ACRIDIDAE: SHORT-HORNED GRASSHOPPERS
Diurnally active and frequently-encountered, this family contains the typical "grasshoppers". They are characterised by their short, stout antennae, short, stout ovipositor, presence of a tympanal organ on the first abdominal segment and 3-3-3 tarsal formula. The pronotum does not extend beyond the base of the wings. Globally there are between 8-10,000 described species in this extremely successful group. They are most diverse in grasslands, though some species are found in forested areas. The wings are generally well-developed but within any given species several forms with different wing lengths may occur. The hind femur are greatly thickened for jumping, allowing with crypticity, being their main defence against predators. The majority of species are vegetarian, though many will scavenge animal matter if plant food is scarce. Courtship may be elaborate and following mating the male may ride on the back of the female for over 24 hours, part of the mate guarding process to ensure that his sperm fertilise the females eggs. Clutches consist of 10-60 eggs laid into loose soil and any given female may lay 25 or more clutches over the course of several weeks.
Designed by Paul Smith 2006.
This website is copyrighted by law. Material contained herewith may not be used without the prior written permission of FAUNA Paraguay.
Photographs on this page were taken by Paul Smith, Jeni Oborn, Alberto Esquivel, Moriz Stiefel, Chris Elder, Ivan Saxby and Laura Tensen and are used with their permission.
http://www.faunaparaguay.com/index.html
http://www.faunaparaguay.com/aims.html
http://www.faunaparaguay.com/about_paraguay.html
http://www.faunaparaguay.com/wildlife.html
http://www.faunaparaguay.com/publications.html
http://www.faunaparaguay.com/mini_guides.html
http://www.faunaparaguay.com/tours.html
http://www.faunaparaguay.com/volunteer.html
http://www.faunaparaguay.com/library.html
http://www.faunaparaguay.com/museum.html
http://www.faunaparaguay.com/partners.html
http://www.faunaparaguay.com/contact.html
FIGURE 1a

FIGURE 1a
FIGURE 1b

FIGURE 1b
FIGURE 1c

FIGURE 1c
FIGURE 1d

FIGURE 1d
FIGURE 1e

FIGURE 1e
Gallery 1: Cyrtacanthacridinae - Locusts
FIGURE 1a - Schistocerca cancellata - PN Tte Enciso, Departamento Boquerón (Paul Smith July 2006).
FIGURE 1b - Schistocerca cancellata. - PN Tte Enciso, Departamento Boquerón (Paul Smith July 2006).
FIGURE 1c - Schistocerca flavofasciata - Encarnación, Departamento Itapúa (Paul Smith April 2007).
FIGURE 1d - Unidentified sp. - Estancia Kanguery, PN San Rafael (Moriz Stiefel April 2008 - ECOSARA Biodiversity Database).
FIGURE 1e - Same individual (Laura Tensen April 2008 - ECOSARA Biodiversity Database).
FIGURE 2a

FIGURE 2a
FIGURE 2b

FIGURE 2b
FIGURE 2c

FIGURE 2c
FIGURE 2d

FIGURE 2d
Gallery 2: Leptysminae - Stick Locusts
FIGURE 2a - Cylindrotettis dubius possibly - PROCOSARA, PN San Rafael (Moriz Stiefel April 2008 - ECOSARA Biodiversity Database).
FIGURE 2b - Leptysma argentina possibly female - PROCOSARA, PN San Rafael  (Chris Elder November 2007 - ECOSARA Biodiversity Database).
FIGURE 2c - Unidentified sp. - PROCOSARA, PN San Rafael  (Paul Smith November 2007 - ECOSARA Biodiversity Database).
FIGURE 2d - Stenopola sp. possibly - PROCOSARA, PN San Rafael  (Paul Smith November 2007 - ECOSARA Biodiversity Database).
FIGURE 3a

FIGURE 3a
FIGURE 3b

FIGURE 3b
FIGURE 3c

FIGURE 3c
FIGURE 3d

FIGURE 3d
FIGURE 3e

FIGURE 3e
Gallery 3: Melanopliinae - Spur-throated Grasshoppers
FIGURE 3a - Dichroplus sp. maybe (cf elongatus) - PROCOSARA, PN San Rafael  (Ivan Saxby  February 2008 - ECOSARA Biodiversity Database).
FIGURE 3b - Eurotettix schrottkyi male - PROCOSARA, PN San Rafael (Moriz Stiefel April 2008 - ECOSARA Biodiversity Database).
FIGURE 3c - Eurotettix schrottkyi male - PROCOSARA, PN San Rafael  (Jeni Oborn May 2008 - ECOSARA Biodiversity Database).
FIGURE 3d - Eurotettix schrottkyi female - PROCOSARA, PN San Rafael  (Moriz Stiefel May 2008 - ECOSARA Biodiversity Database).
FIGURE 3e - Unidentified sp. - PROCOSARA, PN San Rafael  (Jeni Oborn April 2008 - ECOSARA Biodiversity Database).
FIGURE 4a

FIGURE 4a
FIGURE 4b

FIGURE 4b
Gallery 4: Ommatolampinae
FIGURE 3a - Abracris flavolineata - PROCOSARA, PN San Rafael (Moriz Stiefel May 2008 - ECOSARA Biodiversity Database).
FIGURE 3b - Abracris flavolineata - PROCOSARA, PN San Rafael  (Alberto Esquivel November 2007 - ECOSARA Biodiversity Database).