Grasshopper

Arthropod: “Jointed Leg”

Classification

• Common Name: Grasshopper

• Scientific Name: Romalea

• Phylum: Arthropoda

• Class: Insecta

• Other Classification: Subphylum Uniramia

Major Distinguishing Characteristics

• 1. Body Plan: Head, Thorax, Abdomen• 2. Body Cavity: Coelom - true open space• 3. Symmetry: Bilateral• 4. Cell Specialization: Organ Systems• 5. Other: exhibit Incomplete

Metemorphosis - Nymph: physically resembles adult but lacks reproductive structures

Life Support Processes

• Absorption: intestine

• Feeding: specialized mouth parts to cut & chew plants/grass - herbivores

• Digestion: digestive tract

Life Support Processes

• Respiration: Tracheal Tubes lead to Spiracles; tubular network for gas exchange; body movement causes air to flow in & out

• Circulation: Heart - Open circulation

• Excretion: Malpighian Tubules- excrete nitrogenous wastes; Spiracles excrete CO2

Life Support Processes

• Secretion: Digestive enzymes secreted by the Gastric Caeca

• Response: Tympanum membrane located behind the leg - ear drum; Compound Eye, well developed ganglia in head - sense of taste, chemical receptors

• Movement: Walking legs, jumping legs, wings

Life Support Processes• Reproduction: separate sexes; male uses

his ovipositors to deposit sperm in the female - internal fertilization. Female uses her ovipositor to dig hole in ground for eggs

• Support: Exoskeleton

Ecological Relationships

• Herbivores - low on food chain

• Swarms - agricultural pests

• Live on Land

Body Systems Compared with Humans

• Tracheal tubes are comparable to Bronchi & Bronchiole tubes of human lungs

• Malpighian Tubules - kidney

Advancements Over the Previous Phylum

• 1. Specialized appendages

• 2. Extremely well developed sense organs

• 3. Ability to fly

• 4. Efficient respiratory network

• Some grasshoppers rub their wings together to create music, others snap their wings together while flying, and others just rub their hind legs across their front wings.

• Grasshoppers consume green forage at a rate of roughly eight times their weight.

• A grasshopper can leap over obstacles 500 times its own height. In relation to its size, it has the greatest jumping ability of all animals.