in their millions as locusts and destroy crops over wide areas. They protect themselves from predators by camouflage; when detected, many species attempt to startle the predator with a brilliantly-coloured wing-flash while jumping with their strong hind legs and (if adult) also flying, usually for a short distance. Other species such as the rainbow grasshopper have warning coloration which deters predators.
Family: Acrididae MacLeay, 1819 - Short-horned Grasshoppers
Subfamily: Acridinae MacLeay, 1821 - Silent slant-faced grasshoppers
Genera: Acrida, Phlaeoba
Subfamily: Catantopinae Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1893 – Spur-throated grasshoppers
Genera: Apalacris, Choroedocus, Diabolocatantops, Stenocatantops, Traulia, Xenocatantops
Subfamily: Cyrtacanthacridinae Kirby, 1910 - Bird Grasshoppers
Genera: Chondracris, Cyrtacanthacris
Subfamily: Hemiacridinae Dirsh, 1956
Genera: Hieroglyphus
Subfamily: Oedipodinae Walker, 1871 - Band-winged grasshoppers
Genera: Ceracris, Locusta, Oedaleus, Trilophidia
Subfamily: Oxyinae Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1893 - Moisture-loving Grasshoppers
Genera: Gesonula, Oxya, Oxytauchira, Pseudoxya
Family: Chorotypidae Stål, 1873
Genera: Chorotypus
Family: Eumastacidae Burr, 1899 - Monkey Grasshoppers
Genera: Bennia, Erianthus
Family: Pyrgomorphidae Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1874 - Gaudy Grasshoppers
Genera: Atractomorpha, Aularches, Chlorizeina, Pseudomorphacris