Pterophylla camellifolia

Pterophylla camellifolia, the common true katydid, is a common North American insect in the family Tettigoniidae (katydids). Within the Tettigoniidae, it belongs to the subfamily Pseudophyllinae (true katydids). Other common names include northern true katydid and rough-winged katydid.[1][2][3]

Pterophylla camellifolia
Pterophylla camellifolia (common true katydid) at a motel just south of Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Orthoptera
Suborder: Ensifera
Family: Tettigoniidae
Subfamily: Pseudophyllinae
Genus: Pterophylla
Species:
P. camellifolia
Binomial name
Pterophylla camellifolia
(Fabricius, 1775)
Pterophylla camellifolia
Common true katydid nymph on a Mirabilis jalapa flower

The loud, rasping, three-pulsed song, rendered "ka-ty-did", of the male of the nominate northern subspecies is the source of the vernacular name "katydid” as applied to any tettigoniid.[4] It is a nearly flightless species that, in contrast with other katydids, often walks, runs, or hops rather than leaping or flying.[5] It lives in the canopy of deciduous trees, where it feeds on the foliage.[4][5] It can reach up to 50 mm (2 in) in length.[4]

Song

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The singing rate is temperature dependent.[6][7] Four populations of this species can be distinguished by song characteristics:[4]

  • The two-, three-, or four-pulsed song of northern populations, as described above;
  • The faster song with more pulses per phrase, often heard in large, synchronized choruses common to the Southeastern populations;
  • The one- or two-pulsed song of Southwestern populations; and
  • A song of 8 to 15 pulses heard only in central Iowa.

Taxonomy

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This species' original scientific name was Locusta camellifolia. The genus Pterophylla was created for it by Kirby in 1825. Three subspecies are recognized for P. camellifolia:[3]

  • Pterophylla camellifolia camellifolia (Fabricius, 1775) – type locality is in the United States
  • Pterophylla camellifolia dentifera (Hebard, 1941) – type locality is Hempstead County, Arkansas, United States
  • Pterophylla camellifolia intermedia (Caudell, 1906) – type locality is Biloxi, Mississippi, United States

References

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  1. ^ "Pterophylla camellifolia species Information". BugGuide.net. Archived from the original on 12 January 2018. Retrieved 27 December 2019.
  2. ^ "Pterophylla camellifolia Report". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Archived from the original on 25 October 2011. Retrieved 27 December 2019.
  3. ^ a b Otte, Daniel; Cigliano, Maria Marta; Braun, Holger; Eades, David C. (2019). "species Pterophylla camellifolia (Fabricius, 1775)". Orthoptera species file online, Version 5.0. Retrieved 16 October 2019.
  4. ^ a b c d "common true katydid (Pterophylla camellifolia)". Checklist of Katydids North of Mexico. Archived from the original on 15 May 2024. Retrieved 13 August 2018.
  5. ^ a b Capinera, John L.; Walker, Thomas J.; Scott, Ralph D. (2004). Field guide to grasshoppers, katydids, and crickets of the United States. Ithaca, New York: Comstock Publishing Associates, Imprint of Cornell University Press. ISBN 9780801489488.
  6. ^ Franklin, M.; Droege, S.; Dawson, D.; Royle, J.A. (12 August 2009). "Nightly and Seasonal Patterns of Calling in Common True Katydids (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Pterophylla camellifolia)". Journal of Orthoptera Research. 18 (1). BioOne Complete: 15–18. doi:10.1665/034.018.0108. Archived from the original on 10 August 2021. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
  7. ^ Elliott, Lang; Hershberger, Wil (2007). "Common True Katydid (Pterophylla camellifolia)". Songs of Insects.