Tridactyloidea

a superfamily of insects of the order Or-thoptera that bear a physical resemblance to mole crickets. The body measures 4–9 mm in length. The antennae are short. The elytra are short and compact, while the wings may be longer or shorter than the elytra. The anterior legs are used for digging, and the posterior ones for hopping. The tarsus of the posterior leg consists of a single segment arranged between two spurs of the tibia (hence the name).

The insects live along the banks of bodies of water and dig holes in the wet sand. They are good jumpers and are capable of swimming. There are herbivorous and predatory forms. The superfamily embraces approximately 50 species, which are encountered mostly in the tropics and subtropics. Four species belonging to the genus Tridactylus occur in the USSR. Fossilized forms are found in Cretaceous deposits in Siberia.