Dichopetala nymph female - Arethaea brevicauda

Moved

… john and jane balaban, 2 November, 2009 - 6:19pm

Had to say something...

I've been collecting Dichos in TX and AZ for the past three autumns and I've got to say, this isn't Dichopetala. I wanted to confirm my suspicions with my advisor, Dr. Cohn, before I posted (he's currently revising Dichopetala) and he agrees with my identification: this is a female Arethaea. Now whether this is a nymph or an adult is hard to say because apparently there are some species of Arethaea with short wings (coyotero, I think being one example). I'm also aware of all the work Thomas J. Walker has done in the Orthoptera but I think it is clear enough that my assignment is correct. And while these next points are subjective, the droopy bulbous look and pastel coloring of the abdomen are more characteristic of Arethaea.

… drswanny, 17 October, 2009 - 10:02pm

Update

This is likely an adult gravid female as indicated by the widely extended abdominal segments. The ovipositor is too pointed for Dichopetala even for a nymph. The white lateral markings of the pronotum also match some species of Arethaea while no Dichopetala has those white marginal stripes. UMMZ has a specimen almost identical in color pattern and ovipositor shape from central Texas that is clearly an Arethaea species.

I consulted Hebard's 1936 revision and given the short wings and locality, this is Arethaea brevicauda. Several records of A. brevicauda are listed not far from this locality and it is the only micropterous species known from California.

… drswanny, 1 November, 2009 - 9:33pm

update

Thanks for your comments. Somehow I missed your October posting. I'm checking out Arethaea now. Hebard's 1936 revision is on the web, which is fortunate. The locale of A. brevicauda is suitable.

… Lynn Monroe, 2 November, 2009 - 6:15pm

Moved

Moved from ID Request.

… john and jane balaban, 29 July, 2009 - 5:04pm

Some interesting Katydids

on the bottom of this page

… john and jane balaban, 17 July, 2009 - 4:37pm

Dichopetala

Thanks for steering us to "some interesting Datydids." I checked out your katydids and it looked the most like a Dichopetala. We also tried all other genera, but nothing except Dichopetala seemed to fit. But no Dichopetala have been reported as far west as California. So I asked Dr. Walker. See update above.

… Lynn Monroe, 29 July, 2009 - 4:40pm

Thanks so much.

I'll check all of them out tomorrow. Several of them seem quite similar to our. Thanks so muck for the link!

… Lynn Monroe, 17 July, 2009 - 6:17pm