Lodovico Salvi https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_HsEz9uP2IzwC/page/n5/mode/2up
Lodovico (Ludovico) Salvi, was an Italian philosopher and theologian, who included illustrations of a male tree cricket, a female tree cricket, and a stem with oviposition holes, in his article published over 270 years ago (Salvi 1750). In Voices of a Summer Night (Lioy 1866), Salvi was recognized as being the first person to publish an article about a tree cricket. His 1750 article was published 13 years before the first tree cricket was officially described (Oecanthus pellucens Scopoli, 1763).
| (Oecanthus) pellucens (Scopoli, 1763) | 1763 |
| species group niveus (De Geer, 1773) | 1773 |
| (Oecanthus) niveus (De Geer, 1773) | 1773 |
| (Oecanthus) bipunctata (De Geer, 1773) | 1773 |
| superfamily Grylloidea Laicharting, 1781 | 1781 |
| family Gryllidae Laicharting, 1781 | 1781 |
| genus Oecanthus Serville, 1831 | 1831 |
| Oecanthus rufescens Serville, 1838 | 1838 |
| subfamily Oecanthinae Blanchard, 1845 | 1845 |
| Oecanthus nigricornis Walker, 1869 | 1869 |
| species group varicornis Walker, 1869 | 1869 |
| Oecanthus peruvianus Walker, 1869 | 1869 |
| Oecanthus sinensis Walker, 1869 | 1869 |
| Oecanthus tenuis Walker, 1869 | 1869 |
| (Neoxabea) formosa (Walker, 1869) | 1869 |
| genus Xabea Walker, 1869 | 1869 |
| Xabea decora Walker, 1869 | 1869 |
| Xabea filiger Walker, 1871 | 1871 |
| Oecanthus argentinus Saussure, 1874 | 1874 |
| Oecanthus californicus Saussure, 1874 | 1874 |
| Oecanthus burmeisteri Saussure, 1877 | 1877 |
| Oecanthus brevicauda Saussure, 1878 | 1878 |
| Oecanthus capensis Saussure, 1878 | 1878 |
| Oecanthus indicus Saussure, 1878 | 1878 |
| Oecanthus minutus Saussure, 1878 | 1878 |
| Oecanthus latipennis Riley, 1881 | 1881 |
| Oecanthus lineolatus Saussure, 1897 | 1892 |
| Oecanthus comptulus Karsch, 1893 | 1893 |
| Oecanthus macer Karsch, 1893 | 1893 |
| Oecanthus pini Beutenmüller, 1894 | 1894 |
| Oecanthus quadripunctatus Beutenmüller, 1894 | 1894 |
| genus Prognathogryllus Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1895 | 1895 |
| Prognathogryllus forficularis (Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1895) | 1895 |
| Prognathogryllus alatus Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1895 | 1895 |
| Oecanthus varicornis Walker, 1869 | 1896 |
| genus Leptogryllus Perkins, 1899 | 1899 |
| Leptogryllus apicalis Perkins, 1899 | 1899 |
| Leptogryllus deceptor Perkins, 1899 | 1899 |
| Leptogryllus elongatus Perkins, 1899 | 1899 |
| Leptogryllus fusconotatus Perkins, 1899 | 1899 |
| Leptogryllus kauaiensis Perkins, 1899 | 1899 |
| Leptogryllus nigrolineatus (Perkins, 1899) | 1899 |
| Leptogryllus nigromaculatus Perkins, 1899 | 1899 |
| Leptogryllus similis Perkins, 1899 | 1899 |
| Leptogryllus simillimus Perkins, 1899 | 1899 |
| Prognathogryllus elongatus Perkins, 1899 | 1899 |
| Prognathogryllus inexspectatus Perkins, 1899 | 1899 |
| Leptogryllus oahuensis Perkins, 1899 | 1899 |
| Prognathogryllus robustus Perkins, 1899 | 1899 |
| Prognathogryllus stridulans (Perkins, 1899) | 1899 |
| genus Thaumatogryllus Perkins, 1899 | 1899 |
| Thaumatogryllus variegatus Perkins, 1899 | 1899 |
| Oecanthus forbesi Titus, 1903 | 1903 |
| Oecanthus longicauda Matsumura, 1904 | 1904 |
| species group rileyi Baker, 1905 | 1905 |
| Oecanthus rileyi Baker, 1905 | 1905 |
| Oecanthus immaculatus Bruner, 1906 | 1906 |
| genus Neoxabea Kirby, 1906 | 1906 |
| Oecanthus exclamationis Davis, 1907 | 1907 |
| Leptogryllus apicalis Perkins, 1910 | 1910 |
| Leptogryllus deceptor Perkins, 1910 | 1910 |
| Oecanthus turanicus Uvarov, 1912 | 1912 |
| Neoxabea brevipes Rehn, 1913 | 1913 |
| Neoxabea meridionalis Bruner, 1916 | 1916 |
| Neoxabea obscurifrons Bruner, 1916 | 1916 |
| Oecanthus pictipes Rehn, 1917 | 1917 |
| suborder Ensifera Chopard. 1921. Jour. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 27:765 | 1921 |
| Oecanthus angustus Chopard, 1925 | 1925 |
| Xabea furcata Chopard, 1927 | 1927 |
| genus Paraphasius Chopard, 1927 | 1927 |
| Paraphasius lepturoides Chopard, 1927 | 1927 |
| Neoxabea trinodosa Hebard, 1928 | 1928 |
| Xabea inermis Chopard, 1930 | 1930 |
| Xabea maculata Chopard, 1930 | 1930 |
| Xabea decorsei Chopard, 1932 | 1932 |
| Oecanthus karschi Chopard, 1932 | 1932 |
| Oecanthus rectinervis Chopard, 1932 | 1932 |
| Oecanthus rufopictus Chopard, 1932 | 1932 |
| Oecanthus similis Chopard, 1932 | 1932 |
| Oecanthus henryi Chopard, 1936 | 1936 |
| Oecanthus bilineatus Chopard & Chatterjee, 1937 | 1937 |
| genus group Prognathogryllus Group Zimmerman, 1948 [temporary name] | 1948 |
| Xabea leai Chopard, 1951 | 1951 |
| Xabea podoscirtoides Chopard, 1951 | 1951 |
| Oecanthus chopardi Uvarov, 1957 | 1957 |
| Oecanthus allardi Walker & Gurney, 1960 | 1960 |
| Oecanthus leptogrammus Walker, 1962 | 1962 |
| Oecanthus fultoni Walker, 1962 | 1962 |
| Oecanthus celerinictus Walker, 1963 | 1963 |
| Oecanthus laricis Walker, 1963 | 1963 |
| Oecanthus comma Walker, 1967 | 1967 |
| Oecanthus major Walker, 1967 | 1967 |
| Oecanthus nanus Walker, 1967 | 1967 |
| Oecanthus prolatus Walker, 1967 | 1967 |
| Neoxabea astales Walker, 1967 | 1967 |
| Neoxabea enodis Walker, 1967 | 1967 |
| Neoxabea femorata Walker, 1967 | 1967 |
| Neoxabea lepta Walker, 1967 | 1967 |
| Neoxabea quadrula Walker, 1967 | 1967 |
| Viphyus bifasciatus (Chopard, 1968) | 1968 |
| Oecanthus jamaicensis Walker, 1969 | 1969 |
| Oecanthus latipennis Chopard, 1969 | 1969 |
| Xabea recticercis Chopard, 1969 | 1969 |
| Xabea zonata Chopard, 1969 | 1969 |
| Thaumatogryllus cavicola Gurney & Rentz, 1978 | 1978 |
| Oecanthus adyeri Otte & Alexander, 1983 | 1983 |
| tribe Xabeini Vickery & Kevan, 1983 | 1983 |
| genus group Xabea Group Vickery & Kevan, 1983 [temporary name] | 1983 |
| Xabea atalaia Otte & Alexander, 1983 | 1983 |
| Xabea elderra Otte & Alexander, 1983 | 1983 |
| Xabea tumbarumba Otte & Alexander, 1983 | 1983 |
| Xabea wyebo Otte & Alexander, 1983 | 1983 |
| genus Oecanthodes Toms & Otte, 1988 | 1988 |
| Oecanthodes anomala Toms & Otte, 1988 | 1988 |
| Oecanthus dissimilis Toms & Otte, 1988 | 1988 |
| Oecanthus galpini Toms & Otte, 1988 | 1988 |
| Oecanthus neofiliger Toms & Otte, 1988 | 1988 |
| Oecanthus neosimilis Toms & Otte, 1988 | 1988 |
| Oecanthus pseudosimilis Otte, 1988 | 1988 |
| Oecanthus socians Otte, 1988 | 1988 |
| Oecanthus sycomorus Toms & Otte, 1988 | 1988 |
| genus Viphyus Otte, 1988 | 1988 |
| Viphyus livingstonei Otte, 1988 | 1988 |
| Viphyus victorinoxi Otte, 1988 | 1988 |
| Xabea levissima Gorochov, 1992 | 1992 |
| Oecanthus dulcisonans Gorochov, 1993 | 1993 |
| Oecanthus antennalis Liu, Yin & Xia, 1994 | 1994 |
| Leptogryllus hanaula Otte, 1994 | 1994 |
| Leptogryllus haupu Otte, 1994 | 1994 |
| Leptogryllus kaala Otte, 1994 | 1994 |
| Leptogryllus kainalu Otte, 1994 | 1994 |
| Leptogryllus kawela Otte, 1994 | 1994 |
| Leptogryllus kipahulu Otte, 1994 | 1994 |
| Leptogryllus kohala Otte, 1994 | 1994 |
| Leptogryllus lanaiensis Otte, 1994 | 1994 |
| Leptogryllus luteus Otte, 1994 | 1994 |
| Leptogryllus mauiensis Otte, 1994 | 1994 |
| Leptogryllus mauumae Otte, 1994 | 1994 |
| Leptogryllus molokai Otte, 1994 | 1994 |
| Leptogryllus montgomeri Otte, 1994 | 1994 |
| Leptogryllus oahuensis Otte, 1994 | 1994 |
| Leptogryllus ookala Otte, 1994 | 1994 |
| Leptogryllus perkinsi Otte, 1994 | 1994 |
| Leptogryllus poamoho Otte, 1994 | 1994 |
| Leptogryllus waikemoi Otte, 1994 | 1994 |
| Prognathogryllus alapa Otte, 1994 | 1994 |
| Prognathogryllus alternatus Otte, 1994 | 1994 |
| Prognathogryllus aphrastos Otte, 1994 | 1994 |
| Prognathogryllus awili Otte, 1994 | 1994 |
| Prognathogryllus epimeces Otte, 1994 | 1994 |
| Prognathogryllus flavidus Otte, 1994 | 1994 |
| Prognathogryllus giganteus Otte, 1994 | 1994 |
| Prognathogryllus hana Otte, 1994 | 1994 |
| Prognathogryllus haupu Otte, 1994 | 1994 |
| Prognathogryllus hea Otte, 1994 | 1994 |
| Prognathogryllus hypomacron Otte, 1994 | 1994 |
| Prognathogryllus kahea Otte, 1994 | 1994 |
| Prognathogryllus kahili Otte, 1994 | 1994 |
| Prognathogryllus kipahulu Otte, 1994 | 1994 |
| Prognathogryllus kohala Otte, 1994 | 1994 |
| Prognathogryllus kukui Otte, 1994 | 1994 |
| Prognathogryllus makai Otte, 1994 | 1994 |
| Prognathogryllus makakapua Otte, 1994 | 1994 |
| Prognathogryllus mauka Otte, 1994 | 1994 |
| Prognathogryllus olympus Otte, 1994 | 1994 |
| Prognathogryllus opua Otte, 1994 | 1994 |
| Prognathogryllus parakahili Otte, 1994 | 1994 |
| Prognathogryllus parakukui Otte, 1994 | 1994 |
| Prognathogryllus pararobustus Otte, 1994 | 1994 |
| Prognathogryllus pihea Otte, 1994 | 1994 |
| Prognathogryllus puna Otte, 1994 | 1994 |
| Prognathogryllus spadix Otte, 1994 | 1994 |
| Prognathogryllus victoriae Otte, 1994 | 1994 |
| Prognathogryllus waikemoi Otte, 1994 | 1994 |
| Prognathogryllus weli Otte, 1994 | 1994 |
| Thaumatogryllus conanti Otte, 1994 | 1994 |
| Thaumatogryllus mauiensis Otte, 1994 | 1994 |
| Oecanthus euryelytra Ichikawa, 2001 | 2001 |
| Oecanthus similator Ichikawa, 2001 | 2001 |
| Oecanthus zhengi Xie, 2003 | 2003 |
| Oecanthus alexanderi Walker, 2010 | 2010 |
| Oecanthus walkeri Collins & Symes, 2012 | 2012 |
| Oecanthus pallidus Zefa, 2012 | 2012 |
| Oecanthus texensis Symes & Collins, 2013 | 2013 |
| Oecanthus bakeri Collins & van den Berghe, 2014 | 2014 |
| Oecanthus belti Collins & van den Berghe, 2014 | 2014 |
| Oecanthus symesi Collins & van den Berghe, 2014 | 2014 |
| Neoxabea cerrojesusensis Collins & van den Berghe, 2014 | 2014 |
| Neoxabea ottei Collins & van den Berghe, 2014 | 2014 |
| Oecanthus pictus Milach & Zefa, 2015 | 2015 |
| Oecanthus valensis Milach & Zefa, 2016 | 2016 |
| Oecanthus oceanicus He, 2018 | 2018 |
| Oecanthus mhatreae Collins & Coronado González, 2019 | 2019 |
| Oecanthus salvii Collins, 2020 | 2020 |
| 17 genera and 131 species moved into Oecanthinae | 2020 |
Oecanthus rohiniae Collins & Coronado González, 2021
Oecanthus beameri Collins & Lightfoot, 2022
Oecanthus rubromaculatus Zefa, 2022
Oecanthus atomatus Ma & Zheng, 2024
Oecanthus bixuxi Acosta, Mendes & Zefa, 2024
Oecanthus fascipes Ma & Zheng, 2024
Oecanthus latipennulus Braun, 2024
Oecanthus cartaneus Felix & Bouwman, 2025
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Nomenclature assigned to tree crickets has had an interesting, at times confusing, history. As with all living creatures, confusion was bound to happen prior to widespread use of the internet. Imagine a researcher from Europe collecting specimens in South America in the 1800’s, while a researcher from the United States did the same, and could have given different species names for identical creatures. As communication became quicker and easier, these occurrences would become less frequent. Dedicated researchers reached out to curators of collections from around the world to examine and compare specimens many years later, and some species names were decided to be nomen dubium (doubtful name). You will notice that many of these naming issues involved Oecanthus niveus – which was one of the first tree cricket species named.
Some name confusions:
Gryllus niveus was the original name of Oecanthus niveus
Gryllus bipunctatus was the original name of Neoxabea bipunctata
Oecanthus punctulatus (Dotted Flower-Cricket) was previously used for N. bipunctata
O. niveus waspreviously known as White Flower-Cricket
O. niveus waspreviously used for O. fultoni
O. angustipennis was previously used for O. niveus
O. discoloratus was previously used for O. niveus
O. fuscipes was previously used for O. niveus
O. fasciatus (Striped Flower-Cricket) was previously used for O. nigricornis
O. argentinus in Argentina– could be O. valensis
O. bakeri – could be O. marcosensis
Exactly when the term ‘tree cricket’ began, and by whom, is uncertain. The earliest writing found by this author about this group of crickets was a 1750 article by Lodovico Salvi. He called them locuste grillajole (locust cricket), but there is no mention of ‘arbole’ or tree in the article. In 1763, Giovanni Scopoli described Gryllus pellucens; and in 1773, Charles DeGeer described Gryllus niveus and Gryllus bipunctata. Neither author referred to them as tree crickets.
In 1831, J. G. Audinet-Serville described the genus of Oecanthus with a translation of ‘dwells on flowers.’ The next reference to the type of plants they inhabited was by Asa Fitch in 1856 – he called them flower-crickets. Writings by Brunner von Wattenwyl in 1873 and 1882 described them as inhabiting flowers and bushes.
In 1905, J. L. Hancock wrote a paper about Oecanthus nigricornis which he titled ‘The habits of the striped meadow cricket.’ The first use of the term ‘tree cricket’ found by this author was by A. Shull in 1907 in his paper ‘The stridulation of the snowy tree-cricket.’ Subsequent articles by authors used the term tree crickets when writing about these insects.