Thericleidae

The Thericleidae are a family of grasshoppers within the order Orthoptera and superfamily Eumastacoidea. They have exceptionally stubby antennae even for the Caelifera, with most species have a characteristic "horse-headed" look in profile.

Thericleidae
Thericleid female from Tanzania
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Orthoptera
Suborder: Caelifera
Infraorder: Acrididea
Informal group: Acridomorpha
Superfamily: Eumastacoidea
Family: Thericleidae
Burr, 1899
Unidentified wingless species of Thericleidae, showing characteristic "horse-head" and stubby antennae

The family occurs in Africa,[1][2] most members living in small trees and shrubs rather than forbs or grasses.[3]

The type genus is Thericles Stål, 1875.[4] They are obscure insects, not well known to the public, but nonetheless have a few common names, including "monkey grasshoppers", whether because of the head shape, or because they are very agile in leaping about among the twigs of the trees they inhabit, is not clear. They also are called "bush hoppers", a name they share with the closely related Euschmidtiidae.

Subfamilies and selected Genera
  • Afromastacinae Descamps, 1977
    • Afromastax Descamps, 1977
    • Clerithes Bolívar, 1914
  • Barythericleinae Descamps, 1977 (monotypic)
    • Barythericles Descamps, 1977
  • Chromothericleinae Descamps, 1977
    • Acanthothericles Descamps, 1977
    • Chromothericles Descamps, 1977
    • Dimorphothericles Descamps, 1977
  • Loxicephalinae Descamps, 1977 (monotypic)
    • Loxicephala Descamps, 1977
  • Plagiotriptinae Bolívar, 1914
    • Phaulotypus Burr, 1899
    • Plagiotriptus Karsch, 1889
    • Socotrella (insect) Popov, 1957
  • Thericleinae Burr, 1899
    • Lophothericles Descamps, 1977
    • Thericles Stål, 1875
  • incertae sedis
    • Smilethericles Baccetti, 1997


References
  1. "Thericleidae: Overview". Encyclopedia of Life.
  2. Descamps, Marius (1977). "Monographie des Thericleidae (Orthoptera Acridomorpha Eumastacoidea)". Sciences zoologiques No. 216. Tervuren, Belgium: Musee royal de l'Afrique centrale. OCLC 6358616. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  3. Alan Weaving; Mike Picker; Griffiths, Charles Llewellyn (2003). Field Guide to Insects of South Africa. New Holland Publishers, Ltd. ISBN 1-86872-713-0.
  4. "Family Thericleidae Burr, 1899". Orthoptera Species File. Archived from the original on 18 June 2014.
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