Tetrigidae is an ancient family in the order Orthoptera, which also includes similar families such as crickets, grasshoppers, and their allies. Species within the Tetrigidae are variously called groundhoppers, pygmy grasshoppers, pygmy devils or (mostly historical) "grouse locusts".

Diagnostic characteristics: Tetrigidae are typically less than 20 mm in length and are recognizable by a long pronotum. This pronotum extends over the length of the abdomen, sometimes to the tip of the wings, and ends in a point. In other Orthoptera, the pronotum is short and covers neither the abdomen nor the wings. Tetrigidae are generally cryptic in coloration. Some species have enlarged pronota that mimic leaves, stones or twigs.

Other characteristics pygmy grasshoppers exhibit in comparison to other Orthoptera families are the lack of an arolium between the claws, the first thoracic sternite being modified into collar-like structure called sternomentum, a tarsal formula of 2-2-3, scaly fore -wings, and developed hindwings.

General biology: In temperate regions, Tetrigidae are generally found along streams and ponds, where they feed on algae and diatoms. The North American species Paratettix aztecus and Paratettix mexicanus, for example, depend on aquatic primary production for between 80% and 100% of their diet. Detritus, moss and fungal hyphae also dominates the diet in many species. Riparian species are capable of swimming on the surface of the water, and readily leap into the water when alarmed Some species in the tribe Scelimenini are fully aquatic and capable of swimming underwater.

The highest biodiversity of Tetrigidae is found in tropical forests. Some tropical species are arboreal and live among mosses and lichens in tree buttresses or in the canopy, while others live on the forest floor.

Like other Orthoptera, Tetrigidae have a hemimetabolous development, in which eggs hatch into nymphs. Unlike other temperate Orthoptera, however, temperate Tetrigidae generally overwinter as adults.

Some subfamilies within the Tetrigidae, such as the Batrachideinae, are sometimes elevated to family rank besides the Tetrigidae.

Arulenus miae is a pygmy grasshopper species from the tropical mountainous rainforests of the Philippines. The species was firstly discovered in Facebook post.

Etymology: Origin of the name of the family is not completely clear as there are different sources on its etymology. The name may be derived from Latin tetricus or taetricus, meaning harsh, sour, severe. The name may also originate from the earlier name ´Tettigidae´, based on Tettix (synonym of Tetrix), which was preoccupied by Tettigidae (synonym of Cicadidae). Because of the preoccupation by the cicadas´ family name, the second ´t´ in ´tt´ was changed into ´r´, resulting in the word Tetrigidae.

Subfamilies, tribes and selected genera: More than 320 genera in 10 subfamilies have been described; according to the Orthoptera Species File the following are included:

Subfamily Batrachideinae: Source:

Auth.: Bolívar, 1887; selected genera:

• Batrachidea Serville, 1838
• Saussurella Bolívar, 1887
• Tettigidea Scudder, 1862

Subfamily Cladonotinae: Auth.: Bolívar, 1887; selected genera:
Tribe Cladonotini

• Cladonotus Saussure, 1862
• Deltonotus Hancock, 1904
• Piezotettix Bolívar, 1887

Tribe Choriphyllini
# Choriphyllum Serville, 1838
# Phyllotettix Hancock, 1902
Tribe Valalyllini
# Lepocranus Devriese, 1991
# Valalyllum Deranja, Kasalo, Adžić, Franjević & Skejo, 2022
Tribe Xerophyllini
SE Asia - selected genera:

• Potua Bolívar, 1887 (genus group)
• Xerophyllum Fairmaire, 1846

Tribe Unassigned

• Austrohancockia
• Epitettix
• Nesotettix

Subfamily Criotettiginae: Auth. Kevan, 1966

Criotettigini: Auth. Kevan, 1966
# Acanthalobus
# Criotettix
# Dasyleurotettix

Thoradontini: Auth. Kevan, 1966
# Aryalidonta
# Eucriotettix
# Loxilobus
# Thoradonta
# Yunnantettix

Criotettiginae: tribe unassigned: # Afrocriotettix
# Amphinotulus
# Apterotettix
# Bolivaritettix
# Bolotettix
# Cotysoides
# Hyboella
# Indomiriatra
# Miriatroides
# Probolotettix
# Rhopalina
# Rostella
# Spadotettix
# Tettitelum

Subfamily Guntheritettiginae: Auth.: Cadena-Castañeda, 2025 - Madagascar & Indian Ocean islands:

tribe Guntheritettigini

• Guntheritettix : monotypic G. formidabilis
• Holocerus : monotypic Holocerus lucifer

tribe Tumbrinckitettigini

• Cryptotettix
• Tumbrinckitettix

Subfamily Hildegardiinae - monogeneric
# Hildegardia Günther, 1974

Subfamily Lophotettiginae: Auth.: Hancock, 1909; distribution S. America, genera:
# Lophotettix Hancock, 1909
# Phelene Bolívar, 1906

Subfamily Metrodorinae: Source:

Auth.: Bolívar, 1887; selected genera:
Tribe Amorphopini

• Amorphopus Serville, 1838

Tribe Cleostratini

• Cleostratus Stål, 1877

Tribe Clinophaestini

• Birmana Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1893
• Clinophaestus Storozhenko, 2013

Tribe Miriatrini (monotypic)

• Miriatra Bolívar, 1906

Tribe Metrodorini

• Cota Bolívar, 1887
• Metrodora Bolívar, 1887

Tribe Ophiotettigini

• Ophiotettix Walker, 1871

Tribe Unassigned

• Cleostratoides Storozhenko, 2013
• Macromotettix Günther, 1939
• Mazarredia Bolívar, 1887
• Pseudoxistrella Liang, 1991
• Vaotettix Podgornaya, 1986

Subfamily Scelimeninae: Auth.: Hancock, 1907
Tribe Scelimenini Hancock, 1907; selected genera:

• Amphibotettix Hancock, 1906
• Austrohancockia Günther, 1938
• Bidentatettix Zheng, 1992
• Discotettix Costa, 1864
• Gavialidium Saussure, 1862
• Scelimena Serville, 1838

incertae sedis

• Zhengitettix Liang, 1994

Subfamily Tetriginae: Auth.: Serville, 1838; selected genera
Tribe Dinotettigini Günther, 1979

• Dinotettix Bolívar, 1905
• Ibeotettix Rehn, 1930

Tribe Tetrigini Serville, 1838

• Euparatettix Hancock, 1904
• Paratettix Bolívar, 1887
• Tetrix Latreille, 1802 (synonym Depressotetrix Karaman, 1960)
• Thibron Rehn, 1939

Tribe unassigned:

• Aalatettix Zheng & Mao, 2002
• Bienkotetrix Karaman, 1965
• Coptotettix
• Ergatettix Kirby, 1914
• Hedotettix Bolívar, 1887
• Neotettix Hancock, 1898
• Nomotettix Morse, 1894
• Oxyphyllum Hancock, 1909
• Phaesticus Uvarov, 1940
• Sciotettix Ichikawa, 2001

Subfamily Tripetalocerinae: Auth.: Bolívar, 1887
Tripetalocerinae was originally described by Bolívar in 1887 to gather all the Tetrigidae genera of the old world with widened antennae (e.g. Arulenus, Discotettix, Hirrius, Ophiotettix, Tripetalocera). This subfamily today includes only two species in two genera - Tripetalocera (with one species) from India and Borneo and Tripetaloceroides (with one species) from Vietnam and PR China. Members of the subfamily are characteristic within Tetrigidae by massive antennae built up of only eight segments (other Tetrigidae have usually 11-16, Batrachideinae 18-22). Until recently, the subfamily included two tribes - Tripetalocerini and Clinophaestini (including Clinophaestus and Birmana), but the later was moved to the subfamily Metrodorinae due to similarity to Ophiotettigini.

• Tripetalocera - monotypic Tripetalocera ferruginea Westwood, 1834
• Tripetaloceroides Storozhenko, 2013 - monotypic Tripetaloceroides tonkinensis (Günther, 1938)

Subfamily unassigned: ;tribe Echopraxiini
# Echopraxia (insect)
# Eurymorphopus
# Peraxelpa
# Planotettix
# Poseidontettix
Exanimini
# Exanimus
# Fijixistra
# Ginixistra
Fijitettigini
# Fijitettix
# Salomonotettix
Nophthini
# Dystopia (insect)
# Nophtha
Quasimodini
# Quasimodo (insect)
# Seraph (insect)
# Willemsetettix

Xistrellini: Auth: Skejo, Storozhenko, Tumbrinck & Kasalo, 2025; distribution: India, China, Indochina, western Malesia.

# Afrosystolederus
# Bannatettix
# Kanakacris
# Phaesticus (synonym Flatocerus )
# Pseudoparatettix
# Pseudosystolederus
# Pseudoxistrella
# Synalibas
# Systolederus
# Teredorus
# Xistrella
No tribe assigned
# Almacris
# †Archaeotetrix
# †Eozaentetrix
# Euloxilobus
# Parahirrius
# †Prototetrix
# Spertor
# Xistra