Orthoptera Olivier, 1789

Béthoux, Olivier & Nel, André, 2002, Venation pattern and revision of Orthoptera sensu nov. and sister groups. Phylogeny of Palaeozoic and Mesozoic Orthoptera sensu nov., Zootaxa 96, pp. 1-88 : 38-39

Orthoptera Olivier, 1789 sensu nov.

New diagnosis. Forewing (figs 1.bc 15­16). MA differentiated into MA1 and MA2 (absent in some Caelifera, in all Permoraphidiidae , and in some Ensifera sensu nov.); MA1 or MA generally fused with RP (absent in all Caelifera, Metahaglida taxon nov., in some taxa of uncertain position as Tcholmanvissiinae ); MP simple, exceptionally with few distal branches, strongly concave (autapomorphy within Archaeorthoptera); CuPa simple (exceptionally ramified in Oedischia ); CuPb simple; vein 1A simple, metathoracic legs with broadened femora (‘saltatorial’) (putative autapomorphy, unknown in numerous fossil taxa; reversed in some more recent Ensifera such as the Gryllotalpidae , among others).

Included taxa. Ensifera ‘ sensu lato ’ (see below) and Caelifera.

Discussion. The metathoracic legs are unknown in numerous fossil Archaeorthoptera. Nevertheless, it remains one of the most evident autapomorphies of the Orthoptera .