Subfamily Gomphocerinae Research Articles

New data on bioacoustics and courtship behaviour in grasshoppers (Orthoptera, Acrididae, Gomphocerinae) from Russia and adjacent countries.

The songs of seven grasshopper species of subfamily Gomphocerinae from Russia, Ukraine, Georgia, and Kazakhstan were studied. We analysed not only the sound, but also the stridulatory movements of the hind legs to more entirely describe the songs. In Mesasippuskozhevnikovi, Chorthippusmacrocerus, and C.hammarstroemi, the legs are moved in a relatively simple pattern; four other species, Myrmeleotettixpalpalis, Stenobothrusnewskii, C.pullus, and Megaulacobothrusaethalinus demonstrate more complex leg movements. In six of the seven species studied, the courtship songs contain more sound elements than the calling songs. The highest number of courtship sound elements was found in M.palpalis and M.aethalinus. The different parts of a remarkably long stridulatory file in M.aethalinus are thought to participate in the production of different sound elements. The songs in S.newskii are shown for the first time. This species produces sound not only by common stridulation but also by wing beats. A relationship of S.newskii to some other species of the genus Stenobothrus, which are able to crepitate, is discussed. We also analyse the frequency spectra of the songs. A maximum energy of the song power spectra in six species studied lies in ultrasound range (higher than 20 kHz). In only M.aethalinus, the main peaks in the song power spectra lie lower than 20 kHz. The courtship behaviour in M.palpalis, C.macrocerus, and C.hammarstroemi was shown to include conspicuous visual display (movements of antennae, palps and the whole body).

Phylogenetic insights into Central European Chorthippus and Pseudochorthippus (Orthoptera: Acrididae) species using ddRADseq data

The evolution of several orthopteran groups, especially within the grasshopper family Acrididae, remains poorly understood. This is particularly true for the subfamily Gomphocerinae, which comprises cryptic sympatric and syntopic species. Previous mitochondrial studies have highlighted major discrepancies between taxonomic and phylogenetic hypotheses, thereby emphasizing the necessity of genome-wide approaches.In this study, we employ double-digest restriction site-associated DNA sequencing (ddRADseq) to reconstruct the evolution of Central European Chorthippus and Pseudochorthippus species, especially C.smardai, P.tatrae and the C.biguttulus group.Our phylogenomic analyses recovered deep discordance with mitochondrial DNA barcoding, emphasizing its unreliability in Gomphocerinae grasshoppers. Specifically, our data robustly distinguished the C.biguttulus group and confirmed the distinctiveness of C.eisentrauti, also shedding light on its presence in the Berchtesgaden Alps. Moreover, our results support the reclassification of C.smardai to the genus Pseudochorthippus and of P.tatrae to the genus Chorthippus.Our study demonstrates the efficiency of high-throughput genomic methods such as RADseq without prior optimization to elucidate the complex evolution of grasshopper radiations with direct taxonomic implications. While RADseq has predominantly been utilized for population genomics and within-genus phylogenomics, its application extends to resolve relationships between deeply-diverged clades representative of distinct genera.

Species delimitation and molecular phylogeny of the grasshopper subfamily Gomphocerinae (Orthoptera: Acrididae) from Algeria based on mitochondrial and nuclear DNA markers

Gomphocerinae grasshoppers (Orthoptera: Acrididae) are generally characterised by their polymorphism and cryptic diversity, which can be confusing when relying on morphological identification alone. DNA taxonomy serves as a powerful molecular tool for species identification and biodiversity assessment. In the context of zoogeography and the biodiversity conservation of animal resources in ecosystems, DNA barcoding data for Algerian Gomphocerinae fauna remains limited in global databases, despite their agroeconomic and environmental importance. Therefore, in this study, we collected various species of this subfamily from the Biskra region in Algeria and conducted DNA barcoding analysis, employing different molecular species delimitation methods (the automatic barcode gap discovery, assemble species by automatic partitioning, single-threshold general mixed Yule coalescent model, Bayesian Poisson tree process and multi-rate Poisson tree process methods), as well as phylogenetic analyses (maximum-likelihood and Bayesian inference) based on two molecular markers (COI and ITS). The results of the 163 newly generated sequences demonstrated that DNA barcoding technology is highly efficient and valuable for species identification in the subfamily Gomphocerinae, showing strong congruence with morphological evidence for 12 species, including eight species that were sequenced for the first time. This study also reported a new record of the genus Stenohippus Uvarov, 1926 in Algeria, comprising two species. Additionally, taxonomic revision allowed the species Dociostaurus biskrensis Moussi & Petit, 2014, to be transferred to the genus Stenohippus. Molecular tree analyses revealed the phylogenetic positions of the newly sequenced species within the subfamily Gomphocerinae and provided insights into their evolutionary relationships. These new data serve as a starting point for future research in other geographical areas, enabling a better understanding of the biodiversity of this insect group in Algeria.

Transcriptomic data reveals nuclear-mitochondrial discordance in Gomphocerinae grasshoppers (Insecta: Orthoptera: Acrididae)

The phylogeny of many groups of Orthoptera remains poorly understood. Previous phylogenetic studies largely restricted to few mitochondrial markers found many species in the grasshopper subfamily Gomphocerinae to be para- or polyphyletic, presumably because of incomplete lineage sorting and ongoing hybridization between putatively young lineages. Resolving the phylogeny of the Chorthippus biguttulus species complex is important because many morphologically cryptic species occupy overlapping ranges across Eurasia and serve important ecological functions. We investigated whether multispecies coalescent analysis of 540 genes generated by transcriptome sequencing could resolve the phylogeny of the C. biguttulus complex and related Gomphocerinae species. Our divergence time estimates confirm that Gomphocerinae is a very young radiation, with an age estimated at 1.38 (2.35–0.77) mya for the C. biguttulus complex. Our estimated topology based on complete mitogenomes recovered some species as para- or polyphyletic. In contrast, the multispecies coalescent based on nuclear genes retrieved all species as monophyletic clusters, corroborating most taxonomic hypotheses. Our results underline the importance of using nuclear multispecies coalescent methods for studying young radiations and highlight the need of further taxonomic revision in Gomphocerinae grasshoppers.

Evolution of chromosome number in grasshoppers (Orthoptera: Caelifera: Acrididae)

Orthoptera have some of the largest genomes of all insects. At the same time, the architecture of their genomes remains poorly understood. Comparative cytological data across a wide range of taxa, even for basic parameters such as chromosome number, may provide important insights into the evolution of these genomes and help answer the question of why some species attained such large genome sizes. We collected and compiled more than 1,000 records of chromosome numbers of 339 genera (13.8% of 2,452 known genera) and 769 species (6.2% of 12,250 known species) of Caelifera, the suborder of Orthoptera that includes those taxa with short antennae. Within the family Acrididae, most of the records come from the subfamilies Oedipodinae (N = 325), Melanoplinae (N = 192) and Gomphocerinae (N = 254). Out of the 621 investigated species of Acrididae, 459 (73.9%) shared a chromosome number of 2n♂ = 23. Chromosome numbers of 2n♂ = 17 (12.2%) and 2n♂ = 21 (9.9%) were less common. The remaining 4.0% of species exhibited different chromosome numbers between 2n♂ = 8 (6 + XY) and 2n♂ = 27. Plotted on a phylogenetic tree, our results confirm that chromosome numbers, especially in the largest grasshopper family Acrididae, are highly conserved with a basic count of 2n♂ = 23 (22 + X0), sometimes reduced to, e.g., 2n♂ = 17 (16 + X0) in some genera of the slant-faced grasshopper subfamily Gomphocerinae. Species with divergent chromosome numbers occur in many of the groups we studied, but are not a systematic trait and have evolved multiple times independently. Our study supports the view that chromosome numbers are much more stable across the investigated Caelifera compared to Ensifera, the second suborder of Orthoptera that includes the long antennae bush crickets and crickets. Our results significantly extend our knowledge on the diversity of this character in Caelifera.

Acridid (Orthoptera: Acrididae) diversity and distribution in the eastern plain of Rajasthan, India

Acridids are cosmopolitan, active, diurnal and voracious phytophagous insects in both larval and adult stages. These insects are generally known as a pest in agricultural farms and are accountable for locust attacks and outbreak situations. The current study reported on the distribution and diversity of acridids in the semiarid eastern plain, Rajasthan. The study area was surveyed from April 2021 to September 2021 and observed 17 acridids representing 14 genera, 7 subfamilies, and 10 tribes of the Acrididae family. The species abundance, distribution, and their relationship with abiotic factors (temperature, humidity, and rainfall) are also discussed. The subfamily Hemiacridinae was the most abundant, with the species Hieroglyphus nigrorepletus that was responsible for grasshopper outbreaks in agricultural farms. Subfamily Gomphocerinae was found to be the least abundant, whereas subfamily Oedipodinae had the highest species richness in the research area. Shannon Diversity Index (H’), Simpson’s Diversity Index (D’), Dominance, and Evenness were calculated as, 1.294, 0.4951, 0.5049, and 0.2146, respectively, indicating that acridids are quite diverse in the surveyed area.

A checklist of orthopteran fauna (Insecta: Orthoptera) with some new records in the cold arid region of Ladakh, India

The study is mainly focused on the Orthopteran fauna of Ladakh. In the current field survey and literature survey, 29 species, 24 genera, 11 subfamilies, and five families belonging to four super families of Tettigonioidea (Krauss, 1902), Acridoidea (MacLeay, 1821), Eumastacoidea (Burr, 1899), and Pyrgomorphoidea (Burnner von Wattenwyl, 1847) are reported. The subfamily Gomphocerinae, and the following species Leva indica, Stenohippus mundus, Calliptamus italicus, Phaneroptera gracilis, Conocephalus longipennis, and C. maculatus are recorded for the first time from the region.

Simple inheritance of color and pattern polymorphism in the steppe grasshopper Chorthippus dorsatus

The green–brown polymorphism of grasshoppers and bush-crickets represents one of the most penetrant polymorphisms in any group of organisms. This poses the question of why the polymorphism is shared across species and how it is maintained. There is mixed evidence for whether and in which species it is environmentally or genetically determined in Orthoptera. We report breeding experiments with the steppe grasshopper Chorthippus dorsatus, a polymorphic species for the presence and distribution of green body parts. Morph ratios did not differ between sexes, and we find no evidence that the rearing environment (crowding and habitat complexity) affected the polymorphism. However, we find strong evidence for genetic determination for the presence/absence of green and its distribution. Results are most parsimoniously explained by three autosomal loci with two alleles each and simple dominance effects: one locus influencing the ability to show green color, with a dominant allele for green; a locus with a recessive allele suppressing green on the dorsal side; and a locus with a recessive allele suppressing green on the lateral side. Our results contribute to the emerging contrast between the simple genetic inheritance of green–brown polymorphisms in the subfamily Gomphocerinae and environmental determination in other subfamilies of grasshoppers. In three out of four species of Gomphocerinae studied so far, the results suggest one or a few loci with a dominance of alleles allowing the occurrence of green. This supports the idea that brown individuals differ from green individuals by homozygosity for loss-of-function alleles preventing green pigment production or deposition.

Song and morphology of some little known species of Gomphocerinae (Orthoptera: Acrididae) from Turkey with description of a new species

Morphology and acoustic signals of four species of the subfamily Gomphocerinae (Orthoptera: Acrididae) from Turkey are studied. Eremippus zeybekoglui Mol sp. n. is described from Northern Anatolia. Gomphocerus transcaucasicus Mistshenko, 1951, stat. n. is considered as a distinct species, not a subspecies of Gomphocerus sibiricus (Linnaeus, 1767). Previously unknown male of Dasypippus uvarovi Karabag, 1953 is described.

Components of reproductive isolation between the closely related grasshopper species Chorthippus biguttulus and C. mollis

The formation and maintenance of species in nature is accomplished by the evolution of reproductive isolating mechanisms. To understand patterns of speciation and coexistence between species, it is crucial to obtain a complete synopsis of reproductive isolating barriers. We identified multiple reproductive isolation barriers between two closely related species, Chorthippus biguttulus and Chorthippus mollis, and quantified their respective contributions to isolation. To this end, we produced hybrids and backcrosses in the laboratory to examine reproductive isolation at multiple stages in the life history. The prezygotic barriers, based on chemical and acoustic cues, are currently the strongest impediments to gene flow between C. biguttulus and C. mollis. This indicates an important role for sexual selection in the maintenance of species isolation. However, extrinsic and intrinsic postzygotic isolation barriers also contributed to reproductive isolation. The virtual sterility of F1 hybrid males was based on both the dysfunctionality of their testes and intermediate behavioral mating traits (behavioral sterility). This study demonstrates that a cascade of reproductive isolating mechanisms reduces the gene flow between C. biguttulus and C. mollis. Our results further demonstrate that the courtship display in these species consists of multimodal signals and indicates a key role of chemical cues in reproductive isolation and speciation in grasshoppers. The identification of species isolating mechanisms is essential for understanding the processes that drive speciation. A profound understanding of reproductive isolating mechanisms and their fitness consequences in a system is required to predict a specific speciation scenario. Members of the grasshopper subfamily Gomphocerinae show an enormous diversity and complexity in courtship behavior, especially in acoustic displays. Here, we demonstrate that non-acoustic and postzygotic isolation mechanisms also strongly contribute to reproductive isolation between the closely related grasshopper species, C. biguttulus and C. mollis. In addition, our results suggest that ongoing gene flow between this species pair is unlikely and that sexual selection plays an important role in the maintenance of species isolation.

Physical mapping of 18S and 5S rDNA loci and histone H3 gene in grasshopper species of the subfamily Gomphocerinae (Acrididae)

In this study, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis was used to determine and compare the numbers and chromosomal locations of two multigene families (rDNA and histone H3) in four Neotropical species of gomphocerine grasshoppers. FISH using the 18S rDNA probe identified a single site on the S9 chromosome of Amblytropidia sp and Cauratettix borelli, a single site on chromosome M6 of Compsacris pulcher, and two sites (chromosomes L1 and L2) in Orphulella punctata. By contrast, FISH with a 5S rDNA probe identified dispersion of this sequence in the genomes of the four species, with evidence of intraspecific variations. Amblytropidia sp had six to eight FISH signals on autosomal chromosomes, while C. pulcher exhibited a signal only on the M5 bivalent. The histone H3 gene was less variable and was restricted to a single pair in all species. The conservation of the numbers and locations of 18S rDNA and H3 genes in conjunction with data from the literature was useful for evaluating karyotype evolution in this subfamily. The variation in the number and sizes of 5S rDNA sites indicates a process of recent dispersion that might have been mediated by transposition.

Stable and variable parameters in courtship songs of grasshoppers of the subfamily Gomphocerinae (Orthoptera, Acrididae)

The courtship behavior of seven grasshopper species of the subfamily Gomphocerinae from different localities of Russia, Ukraine and Greece was described. Not only the sounds but also the corresponding stridulatory movements of the hind legs and visual display accompanying the courtship song were analyzed. Comparison of the degree of variation in different courtship parameters showed that the most stable traits were the syllable and pulse periods. The potential role of stable and variable traits in the grasshopper courtship songs is discussed.

Grasshoppers of the Andes: new Melanoplinae and Gomphocerinae taxa (Insecta, Orthoptera, Acrididae) from Huascarán National Park and Callejón de Huaylas, Ancash, Peru

The grasshopper fauna from Huascarán National Park and the valleys of “Callejón de Conchucos” and “Callejón de Huaylas”, Perú, has been sampled during two surveys of the area in 2004 and 2008. In this paper, two new genera (Tiyantiyana n. gen. and Huaylasacris n. gen.) and six new species collected during the surveys are described: Tiyantiyana sunipenis n. gen, n. sp., Huaylasacris maxicerci n. gen, n. sp., Maeacris chilikuti n. sp., M. saytu n. sp., M. ayasqa n. sp. of the subfamily Melanoplinae and Orphulella chumpi n. sp. of the subfamily Gomphocerinae. Previous records on the highland grasshoppers of the Peruvian Andes were almost nonexistent. The new acridids described here were collected at the high-altitude puna grassland, between 3182 and 4660 m a.s.l. Puna is one of the most heavily modified natural regions of Peru. Since grasshoppers are a useful group for bioindication, it is important to acquire knowledge on their diversity in such environmental conditions.This paper includes many embedded links to images of type specimens, maps based on geo-referenced specimen data, and keys to species, all available at Orthoptera Species File Online (http//orthoptera.speciesfile.org).

Speciation in Gomphocerine Grasshoppers: Molecular Phylogeny Versus Bioacoustics and Courtship Behavior

To understand the driving forces of speciation in grasshoppers of the subfamily Gomphocerinae, we compared a molecular phylogenetic tree with the distribution of the song pattern complexity and courtship behavior. In 50 grasshopper species of Gomphocerinae, a barcoding region of mitochondrial gene COI was sequenced and analyzed. A plesiomorphic pattern of calling song was shown to be predominant in the species of the most basal clusters, including the tribes Chrysochraontini, Dociostaurini and Arcypterini. In the tribes Stenobothrini and Gomphocerini, plesiomorphic pattern of the calling song was found in less than half of the species studied; others demonstrated increasing song complexity. The species of the basal cluster of the phylogenetic tree did not show complex courtship songs. Courtship songs that are different and more complex than the calling songs were only found in about half of species belonging to the tribes Stenobothrini and Gomphocerini. Most species with complex courtship (species of Stenobothrus genus, of Chorthippus albomarginatus group) were shown to be recently diverged species. Comparison of visual displays accompanying complex courtship song, revealed similarities between the species from different groups. According to the molecular phylogeny, complex courtship behavior in Gomphocerinae evolved independently and convergently. Since the courtship song can be used by a female to judge mate quality, sexual selection is suggested to be the main driving force of rapid speciation in these young species.

Sequence and phylogenetic analysis of complete mitochondrial DNA genomes of two grasshopper species Gomphocerus rufus (Linnaeus, 1758) and Primnoa arctica (Zhang and Jin, 1985) (Orthoptera: Acridoidea)

Background and aims: In Xia's taxonomic revision, Gomphocerus rufus (Linnaeus, 1758), Chorthippus chinensis and Phlaeoba albonema belong to the families Gomphoceridae, Arcypteridae and Acrididae, respectively; whereas in Otte's taxonomic analysis of Orthoptera, all three species belong to the subfamily Gomphocerinae, family Acrididae.Materials and methods: We determined the mitochondrial genomes (mitogenomes) of G. rufus, compared these with 10 other caeliferan mitogenomes, and performed phylogenetic analyses in order to clarify the relationships of the three families in Xia's taxonomic revision and which study is more accurate in defining the relationships of the three families. Furthermore, the mitogenome of Primnoa arctica (Zhang and Jin, 1985) was determined. This is the first mitogenome of the subfamily Catantopinae, superfamily Acridoidea. Through the comparison of mitogenomes from six subfamilies of the superfamily Acridoidea and one species of Pyrgomorphoidea, we hope to summarize a general law on the composition of the caeliferan mitogenome.Results: The two molecules contain the same set of mitochondrial genes for 22 tRNAs, 2 rRNAs, 13 proteins, and a non-coding, AT-rich region. The base composition, gene order, and codon usage of the two genomes conform to those reported for other caeliferan species. Both genomes possess the rearrangement of tRNALys and tRNAAsp. Compared with their ancestral mitogenome, this is a significant difference between the mitogenome of the suborders Caelifera and Ensifera or other Metazoa. A stem-loop structure that is similar to a previously presumed one (that probably involved in replication initiation) was found at the A+T-rich region of each mitogenome. In the phylogenetic analyses, the species from suborders Caelifera and Ensifera cluster, respectively, as monophyletic groups, and the two suborders cluster as sister groups.Conclusion: Within Caelifera, the subfamily Gomphocerinae appears to be a paraphyletic group in the analyses of the protein-coding gene (PCG) dataset and a monophyletic group in the analyses of rRNA dataset. The subfamily Oedipodinae is a monophyletic group; superfamily Acridoidea is a monophyletic group, and Pyrgomorphoidea is a sister to Acridoidea. Regarding Xia's revision, the families Gomphoceridae and Arcypteridae are closely related, and the family Acrididae is a paraphyletic group. Overall, the phylogenetic analyses in our study are in accordance with Otte's taxonomic analysis.

Annotated List of Caelifera (Orthoptera) of Mt. Kilimanjaro, Tanzania

A list of the Caelifera (Tetrigoidea, Eumastacoidea, and Acridoidea) of Mt Kilimanjaro is presented. A total number of 139 Caelifera was recorded for this mountain, of which 8 species belonged to Tetrigidae, 5 to Eumastacoidea and 126 to Acridoidea. Of the 126 Acridoidea, 2 species belonged to the family Pamphagidae, 14 to the family Pyrgomorphidae, and 3 to the family Lentulidae. The family Acrididae is comprised of 107 species; only one species was recorded for the subfamilies Spathosterninae, Oxyinae, and Euryphyminae, two species within Tropidopolinae, 4 species within Coptacridinae, 5 species each within Hemiacridinae and Calliptaminae, and 7 species each in Eyprepocnemidinae and Cyrtacanthacridinae. The majority of species were found within the four subfamilies Gomphocerinae and Catantopinae (each 14 species), Acridinae (21 species), and Oedipodinae (25 species). Mt Kilimanjaro harbors about 25% of the Acridomorpha species recorded for Tanzania. Together with Mt Meru, with which Kilimanjaro is connected by a ridge at submontane level, 9.4% of the Caelifera are endemics.

New data on acoustic communication and ecology of grasshoppers of the genera Eremippus and Dociostaurus (Orthoptera, Acrididae) and notes on the use of bioacoustic data in supraspecific taxonomy of the subfamily Gomphocerinae

The calling songs of Dociostaurus hauensteini, Eremippus simplex, E. miramae, and E. sobolevi are described for the first time. The species composition and ecology of grasshoppers of the genus Eremippus from the Lower Volga basin were studied. Reproductive isolation between Eremippus species in this region was shown to be determined principally by the differences in the acoustic behavior. The calling songs were compared in five Eremippus species, and divided into three groups according to their amplitude-temporal patterns. The importance of bioacoustic data for supraspecific taxonomy of the subfamily Gomphocerinae is discussed.

An annotated Checklist of some Orthopteroid insects of Mapimi Biosphere reserve (Chihuahuan desert), Mexico

La fauna de ortopteroideos en la Reserva de la Biosfera Mapimí (RBM), está formada por un total de 60 especies. El suborden Caelifera está representado por 39 especies de la superfamilia Acridoidea, repartidas en: 13 especies de Gomphocerinae, 10 de Oedipodinae, 9 Melanoplinae, dos Cyrthacantacridinae, una Ommatolampinae y una Leptysminae y la familia Romaleidae con tres especies. El suborden Ensifera está representado por 15 especies repartidas entre las superfamilias Tettigoniidae (8 especies), Tettigonoidea (una), Stenopelmatoidea (una), Grylloidea (cuatro) y Gryllotalpoidea (una). Además, se registraron seis especies de Phasmatodea y Dyctioptera. En la RBM, los Acridoidea son el grupo más abundante y conspicuo de insectos herbívoros, entre los que se distinguen tres formas de vida o «guilds»: 1) Los que habitan en el suelo (terrícolas) representados por la especie más común Trimerotropis pallidipennis (Burmeister 1883) y por Cibolacris parviceps (Walker 1870), que viven y se desarrollan principalmente en el suelo, son herbívoros generalistas que tienden a habitar en tipos de suelo específicos. 2) Los que habitan en hierbas y zacates (graminicolas) de los cuales Paropomala virgata Brunner 1899 y Opeia obscura (Thomas 1872) son las más comunes, se registraron frecuentes disparos de población de Boopedon nubilum (Say 1825), estas especies viven y se alimentan de gramíneas y no tienen hospederos específicos. 3) Los que habitan en arbustos (arbustícolas) grupo morfológica, conductual y tróficamente distinto a los anteriores, algunas especies muestran una alta especificidad alimenticia o de hábitat como Bootettix argentatus Brunner 1889, Ligurotettix planum (Brunner 1905), Hesperotettix viridis (Thomas 1872), Campylacantha olivacea (Scudder 1875) y Clematodes larreae Cockerell, 1901. La composición de especies y las densidades de población en los distintos ensamblajes de acridoideos, muestran gran variabilidad interanual, varían considerablemente entre unidades de vegetación y ambiente, dependen principalmente de las condiciones del suelo, de los atributos taxonómicos y estructura física de la vegetación y del clima.

Molecular phylogeny of Palaearctic genera of Gomphocerinae grasshoppers (Orthoptera, Acrididae)

Abstract. Molecular phylogenetic methods were used to examine morphologically based hypotheses concerning the taxonomic structure and relationships of the grasshopper subfamily Gomphocerinae. Two mitochondrial gene (cytochrome b and cytochrome oxidase subunit I) sequences were determined for twenty‐five species representing eleven Palaearctic genera. The studied Gomphocerinae species constituted a monophyletic group; furthermore, the earlier division of Gomphocerinae into tribes was supported, with each tribe monophyletic. There was no support for various systems uniting Stenobothrini and Gomphocerini into one tribe. Two separate clusters were discerned in Gomphocerini and two tribes were distinguished – Gomphocerini (genera Aeropus, Stauroderus, Chorthippus) and Stenobothrini (genera Omocestus, Stenobothrus).

The chemosensory system of the monophagus grasshopper, Bootettix argentatus bruner (Orthoptera : Acrididae)

Bootettix argentatus (Orthoptera : Acrididae) is a monophagous grasshopper in the subfamily Gomphocerinae. The numbers of chemoreceptors in most groups on the mouthparts increase with each molt and are generally similar in the 2 sexes. There are fewer sensilla in the A3 groups than in other gomphocerine grasshoppers, and the possibility that this is related to host-plant specificity is discussed. Only very small numbers of sensilla are present on the pulvillar pads of the tarsi and on the arolia. The number of sensilla on the antennae is proportional to the length of the flagellum and coeloconic sensilla comprise 30–35%. Most of the remainder are multiporous basiconic sensilla. Adult males have more antennal sensilla than adult females.