Article · Wikipedia archive·Last revised Jul 19, 2026
Pyrgomorphidae
Pyrgomorphidae is a family of grasshoppers in the order Orthoptera; it is the only family in the superfamily Pyrgomorphoidea. Pyrgomorphidae are found worldwide in tropical and warm temperate regions, but the vast majority of the family's approximately 500 species are from Africa, Asia and Australia. Their name is probably derived from pyrgos meaning "tower": a reference to the form (morph) of the head in the type genus Pyrgomorpha and other genera.
Pyrgomorphidae is a family of grasshoppers in the order Orthoptera; it is the only family in the superfamily Pyrgomorphoidea.1 Pyrgomorphidae are found worldwide in tropical and warm temperate regions (though none are from US mainland),1 but the vast majority of the family's approximately 500 species are from Africa, Asia and Australia.2 Their name is probably derived from pyrgos (Greek: Πύργος) meaning "tower": a reference to the form (morph) of the head in the type genus Pyrgomorpha and other genera.
They may sometimes be known as "gaudy grasshoppers",1 due to the striking, bright aposematic colouration of a number of genera, warning of their toxicity.2 However, about 90% of the species in the family are harmless and well-camouflaged,2 with a few, notably Sphenarium, even caught for human consumption.3
Mariño-Pérez, R.; Song, H. (2017). "Phylogeny of the grasshopper family Pyrgomorphidae(Caelifera, Orthoptera) based on morphology". Systematic Entomology. 43 (1): 90–108. doi:10.1111/syen.12251.
Cerritos, R.; Cano-Santana, Z. (2008). "Harvesting grasshoppers Sphenarium purpurascens in Mexico for human consumption: A comparison with insecticidal control for managing pest outbreaks". Crop Protection. 27 (3–5): 473–480. Bibcode:2008CrPro..27..473C. doi:10.1016/j.cropro.2007.08.001.
