Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Authors: Collins and Symes 2012
Explanation of Names
Named after
Dr. Thomas J. Walker, Professor Emeritus, University of Florida, Gainesville.
Identification
Overall color of both sexes light green, often with small amount of yellow on head/face. Eye color yellow. Palpi pale brown or gray. Prominent areas of bright white color on borders of pronotal area. Ventral abdomen pale creamy white. Pedicel and scape pale anteriorly, pure white posteriorly. Antennal markings: pedicel with two vertical black marks, scape with two black marks — inner is vertical and outer horizontal. Antennae dark, often deep black. Tympana on foretibiae light gray. Tarsi black, tibiae dark gray distally graduating to green proximally, femora translucent green. Yellow-brown at femoral-tibial joints. Cerci pale and long (extending to tip of ovipositor in female). Male: hind wings extend beyond distal edge of tegmina. Inner area of metanotal gland appears dark tan; outer rim appears pale green. Female: prominent white bordering dorsal sides of abdomen. Latticed vein pattern on translucent wings. Instar: dorsal abdomen medium green with bright white at both outer edges. A thin white line bordered with dark green runs from head to distal tip of abdomen.
Range
Thus far, only known from extreme southern Texas, Hidalgo and Cameron Counties.
Habitat
Thus far, found only on shrubs or in trees. Found at Resaca de La Palma, Cameron Co. TX, 8 feet+ on seep willows. A group of fairly young willows was growing in a large tall-grassed field. Found at Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park on 3 species of trees. The Holotype was found at eye level on a very young seep willow near the HQ building of the park. Others were heard singing very high in Tepejuage trees.
Season
At least 2 generations per year. (Found as adults in May in Hidalgo and Cameron counties in Texas - which oviposited and offspring emerged in July)
Food
Found on Seep Willow (Baccharis salicipholia), Tepejuage (Leucaena iveruienta) and Sugar Hackberry (Celtis laevigata) trees. (Collins and Symes 2012)
Life Cycle
Click to see Life Cycle photos.
Remarks
Given its proximity to the Mexican border, it is entirely possible they are fairly recent arrivals to the U.S. - which could explain why they have just now been described.
See Also
Similar to other nigricornis species group tree crickets; however, O. walkeri has relatively narrow tegmina and bright white posterior pedicel and scape.
Print References
Collins, N. and Symes, L. 2012.
Oecanthus walkeri: A New Species of Tree Cricket from Texas, Journal of Orthoptera Research, 21(1): 51-56.
Abstract and references - BioOne
