Grasshoppers and Crickets (Order Orthoptera)

This illustrated checklist consists primarily of species detected in November 2018 and February 2019, and the true list is undoubtedly longer. Species marked with an asterisk (*) have been identified from pictures purported but not known with certainty to be from the area.

True Grasshoppers, Family Acrididae

Small to (for insects) massive, usually fully-flighted herbivores; vying with termites for the position of most important (and often abundant) invertebrate herbivores of Miombo woodland. Due to the almost continuous presence of nymphs or adults of many species, they form the major part of many insectivorous birds', mammals', amphibians' and reptiles' diets.

Species recorded at Mutinondo include: Acrida acuminata, Cannula gracilis, Glyphoclonus miripennis, Machaeridia conspersa, Odontomelus zambiensis (apparently endemic to Zambia), Gymnobothrus lineaalba, Gymnobothrus temporalis, Orthochtha dasycnemis, Parodontomelus brachypterus, Chokwea bredoi, Aulacobothrus dorsatus, Pnorisa squalus, Spathosternum nigrotaeniatum, Petamella fallax, Tristria angolensis, Leptacris kraussi, Mesopsera filum, Pristocorypha corneola, Bocagella acutipennis, Eucoptacra torquata, Eucoptacra sheffieldi, Poecilocerastis striata, Catantops melanostictus, Eupropacris cylindricollis, Oxcatantops adustus, Trichocatantops villosus, Phaeocatantops solitarius, Stenocrobylus festivus, Vitticatantops fasciatus, Acorypha mossambica, Phymeurus granulatus, Cataloipus roseipennis, Gastrimargus africanus, Heteropternis pugnax, Morphacris fasciata, Scintharista saucia, Cyrtacanthacris aeruginosa, Nomadacris septemfasciata (Red Locust), and Ornithacris pictula.

Toad Locusts, Family Pamphagidae

Large, slow-moving, and closely related to true grasshoppers; females usually entirely flightless, males long-winged. Lobosceliana loboscelis is fairly widespread in southern and south tropical Africa.

"Bark Hoppers", Family Lentulidae

Small to medium-sized, squat and flightless grasshoppers found only in Southern and Eastern Africa. Mecostibus rubripes is found in Tanzania and Zambia, and probably Malawi; usually found on tree-bark.

Summer Hoppers, Family Thericleidae

Tiny, flightless, herbivorous and often colourful grasshopper relatives, mostly slow-moving specialist feeders on specific genera of trees. Species recorded include Thamithericles croceosignatus, Thamithericles tanzaniae (new to Zambia), Thamithericles cf. nr. genisflammeis, and Stenothericles jagoi (endemic; previously recorded only from Mbala).

Monkey-Stick Hoppers, Family Euschmidtiidae

Tiny, slender-bodied and active, herbivorous grasshopper-relatives. Euschmidtia sp., genus new to Zambia, species is most probably new to science.

Blubber Locusts, Family Pyrgomorphidae

Medium to very large, toxic, often brightly coloured and sculptured herbivores, typically associated with milkweeds and other poisonous plants. Species recorded include Tanita lineaalba, Chrotogonus (Chrotogonus) hemipterus, Maura bolivari, Phymateus (Phymateus) viridipes, and Zonocerus elegans.

Grouse-Locusts, Family Tetrigidae

Generally small to tiny, algivorous or herbivorous relatives of grasshoppers, strongly associated with water. Species recorded include Dasyleurotettix infaustus, Phloeonotus humilis, Trachytettix scaberrimus, and Paratettix sp.

True Crickets, Family Gryllidae

Small to medium-sized, variously herbivorous or (more usually) omnivorous; males of most species call loudly at night. Species recorded include Grylloderes maurus, Xenogryllus eneopteroides, and Euryscirtus (Euryscirtus) bivittatus.

Cave Crickets, Family Phalangopsidae

Long-legged, flightless and omnivorous, usually associated with caves and underground cavities. Phaeophilacris (Speluncacris) spectrum is relatively widespread, somewhat synanthropic, and most usually found in and around buildings.

Scaly Crickets, Family Mogoplistidae

Small to tiny, flightless and usually silent relatives of crickets, commonly found on bark and in leaf-litter or dank vegetation. Arachnocephalus sp., genus widespread, ubiquitous in miombo; and Ectatoderus cf ochraceus, otherwise limited to the Kenya/Tanzania border region.

Katydids and Armoured Crickets

Generally medium sized to large, herbivorous to carnivorous insects. Species recorded include Ruspolia flavovirens, the undescribed species "Zambiscirtes mutinondo" (provisional name), Conocephalus (Conocephalus) conocephalus (African Meadow Katydid), Enyaliopsus parduspes (Common Koringkriek/Armoured Cricket), Clonia (Clonia) multispina, Pardalota haasi, Eulioptera reticulata, Melidia brunneri, Tylopsis sp., Horatosphaga sp., Cymatomera sp. (Bark Katydid), and Zabalius cf. centralis.

Leaf-Rolling Crickets

Medium sized and often inconspicuous cricket-like insects, resembling rather squat, large-footed katydids, generally underrecorded and understudied in much of Zambia. Atychogryllacris cf. infelix is widespread in central Africa.