OrthopteraAustralian Orthopteroid Index Garden Mantis Grasshoppers Blistered Pyrgomorph Coryphistes sp Giant Grasshopper (Valanga irregularis) Macrotona Queensland Spotted Pyrgomorph (Greyacris profundesulcata) Katydids (family Tettigoniidae) Phaneropterinae Toadhopper (Buforania crassa)

The order Orthoptera comprise the terrestrial insects (“terrestrial” typically applied to species that live primarily on the ground) that are known by the common names of grasshoppers, katydids, locusts and crickets (as well as related groups without common names).

There are more than 20,000 species worldwide in the order Orthoptera, of which 1,835 described species are found in Australia, although there are thought to be at least 3,000 species here.

Whilst most orthopterans are herbivorous, feeding on a variety of plant material, some species are scavengers and are known to feed on animal and plant debris. Some are predators of other insects; many katydids and crickets tend to be more omnivorous.

Woodger's Gumleaf Katydid (Terpandrus woodgeri), Alice Springs NT
Woodger’s Gumleaf Katydid (Terpandrus woodgeri), Alice Springs NT
Nymph stage of Giant Grasshopper (Valanga irregularis), Alice Springs NT
Nymph stage of Giant Grasshopper (Valanga irregularis), Alice Springs NT
Denham Stick-insect (genus Denhama), Palm Valley
Denham Stick-insect (genus Denhama), Palm Valley
Garden Mantis (Orthodera ministralis), Alice Springs NT
Garden Mantis (Orthodera ministralis), Alice Springs NT
Giant Green Slantface Grasshopper (Acrida conica), Alice Springs NT
Giant Green Slantface Grasshopper (Acrida conica), Alice Springs NT
Blistered Pyrgomorph (Monistria pustulifera), Kings Canyon
Blistered Pyrgomorph (Monistria pustulifera), Kings Canyon

Orthoptera are part of a group known as Orthopteroid, that include a varied number of orders including Blattodea (cockroaches and termites), Mantodea (mantises),
Phasmatodea (stick and leaf insects), Embioptera (webspinners), Dermaptera (earwigs), Plecoptera (stoneflies), Zoraptera (angel insects), Notoptera (ice crawlers and gladiators, a non-Australian order)

For more information, check out out some of the listed sources in the footnote and references.


  • Scientific classification
  • Kingdom: Animalia
  • Phylum: Arthropoda
  • Subphylum: Hexapoda
  • Class: Insecta
  • Informal: Pterygotes
  • Order: Orthoptera
  • Suborder: Caelifera
  • Suborder: Ensifera
  • Family: Eumastacidae

Footnote & References

  1. Orthoptera, Atlas of Living Australia, https://bie.ala.org.au/species/ORTHOPTERA
  2. Orthoptera (Grasshoppers & Locusts), What Bug Is That? The Guide To Australian Insect Families, https://anic.csiro.au/insectfamilies/order_overview.aspx?OrderID=24892&PageID=overview
  3. Phylum Arthropoda-Subphylum Hexapoda-Class Insecta-Order Orthoptera, Key to Australian Freshwater and Terrestrial Invertebrates, https://keys.lucidcentral.org/keys/v3/TFI/start%20key/key/hexapoda%20key/Media/HTML/Orthoptera.html
  4. Australian Orthopteroids, iNaturalist, https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/australian-orthopteroids
  5. Orthopteroid, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orthopteroid

OrthopteraAustralian Orthopteroid Index Garden Mantis Grasshoppers Blistered Pyrgomorph Coryphistes sp Giant Grasshopper (Valanga irregularis) Macrotona Queensland Spotted Pyrgomorph (Greyacris profundesulcata) Katydids (family Tettigoniidae) Phaneropterinae Toadhopper (Buforania crassa)

InsectsBees Beetles Blattodea Butterflies Coleoptera Cicada Crabronidae Diptera Dragonflies & Damselflies Formicidae Hemiptera Heteroptera Moths Orthoptera Orthopteroid Processionary Caterpillar Stink Bugs, Shield Bugs and Allies Wasps Water Scorpion (Laccotrephes tristis) Witchetty Grub