Acridoidea

Definition

A superfamily of grasshoppers and locusts within the suborder Caelifera, order Orthoptera, comprising more than 11,000 described species across all continents except Antarctica. Acridoidea encompasses the majority of short-horned grasshopper diversity, including the economically significant locusts (family Acrididae) that form destructive swarms, as well as specialized families such as the heavy-bodied lubber grasshoppers (Romaleidae) and the desert-adapted Pamphagidae. Members are distinguished from other Caelifera by features of the male genitalia and wing venation, though family-level classification remains under revision.

Etymology

From Acrida (type genus, from Latin acris 'sharp, keen') + -oidea (superfamily suffix)

Example

The desert locust Schistocerca gregaria, a member of Acridoidea, can form swarms of billions of individuals and traverse intercontinental distances, making it one of the most economically important agricultural pests within this superfamily.

Related Terms

• Caelifera
• Orthoptera
• Acrididae
• Romaleidae
• Pamphagidae
• Ensifera
• tettigonioid
• short-horned grasshopper
• locust

Usage Notes

Acridoidea is distinguished from the parallel superfamily Tettigonioidae (katydids and bush-crickets, suborder Ensifera) by antenna length—Acridoidea have relatively short antennae, typically shorter than the body. The superfamily has undergone significant taxonomic revision; families such as Lentulidae and Tristiridae were elevated from subfamily status based on molecular phylogenetics. In older literature, 'Acridoidea' was sometimes used more broadly or interchangeably with 'Acrididae' for the major grasshopper families.