Oedipodine grasshoppers occur throughout the major continents, making them the most widely distributed of the 30 subfamilies that comprise the Acrididae. Most species have been allocated to one of 15 tribes; some remain unassigned. The subfamily, according to Vickery, had an ancient origin, just after the breakup of Pangaea but before the separation of Laurasia from Africa. Thereafter, Oedipodinae continued to evolve in separate continental centers; some Nearctic species apparently descended more recently from Palearctic ancestors when land bridges still connected the two continents.

Our objectives are to independently assess these biogeographic accounts, to examine the validity of several tribal constructs, and to shed light on problematic taxa such as Stethophyma and Machaerocera which have had, over the years, an ambivalent affiliation with Oedipodinae. To realize these goals, we sequenced and phylogenetically analyzed portions of four mitochondrial genes (coding for cytochrome oxidase subunits I and II, cytochrome b, and NADH dehydrogenase subunit V), totaling up to 2254 bp, in specimens collected in the Americas, Eurasia, Africa and Australia. Methodology entailed applying weighted and unweighted maximum parsimony, maximum likelihood and Bayesian techniques. A member of the Pyrgomorphidae served as the outgroup. The ages of evolutionary divisions were estimated using the program "r8s"; the date of 100 Mya, previously estimated as the time of divergence between the subfamilies Oedipodinae and Gomphocerinae, was used to calibrate our chronogram.

In general, taxa appear to assort themselves according to continental land mass, rather than by tribe. Aiolopini, Bryodemini, Oedipodini and Sphingonotini proved to be nonmonophyletic, whereas there was no evidence to reject monophyly in Acrotylini, Chortophagini, Locustini and Psinidini. Phylogenetically, both Machaerocera and Stethophyma were well-positioned within the Oedipodinae, with Machaerocera closely aligned with Chortophaga and Encoptolophus, and Stethophyma tightly linked to Aiolopus. Duroniella, presently regarded as an oedipodinid, emerged strongly connected to the Gomphocerinae.

The current biogeographical distribution of Oedipodinae is the result of widespread intercontinental dispersion. In particular, with the assistance of DIVA analysis, we argue that Asiamerica was the center of initial oedipodinid radiation about 94 Mya. Through a series of early dispersals, the remaining clusters of taxa were established. Somewhat surprisingly, this includes the branch leading to the Australian genera Austroicetes and Chortoicetes. In contrast, the multiple dispersals to the African continent occurred more recently. It would appear that North American oedipodinids had both an ancient and a more recent ancestry. The single South American species analyzed evolved very recently from North American ancestors.

A study was made of Orthoptera assemblages of crossfield and headland (field-edge) public footpaths in the Chelmsford area of Essex, UK, in 2006. Orthoptera populations were monitored using a standardised transect counting procedure in both footpath types to determine whether headland footpaths provided benefits to Orthoptera on intensively managed farmland. Species richness of Orthoptera was significantly higher on headland footpaths (6 species) than on crossfield rights of way (3 species), suggesting that footpaths along the edges of fields may provide refuges in arable farmland. It seems that the absence of regular ploughing on the headland footpaths may be beneficial to mesophilous grasshopper species, the crossfield footpaths constituting too much of an ephemeral habitat (due to annual ploughing and cropping) to support the full range of species. Abundance of all Orthoptera and of individual species was not significantly higher on headland footpaths, although replicates on the sheltered and sunny eastern side of hedgerows had relatively high densities.

Population fluctuations of short-horned grasshoppers have been linked to the interactions of numerous factors including precipitation, temperature, vegetative growth, latitude, and timing of rainfall events. In some areas, grasshopper populations decline with increased moisture, potentially as a result of direct mortality from raindrops, or from indirect factors including the increase of fungal pathogens. Grasshoppers may also become submerged by flooding events and suffer mortality from drowning. However grasshopper survival of immersion has not been quantified in controlled experiments. We tested nymph and adult survival of immersion of seven species of rangeland grasshoppers. Under laboratory conditions, the LT₅₀ of adult grasshoppers ranged between 7.5 and 21 h, while nymphs had an LT₅₀ of between 3 and 13 h. Survival times indicate that mortality associated with seasonal rainfall is rarely caused by immersion. The significant resistance to hypoxia by these grasshoppers is not strongly correlated with habitat association and may instead be correlated with life history traits associated with overwintering.

Extensive areas of prairie were once found in the southeastern United States; however, in the last 200 y much of this habitat type has been destroyed. The largest of these prairie regions, the Black Belt Prairie, extended through portions of Alabama, Mississippi, and Tennessee. Because the grasshopper fauna of these endangered grasslands has not been well documented, a survey of grasshoppers was initiated, and collections made at 23 Black Belt Prairie remnants in Alabama and Mississippi over a seven-year period. A total of 33 grasshopper species, and the Melanoplus femurrubrum x propinquus intermediate, from two families and six subfamilies were found from the 23 sites. Several notable species, including one with a disjunct or discontinuous distribution, Pseudopomala brachyptera, were collected. An annotated list is provided.

Mating and laying sites of Uromenus brevicollis insularis, a Cyrno-Sardininian micro-endemic species, are described from observations conducted at night in several Corsican localities. Asphodelus ramosus was found to be a key host species as both mating and oviposition of this insect take place mainly on the erect dry stems of the plant. Some aspects of the meeting of the sexes are assessed: male stridulation does not appear to play an important role. The females lay their eggs, creating vertical lines in the stem by chewing regularly spaced holes containing nearly 3 eggs per hole. One to three laying lines can be observed on a single stem. Ferula communis is frequently used as an alternative laying site when A. ramosus is absent or rare, but in this case, the eggs can be attacked by woodpeckers (Dendrocopos sp.) or parasitized by Hymenoptera.

Poecilocloeus septentrionalis is described from the Caribbean slope of Costa Rica. This is the first record of the genus from outside the Amazon basin, where it is highly speciose, with some 50 described species. The new species is morphologically a typical member of its genus.

Two new species, K. dicronophallus and K. licrophallus, are described from the Caribbean slope of Costa Rica, and new localities are given for K. arboricola, the type of the genus. The genus is redefined and a key provided. The three species differ principally in their phallic structures, external differences are minimal and confined to small differences in coloration and the female subgenital plate.

Reed (Phragmites australis) stands of the Amudarya River delta south of the Aral Sea in Uzbekistan serve as permanent breeding areas of the Asian migratory locust (Locusta migratoria migratoria). Locust swarms threaten agricultural fields adjacent to the delta. Every year, specialists from the Uzbekistan Plant Protection Service attempt to survey this vast delta to assess growth of reed which provides a habitat for locust nymphal infestations. Inferences regarding locust distribution are drawn and recommendations for chemical treatments made, based on very limited samples. This often results in blanketing wetland areas with broad-spectrum insecticides, thus harming nontarget fauna. In this study, early season Landsat data, coinciding with the locust survey planning stage, were used to generate a map of potential locust habitat. Using iterative image classification and reference data, a reed distribution map was generated with an overall accuracy of 74% (kappa agreement = 0.686). Landsat data were able to correctly identify 87% of the reed beds, but had some difficulty separating other vegetation when it was mixed with reeds. Minimizing these errors would improve the overall accuracy; however, this does not diminish the utility of this tool for locust habitat monitoring. Incorporation of remotely sensed data into current survey practices could provide precise information about the spatial distribution of reeds. Plant protection specialists could then use this to optimize planning and execution of antilocust treatments, reducing the negative environmental impact of these.

Caeliferan species belonging to the Ibero-Balear fauna are inventoried. Lists are drawn up on the basis of data available in the literature and from a study of specimens collected by the authors during the last 30 years. The last inventory of species and subspecies belonging to the fauna of the Iberian Peninsula and Balearic islands was in 1987. In five different lists we take into consideration contributions from various authors since 1987. Listings are: 1) species belonging to the Ibero-Balear fauna, which include 153 taxa belonging to three superfamilies, five families and eight subfamilies, 2) species from the Arán Valley not found in the Peninsula itself: two taxa, 3) alien species: five taxa, 4) species of doubtful presence in the Iberian Peninsula: six taxa and 5) nullified species for the Iberian Peninsula: 19 taxa.

The red locust Nomadacris septemfasciata (Serville,1838) has been studied for a long time in Southern Africa where its outbreak areas are known and regularly assessed. This locust is also observed in Madagascar, but only recently have gregarious individuals been observed and described: in 1997 in the south and in 2002 in the north part of the island. This locust has only one generation per year, with a long immature adult period throughout the dry season. In this work, by means of all data recorded since 1907, a first chorology study of Nomadacris septemfasciata is set up at the national level. Archival data were improved with data collected during rural investigations and field surveys. Chorology data were analyzed with physical and weather ecological parameters (altitude, rainfall and temperature).

Altogether, 717 measures were collected. By contrast with the migratory locust, another pest in Madagascar, the distribution and ecological requirements of the red locust do not seem to correlate only with altitude, rainfall and temperature: its response to the micro-environment also plays a prominent role.

The red locust ranges between 0 and 2000 m elevation. An area of diapause can be delimited on the edge of the highlands and the east coast. The breeding area is wider and more extensive, from middle areas to the whole of the western slope, from south to north. It is in the Sofia area (in the northwest of the island) that most of the populations (hopper bands and swarms) were observed between 1999 and 2003.

A junior homonym was detected recently among the katydid genera, and the following replacement name is proposed: Beierotettix nom. nov. for Colobotettix Beier, 1960. Accordingly, new combinations are herein proposed for the species currently included in this genus: Beierotettix marginatus (Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1895) comb. nov. and Beierotettix viridis (Beier, 1960) comb. nov.

Turkish taxa of Asiotmethis were studied. Asiotmethis limbatus limbatus (Charpentier, 1842), described from Turkey, is compared with Asiotmethis turritus armeniacus Ramme, 1951, known only in Armenia. The species described as Glyphotmethis arasi Salman, 1978 is proposed as junior synonym of Asiotmethis turritus armeniacus, the latter recorded for the first time from Turkey. A neotype is designated for A. limbatus limbatus from the European part of Turkey known as this taxon's type locality. Diagnosis, distribution, references to Turkey and doubtful records are given for both taxa, with a key, distributional map, illustrations and measurements. The need for a revision of the complicated genus Asiotmethis is explained, with some notes on problems of specific taxa. A checklist of all known species of the genus, their type localities and distributions is tabulated.

A new species of Horatosphaga Schaum, 1853 is described from east African highlands. Horatosphaga tenera Hemp, new species, occurs on savanna plains of south-central Kenya. Notes on the phenology, habitat and co-occurring Saltatoria species are given.

The genus Megacrania Kaup is revised. Types or paratypes of all species were examined. Two new species, Megacrania obscurus and Megacrania spina, are described and illustrated. A key is given to the species.