TetrigidaeRambur (1838) Faune entomologique de l'Andalousie 2:64 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,Borror DJ, Tripplehorn CA, Johnson NF (1989) An Introduction to the Study of Insects, 6th edition. Harcourt Brace College Publishers. New York. pg 213 pygmy devils or (mostly historical) "grouse locusts".Imms AD, rev. Richards OW & Davies RG (1970) A General Textbook of Entomology 9th Ed. Methuen 886 pp.
Diagnostic characteristics
Tetrigidae are typically less than 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 hindwings.
General biology In temperate regions, Tetrigidae are generally found along streams and ponds, where they feed on algae and diatoms.Resh VH, Cardé RT (2003) Encyclopedia of Insects. Academic Press, Amsterdam, pg 839 The North American species Paratettix aztecus and Paratettix mexicanus, for example, depend on aquatic primary production for between 80% and 100% of their diet. Detritus, moss and fungal hyphae also dominates the diet in many species.Feeding patterns in tropical groundhoppers (Tetrigidae): a case of phylogenetic dietary conservatism in a basal group of Caelifera Riparian species are capable of swimming on the surface of the water, and readily leap into the water when alarmedPreston-Mafham K (1990) Grasshoppers and Mantids of the World. Facts of File, New York. pg 32 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.Grimaldi D, Engel MS (2005) Evolution of the Insects. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. pg 211
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, tribes and selected genera More than 320 genera in 10 subfamilies have been described; according to the Orthoptera Species FileOrthoptera Species File: family Tetrigidae Rambur, 1838 (retrieved 14 February 2026) the following are included:
Subfamily Batrachideinae Source:
Auth.: Bolívar, 1887; selected genera: Batrachidea Serville, 1838 Saussurella Bolívar, 1887 Tettigidea Scudder, 1862
Subfamily Cladonotinae
Auth.: Bolívar, 1887; selected genera: Tribe Cladonotini Cladonotus Saussure, 1862 Deltonotus Hancock, 1904 Piezotettix Bolívar, 1887 Tribe Choriphyllini Choriphyllum Serville, 1838 Phyllotettix Hancock, 1902
Tribe Valalyllini Lepocranus Devriese, 1991 Valalyllum Deranja, Kasalo, Adžić, Franjević & Skejo, 2022
Tribe Xerophyllini SE Asia - selected genera: Potua Bolívar, 1887 (genus group) Xerophyllum Fairmaire, 1846 Tribe Unassigned Austrohancockia Epitettix Nesotettix
Subfamily Criotettiginae Auth. Kevan, 1966
Criotettigini Auth. Kevan, 1966 Acanthalobus Criotettix Dasyleurotettix
Thoradontini Auth. Kevan, 1966 Aryalidonta Eucriotettix Loxilobus Thoradonta Yunnantettix
Criotettiginae: tribe unassigned
Afrocriotettix Amphinotulus Apterotettix Bolivaritettix Bolotettix Cotysoides Hyboella Indomiriatra Miriatroides Probolotettix Rhopalina Rostella Spadotettix Tettitelum
Subfamily Guntheritettiginae Auth.: Cadena-Castañeda, 2025Cadena-Castañeda OJ, Quintana-Arias RF, Infante IC, Silva DSM, Tavares GC (2025) Studies on pygmy grasshoppers: On the current Metrodorinae sensu lato classification (Orthoptera: Tetrigidae) with emphasis on American and Malagasy taxa. Zootaxa, 5597(1), 1–265. DOI - Madagascar & Indian Ocean islands:
tribe Guntheritettigini Guntheritettix : monotypic G. formidabilis Holocerus : monotypic Holocerus lucifer tribe Tumbrinckitettigini Cryptotettix Tumbrinckitettix
Subfamily Hildegardiinae - monogeneric Hildegardia Günther, 1974
Subfamily Lophotettiginae Auth.: Hancock, 1909; distribution S. America, genera: Lophotettix Hancock, 1909 Phelene Bolívar, 1906
Subfamily Metrodorinae Source:
Auth.: Bolívar, 1887; selected genera: Tribe Amorphopini Amorphopus Serville, 1838
Tribe Cleostratini
Cleostratus Stål, 1877
Tribe Clinophaestini Birmana Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1893 Clinophaestus Storozhenko, 2013
Tribe Miriatrini (monotypic) Miriatra Bolívar, 1906
Tribe Metrodorini Cota Bolívar, 1887 Metrodora Bolívar, 1887
Tribe Ophiotettigini Ophiotettix Walker, 1871 Tribe Unassigned Cleostratoides Storozhenko, 2013 Macromotettix Günther, 1939 Mazarredia Bolívar, 1887 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; selected genera Tribe Dinotettigini Günther, 1979 Dinotettix Bolívar, 1905 Ibeotettix Rehn, 1930
Tribe Tetrigini Serville, 1838
Euparatettix Hancock, 1904 Paratettix Bolívar, 1887 Tetrix Latreille, 1802 (synonym Depressotetrix Karaman, 1960) Thibron Rehn, 1939
Tribe unassigned Aalatettix Zheng & Mao, 2002 Bienkotetrix Karaman, 1965 Coptotettix Ergatettix Kirby, 1914 Hedotettix Bolívar, 1887 Neotettix Hancock, 1898 Nomotettix Morse, 1894 Oxyphyllum Hancock, 1909 Phaesticus Uvarov, 1940 Sciotettix Ichikawa, 2001
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). Until 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
tribe Echopraxiini Echopraxia (insect) Eurymorphopus Peraxelpa Planotettix Poseidontettix Exanimini Exanimus Fijixistra Ginixistra Fijitettigini Fijitettix Salomonotettix Nophthini Dystopia (insect) Nophtha Quasimodini Quasimodo (insect) Seraph (insect) Willemsetettix
Xistrellini Auth: Skejo, Storozhenko, Tumbrinck & Kasalo, 2025; distribution: India, China, Indochina, western Malesia.Orthoptera Species File: tribe Xistrellini Skejo, Storozhenko, Tumbrinck & Kasalo, 2025.
Afrosystolederus Bannatettix Kanakacris Phaesticus (synonym Flatocerus ) Pseudoparatettix Pseudosystolederus Pseudoxistrella Synalibas Systolederus Teredorus Xistrella
No tribe assigned Almacris †Archaeotetrix †Eozaentetrix Euloxilobus Parahirrius †Prototetrix Spertor Xistra
References
External links
Pygmy locusts Pygmy grasshoppers BugGuide.net