Species Paracyrtophyllus robustus - Truncated True Katydid
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Orthoptera (Grasshoppers, Crickets, Katydids)
Suborder Ensifera (Long-horned Orthoptera)
Family Tettigoniidae (Katydids)
Subfamily Pseudophyllinae (True Katydids)
Genus Paracyrtophyllus (Western True Katydids)
Species robustus (Truncated True Katydid)
Other Common Names
Central Texas Leaf-Katydid
CenTex Leaf-did, nick name
Explanation of Names
Central Texas Leaf-Katydid, first used by Taber & Fleenor (2003) (1) is more descriptive than Truncated True Katydid used on the Singing Insects of North America website.
Numbers
There are four species of True katydids - Subfamily Pseudophyllinae in the U.S.
Size
33-42 mm
Identification
True katydids have leaf-like wings that form cups enclosing the abdomen. (The cupped wings probably serve to amplify their sounds.) Antennae longer and stiffer than in other katydids
Range
Central Texas
Habitat
Oak Woodland
Season
June - September
Food
Feed on Oaks. During outbreaks, they are known for defoliating Post Oak (Quercus stellata) and plateau live oak (Quercus fusiformis).
Life Cycle
Only one generation per year (thankfully!)
Remarks
Katydids normally sing only at night, but during outbreaks they sing day and night (and how!!!)
See Also
Pterophylla camellifolia and Paracyrtophyllus excelsus
Print References
Hebard, M. 1941. The group Pterophyllae as found in the United States (Tettigoniidae: Pseudophyllinae). Transactions of the American Entomological Society 67: 197-219, 2 pl.
