Other Common Names
Short-legged Shield-back Katydid (A. testacea), Eastern Shieldbacks. See
SINA for a list of species and common names.
Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Explanation of Names
Latin
Atlanticus is from Greek
Atlantikos (Ατλαντικο'ς), pertaining to the Titan
Atlas, or the Atlas Mountains in North Africa
(1).
Size
ca. 25-35 mm body length, ♀♀ incl.
ovipositor up to 50 mm
Identification
Males have front wings (
tegmina) shorter than
pronotum. Female wings vestigial and covered by pronotum. Female has long, sword-like
ovipositor. Both male and female of all species are flightless.
Identification of species is challenging. For starters, refer to these illustrations from Rehn and Hebard (1916):
Note that the taxonomy used in that reference is not completely up-to-date.
Range
e. NA; c. & e. Asia
(3) (apparently the only widespread genus of shield-backs in the east)
Habitat
Dry deciduous and mixed woodlands: on ground and in low vegetation
Season
June-October (adults, n. US); May-November (A. gibbosus, FL)
A. americanus--Piedmont, Sandhills, June-July; Mountains July-Sept.
A. gibbosus: Mountains?
A. monticola--Mountains, July-Sept.
A. pachymerus--Piedmont, Coastal Plain, June-August
Food
Omnivorous, eat other insects (living and dead), fruits, leaves, flowers of a variety of vegetation.
Life Cycle
Eggs overwinter in plant tissue or soil, one generation per year; males sing
(5)Print References
The Century Dictionary--entry for
Atlantic, etc.
(1)
(6) illustrations of 2 spp. from MI
Rehn JAG, Hebard M. 1916. Studies in American Tettigoniidae (Orthoptera). VII. A revision of the species of the genus
Atlanticus (Decticinae). Trans. Am. Entomol. Soc. 42: 33-99. pl. 6-8.
Full text [4995 KB]
Internet References
SINA--several species accounts with photos, maps, songs
