Bio 367 - Exam 2 Taxonomy

Order Orthoptera

Grasshoppers & crickets

Family Acrididae (Order Orthoptera)

short-horned grasshoppers

Family Acrididae (short-horned grasshopper)

Family Acrididae Key Traits

antennae shorter than body, 3-3-3 tarsal segments, tympanum on abdomen

Family Gryllidae (Order Orthoptera)

true crickets

Family Gryllidae (true crickets)

Family Gryllidae (true crickets) Key Traits

antennae longer than body, dorsoventrally compressed, 3-3-3 tarsal arrangement, tympanum on protibia, prothorax long

Family Tettigoniidae (Orthoptera)

kaytdids, long horned grasshoppers

Family Tettigoniidae (katydids)

Family Tettigoniidae (katydid) Key Traits

antennae as long as body, 4-4-4 tarsal arrangement, tympanum on protibia

Family Rhaphidophoridae (Orthoptera)

camel or cave cricket

Family Rhaphidophoridae (camel or cave cricket)

Family Rhaphidophoridae (camel or cave cricket) Key Traits

wingless, hump back, very long antennae, large metathoracic leg

Family Gryllotalpidae (Orthoptera)

mole crickets

Family Gryllotalpidae (mole crickets)

Family Gryllotalpidae (mole crickets) Key Traits

fossorial prothoracic legs, heavily sclerotized pronotum, body cylindrical, small compound eyes

Order Phasmatodea

Walking sticks

Order Phasmatodea (walking sticks)

Order Phasmatodea (walking sticks) Key Traits

long body segments, usually wingless, cryptic coloration and mimesis

Order Mantodea

mantises

Family Mantidae (Mantodea)

mantids

Family Mantidae (mantids)

Family Mantidae (mantids) Key Traits

raptorial prothoracic legs, large triangular head, bulbous compound eyes, pronotum very long compared to other families

Order Blattodea 

cockroaches & termites

Superfamily Blaberoidae (Blattodea)

Family Ectobiidae, Epifamily Blattoidae, Family Blattidae

Superfamily Blaberoidea (Blattodea) Key Traits

head concealed by pronotum, dorsoventrally flattened, legs spiny and cursorial

Family Ectobiidae (Superfamily Blaberoidea)

ectobiid cockroaches (German and brown-banded cockroaches)

Family Ectobiidae (ectobiid cockroaches)

Family Ectobiidae (ectobiid cockroach) Key Traits

small, row of heavy spines proximally and smaller spines distally on profemur

Family Blattidae (Blattid cockroaches) Key Traits

Large, rows of gradually decreasing heavy spines on ventroposterior margin of front femur

Family Blattidae (Blattid cockroaches, American, oriental, and smokey brown cockroaches)

Epifamily Termitoidea (Superfamily Blaberoidea)

termites

Family Blattidae

Blattid cockroaches, American, oriental, and smokey brown cockroaches

Epifamily Termitoidea (termites)

Epifamily Termitoidea (termites) Key Traits

monofiliform antennae, head broadly attached to thorax, workers are wingless and soft-bodied