Unidentified wingless species of Thericleidae, showing characteristic "horse-head" and stubby antennae
The Thericleidae are a family of grasshoppers within the orderOrthoptera and superfamily Eumastacoidea. They have exceptionally stubby antennae even for the Caelifera, with most species have a characteristic "horse-headed" look in profile.
The family occurs in Africa,[1][2] most members living in small trees and shrubs rather than forbs or grasses.[3]
The type genusisThericles Stål, 1875.[4] They are obscure insects, not well known to the public, but nonetheless have a few common names, including "monkey grasshoppers", whether because of the head shape, or because they are very agile in leaping about among the twigs of the trees they inhabit, is not clear. They also are called "bush hoppers", a name they share with the closely related Euschmidtiidae.
^Descamps, Marius (1977). "Monographie des Thericleidae (Orthoptera Acridomorpha Eumastacoidea)". Sciences zoologiques No. 216. Tervuren, Belgium: Musee royal de l'Afrique centrale. OCLC6358616. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
^Alan Weaving; Mike Picker; Griffiths, Charles Llewellyn (2003). Field Guide to Insects of South Africa. New Holland Publishers, Ltd. ISBN1-86872-713-0.
