Leptysminae

Distinguished from other Acrididae subfamilies by the combination of slender, elongate body form and the presence of a spur on the throat (ventral surface of the head). The common name 'toothpick grasshoppers' refers to their notably slender build. Members of the genus Cornops can be recognized by their semi-aquatic habitat association and morphological adaptations to aquatic environments.

Semi-aquatic and riparian habitats; associated with aquatic macrophytes in seasonally flooded wetlands, lakes, and river margins. The genus Cornops is specifically associated with water hyacinth (Eichhornia spp.) and pickerelweed (Pontederia spp.) in Neotropical wetlands.

North America, Central America, and South America; ranging from the southeastern United States through Mexico and Central America to Argentina.

Activity patterns vary by species and geographic location; Cornops aquaticum shows continuous presence with nymphs and adults collected across all seasonal periods (flood, high water, low water, dry) in the Pantanal, with highest morphometric values during flood periods.

• Eichhornia crassipes - host plantwater hyacinth; primary host for Cornops aquaticum
• Eichhornia azurea - host plantrooted water hyacinth; host for Cornops aquaticum
• Pontederia cordata - host plantpickerelweed; host for Cornops aquaticum
• Pontederia lanceolata - host planthost for Cornops aquaticum
• Pontederia subovata - host planthost for Cornops aquaticum
• Pontederia parviflora - host planthost for Cornops aquaticum

Variable life cycles reported across the wide geographic distribution; differing numbers of instars and alterations to voltinism observed in different populations. In the Pantanal, both nymphs and adults occur year-round with continuous recruitment.

Sexual dimorphism in body size and morphometric measurements observed in adults. Phenotypic plasticity in body size influenced by geographic location and host plant association.

Herbivores specializing on aquatic macrophytes; Cornops species have been evaluated as candidate biological control agents for invasive water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes), with host specificity studies conducted to assess potential for classical biological control.

Investigated for biological control of water hyacinth, one of the world's most problematic invasive aquatic weeds. Host specificity and feeding preference studies have been conducted to evaluate safety for non-target plants.

• ProscopiidaeBoth have slender, elongate, stick-like body forms; Proscopiidae (jumping sticks) belong to superfamily Eumastacoidea rather than Acridoidea, and lack the spur-throat characteristic of Leptysminae
• other Acrididae subfamiliesLeptysminae distinguished by semi-aquatic habitat association, slender 'toothpick' morphology, and spur on the throat; most other acridids are terrestrial with more robust body forms

• grasshopper
• semi-aquatic
• wetland
• biological control
• Neotropical
• toothpick grasshopper
• spur-throat

• BugGuide
• Wikipedia
• iNaturalist taxon
• NCBI Taxonomy
• Catalogue of Life
• Super Crop Challenge #12 | Beetles In The Bush
• Morphometry of Cornops aquaticum(Orthoptera: Acrididae: Leptysminae) in the Pantanal of Mato Grosso, Brazil
• Distribution ofCornopsgrasshoppers (Leptysminae: Acrididae: Orthoptera) in Latin America and the Caribbean Islands
• Karyotypic analysis, constitutive heterochromatin and NOR distribution in five grasshopper species of the subfamily Leptysminae (Acrididae)