Bandwing

Bandwings, or band-winged grasshoppers, are the subfamily Oedipodinae of grasshoppers classified under the family Acrididae. They have a worldwide distribution and were originally elevated to full family status as the Oedipodidae. Many species primarily inhabit xeric weedy fields, and some are considered to be important locusts:
 * Locusta migratoria: the migratory locust
 * Chortoicetes terminifera: the Australian plague locust
 * Locustana pardalina the brown locust

These grasshoppers often have colorful hindwings that may be yellow or red and edged with black. Others have black hindwings with pale edges, and a few species (including the most economically important ones) have clear hindwings. The arolium is extremely small or absent.

Defense
When bandwings feel safe, they appear drab. When they feel threatened, they leap out to reveal bold and bright colors. Some predators might even mistake the blue-winged grasshopper for a butterfly. But when the predator looks for the grasshopper, it is hiding in the grass. Bandwings continue this process if the predator tries to attack them.

Tribes and genera
The Orthoptera Species File lists the following:

Tribe Acrotylini
Auth. Shumakov 1963; distribution: Africa, Europe, Asia, Australia
 * 1) Acrotylus Fieber, 1853
 * 2) Pusana Uvarov, 1940

Tribe Anconiini
Auth. Otte, 1995; distribution: N. America (monotypic)
 * 1) Anconia Scudder, 1876

Tribe Arphiini
Auth. Otte, 1995; distribution: N. America
 * 1) Arphia Stål, 1873
 * 2) Lactista Saussure, 1884 (synonym Rehnita )
 * 3) Leuronotina Hebard, 1932
 * 4) Tomonotus Saussure, 1861

Tribe Bryodemini
Auth. Bei-Bienko 1930; distribution: mostly central Asia
 * 1) Andrea Mishchenko, 1989
 * 2) Angaracris Bei-Bienko, 1930
 * 3) Bryodema Fieber, 1853
 * 4) Bryodemacris Benediktov, 1998
 * 5) Bryodemella Yin, 1982 (Eastern Europe and temperate Asia)
 * 6) Compsorhipis Saussure, 1889
 * 7) Uvaroviola Bei-Bienko, 1930

Tribe Chortophagini
Auth. Otte, 1984; distribution: N. America
 * 1) Chimarocephala Scudder, 1875
 * 2) Chortophaga Saussure, 1884
 * 3) Encoptolophus Scudder, 1875
 * 4) Nebulatettix Gómez, Lightfoot & Miller, 2012
 * 5) Shotwellia Gurney, 1940

Tribe Epacromiini
Auth. Brunner von Wattenwyl 1893; distribution: Africa, Europe, Asia through to New Caledonia
 * 1) Aiolopus Fieber, 1853
 * 2) Demirsoyus Sirin & Çiplak, 2004
 * 3) Epacromius Uvarov, 1942
 * 4) Heteropternis Stål, 1873
 * 5) Hilethera Uvarov, 1923
 * 6) Jasomenia Bolívar, 1914
 * 7) Paracinema Fischer, 1853
 * 8) Parahilethera Zheng & Ren, 2007
 * 9) Platypygius Uvarov, 1942

Tribe Hippiscini
Auth. Otte, 1984; distribution: Americas
 * Agymnastus Scudder, 1897
 * Camnula Stål, 1873
 * Cratypedes Scudder, 1876
 * Hadrotettix Scudder, 1876
 * Heliastus Saussure, 1884
 * Hippiscus Saussure, 1861 (monotypic)
 * Leprus Saussure, 1861
 * Pardalophora Saussure, 1884
 * Sticthippus Scudder, 1892
 * Xanthippus Saussure, 1884

Tribe Locustini
Auth. Kirby, 1825; distribution: Africa, Europe, Asia, Australia
 * subtribe Locustina Kirby, 1825
 * 1) Locusta Linnaeus, 1758 (monotypic)
 * 2) Oedaleus Fieber, 1853
 * 3) Psophus Fieber, 1853 - monotypic Psophus stridulus
 * subtribe undetermined
 * 1) Brunnerella Saussure, 1888
 * 2) Chifanicus Benediktov, 2001
 * 3) Gastrimargus Saussure, 1884
 * 4) Grammoscapha Uvarov, 1942
 * 5) Locustana Uvarov, 1921
 * 6) Pternoscirta Saussure, 1884
 * 7) Ptetica Saussure, 1884
 * 8) Pycnodictya Stål, 1873
 * 9) Pyrgodera Fischer von Waldheim, 1846
 * 10) Scintharista Saussure, 1884

Tribe Macherocerini
Auth. Otte, 1995; distribution: N. America (monotypic)
 * 1) Machaerocera Saussure, 1859

Tribe Oedipodini
Auth. Walker, 1871; distribution: N. Africa, Europe, Asia
 * 1) Celes Saussure, 1884
 * 2) Mioscirtus Saussure, 1888
 * 3) Ochyracris Zheng, 1991
 * 4) Oedipoda Latreille, 1829
 * 5) Oedipodacris Willemse, 1932

Tribe Parapleurini
Auth. Brunner von Wattenwyl 1893 (synonym Parapleuri); distribution: N. America, Europe, Asia
 * 1) Ceracris Walker, 1870
 * 2) Ceracrisoides Liu, 1985
 * 3) Formosacris Willemse, 1951
 * 4) Mecostethus Fieber, 1852
 * 5) Parapleurodes Ramme, 1941
 * 6) Stethophyma Fischer, 1853
 * 7) Yiacris Zheng & Chen, 1993

Tribe Psinidiini
Auth. Otte, 1984; distribution: N. America
 * Derotmema Scudder, 1876
 * Hippopedon Saussure, 1861 (synonym Platylactista )
 * Mestobregma Scudder, 1876
 * Metator McNeill, 1901
 * Psinidia Stål, 1873
 * Trachyrhachys Scudder, 1876
 * Trepidulus McNeill, 1901

Tribe Sphingonotini
Auth. Johnston, 1956; distribution: worldwide, esp. Africa, Europe, Asia
 * 1) Conipoda Saussure, 1884
 * 2) Cophotylus Krauss, 1902
 * 3) Eusphingoderus Bei-Bienko, 1950
 * 4) Eusphingonotus Bey-Bienko, 1950
 * 5) Heliopteryx Uvarov, 1914
 * 6) Helioscirtus Saussure, 1884
 * 7) Hyalorrhipis Saussure, 1884
 * 8) Microtes Scudder, 1900
 * 9) Phaeonotus Popov, 1951
 * 10) Pseudoceles Bolívar, 1899
 * 11) Quadriverticis Zheng, 1999
 * 12) Sphingoderus Bei-Bienko, 1950
 * 13) Sphingonotus Fieber, 1852 - type species: Sphingonotus caerulans
 * 14) Tetramerotropis Saussure, 1888
 * 15) Thalpomena Saussure, 1884
 * 16) Vosseleriana Uvarov, 1924

Tribe Trilophidiini
Auth. Shumakov 1963; distribution: Africa, Asia (monotypic tribe)
 * 1) Trilophidia Stål, 1873

Tribe Trimerotropini
Auth. Blatchley, 1920; distribution: Americas
 * 1) Circotettix Scudder, 1876
 * 2) Conozoa Saussure, 1884
 * 3) Dissosteira Scudder, 1876
 * 4) Spharagemon Scudder, 1875
 * 5) Trimerotropis Stål, 1873

Tribe Tropidolophini
Auth. Otte, 1995; distribution: N. America (monotypic tribe)
 * 1) Tropidolophus Thomas, 1873 - monotypic Tropidolophus formosus

Genera incertae sedis



 * Angaracrisoides Gong & Zheng, 2003
 * Asphingoderus Bei-Bienko, 1950
 * Atympanum Yin, 1982
 * Aulocaroides Werner, 1913
 * Aurilobulus Yin, 1979
 * Austroicetes Uvarov, 1925
 * Brancsikellus Berg, 1899
 * Chloebora Saussure, 1884
 * Chondronotulus Uvarov, 1956
 * Chortoicetes Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1893
 * Crinita Dirsh, 1949
 * Cyanicaudata Yin, 1979
 * Diraneura Scudder, 1897
 * Dittopternis Saussure, 1884
 * Elmisia Dirsh, 1949
 * Eokingdonella Yin, 1984
 * Eremoscopus Bei-Bienko, 1951
 * Eurysternacris Chopard, 1947
 * Fitzgeraldia Uvarov, 1952
 * Flatovertex Zheng, 1981
 * Granada Koçak & Kemal, 2008
 * Homoeopternis Uvarov, 1953
 * Humbe Bolívar, 1882
 * Jinabia Uvarov, 1952
 * Kinshaties Zheng, 1977
 * Leptopternis Saussure, 1884
 * Mecistopteryx Saussure, 1888
 * Morphacris Walker, 1870
 * Nepalacris Balderson & Yin, 1987
 * Oreacris Bolívar, 1911
 * Promesosternus Yin, 1982
 * Pseudaiolopus Hollis, 1967
 * Pycnocrania Uvarov, 1941
 * Pycnodella Descamps, 1965
 * Pycnodictya Stål, 1873
 * Pycnostictus Saussure, 1884
 * Qualetta Sjöstedt, 1921
 * Rashidia Uvarov, 1933
 * Tibetacris Chen, 1964
 * Tmetonota Saussure, 1884
 * Zimbabwea Miller, 1949
 * †Mioedipoda Stidham & Stidham, 2000
 * †Nymphacrida Zhang, Sun & Zhang, 1994
 * †Oedemastopoda Zhang, Sun & Zhang, 1994

The genus Cibolacris was originally placed in Oedipodinae, and later moved to Gomphocerinae. The genus Stethophyma is traditionally included in Oedipodinae, but North American authors in particular sometimes place it in the Gomphocerinae or Acridinae. Some authors place all members of Oedipodinae within the subfamily Acridinae, and there has been much confusion and debate about the limits and relationships of the two subfamilies.