1,2M.Sc., Ph.D. Pursuing, Department of Biosciences, Division Zoology, Career Point University, Hamirpur, Himachal Pradesh, India-176041
3M.Sc., M.Phil., Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Biosciences, Division Zoology, Career Point University, Hamirpur, Himachal Pradesh, India-176041
Email: Neha29katnoria@gmail.com (Corresponding Author)
Received: 16th Dec, 2025; Revised: 8th Feb, 2026; Accepted: 12th Feb, 2026; Available Online: 28th Feb, 2026
Order Orthoptera consists of medium to large sized land insects including grasshoppers, locusts, crickets and wetas. These insects are globally distributed with the highest diversity found in tropical regions. Order Orthoptera is categorized into two suborders: Caelifera and Ensifera. Suborder Caelifera which include short horned grasshoppers and suborder Ensifera which comprises long horned grasshoppers, crickets, katydids and wetas. Suborder Ensifera is notable for species that communicate via sound and members typically feature long and multi segmented antennae. Ensiferans species serve significant ecological roles in food webs and as indicators of ecosystem health. This suborder contains two infraorders; Gryllidea and Tettigoniidea. The Gryllidae family classified under the infraorder Gryllidea and is known for its diverse species including field crickets that produce sound through stridulation. In contrast, the Tettigoniidae family belonging to the infraorder Tettigoniidea and consists of katydids which are recognized for their leaf like appearance and intricate mating behaviors. Both families have a global distribution with significant biodiversity in India and Himachal Pradesh where numerous species have been identified. This is a detailed review covering the diversity, ecological significance, molecular work and distribution of species of family Gryllidae and Tettigoniidae. Cytochrome c Oxidase Subunit 1 (COI) and 16S rRNA are the most common mitochondrial genes used for species identification. The COI gene is commonly used in DNA barcoding because its variation within and between species allows for precise taxonomic identification. This review explores the diversity and ecological role of order Orthoptera highlighting the molecular tools of studying their taxonomy and evolution.
Keywords: Orthoptera, Caelifera, Ensifera, Grylloidea, Tettigonioidea, Diversity, Mitochondrial DNA, COI gene, 16S rRNA gene, Molecular work.
How to cite this article: Daroch N, Choudhary N, Katnoria N. A Review on Diversity, Ecological Significance and Molecular Insights Of Family Gryllidae And Tettigoniidae (Orthoptera: Ensifera). Int J Drug Deliv Technol. 2026;16(5s): 639-651; DOI: 10.25258/ijddt.16.5s.82
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Conflict of interest: None