Subfamily Oedipodinae - Band-winged Grasshoppers

Oedipodinae Walker 1871

>800 spp. in ~140 genera of 16 tribes wordwide(1)

Most species of this subfamily have a dark band crossing the hind wing somewhere between the middle and outer margin, most have the basal part (or "disc") of the wing colored. A few species have entirely dark or clear hind wings. The relative placement and shape of the dark band, as well as the color of the base is often of great help in identifying the species. The pronotum usually has a median ridge, and sometimes additional lateral ridges, that vary in height and whether cut or not (and in how many times cut). Many make crackling, buzzing, or ticking sounds (crepitate) when they fly. A "prosternal spur" is absent between the bases of the front legs. Otherwise they resemble some of the Spur-throat Grasshoppers (Melanoplinae). From similar Slant-faced Grasshoppers (Gomphocerinae), some of which don't have a slanted face, they differ in usually having colored wings and in having stridulatory pegs on the front wings (tegmina) instead of on the inside of the hind femur.

Worldwide

Some unrelated genera (used to be treated in Oedipodinae) to check out if not sure if a specimen is a Band-winged Grasshopper:

Gomphocerinae have the stridulatory file on metafemur, not tegmina: Acrolophitus, Ligurotettix, Cibolacris, Xeracris.

Romaleinae usually have a fixed spine at the outside tip of metafemora (absent in Oedipodinae): Romalea, Spaniacris (no spine), Taeniopoda, & Tytthotyle.