Katydids (belong to the family Tettigoniidae), and are sometimes referred to as “bush crickets” and “long-horned grasshoppers”

Many katydids species are nocturnal, and rest during the day. There camouflaged appearance providing protection on vegetation. Their calls can be heard at night, the sound being produced by the special structures on their wings when rasped together. Whilst katydids have large hind legs, unlike grasshoppers and crickets, they prefer to walk or fly to get around.

Katydid - Taeniomenae (genus group), Alice Springs Desert Park NT
Katydid – Taeniomenae (genus group), Alice Springs Desert Park NT
Woodger's Gumleaf Katydid (Terpandrus woodgeri), Alice Springs NT
Woodger’s Gumleaf Katydid (Terpandrus woodgeri), Alice Springs NT
32-spotted Katydid (Ephippitytha trigintiduoguttata), Gold Coast QLD © Stefan Jones
32-spotted Katydid (Ephippitytha trigintiduoguttata), Gold Coast QLD © Stefan Jones
  • Scientific classification
  • Kingdom: Animalia
  • Phylum: Arthropoda
  • Subphylum: Hexapoda
  • Class: Insecta
  • Informal: Pterygotes
  • Order: Orthoptera
  • Suborder: Ensifera
  • Superfamily: Tettigonioidea
  • Family: Tettigoniidae
  • Subfamily:
    • Austrosaginae Rentz, 1993
    • Conocephalinae Burmeister, 1838
    • Hexacentrinae Karny, 1925
    • Listroscelidinae Redtenbacher, 1891
    • Meconematinae Burmeister, 1838
    • Mecopodinae Walker, 1871
    • Microtettigoniinae Rentz, 1979
    • Phaneropterinae Burmeister, 1838
    • Phasmodinae Caudell, 1912
    • Phyllophorinae Stål, 1874
    • Pseudophyllinae Burmeister, 1838
    • Tettigoniinae Krauss, 1902
    • Tympanophorinae Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1893
    • Zaprochilinae Handlirsch, 1925

Footnote & References

  1. Orthoptera, Atlas of Living Australia, https://bie.ala.org.au/species/https://biodiversity.org.au/afd/taxa/0192736e-0955-4830-9977-61e07c843b28
  2. Katydids (Family Tettigoniidae), iNaturalistAU, https://inaturalist.ala.org.au/taxa/48124-Tettigoniidae
  3. Tettigoniidae, Katydids, Long-horned grasshoppers, CSIRO Entomology, https://www.ento.csiro.au/education/insects/orthoptera_families/tettiginiidae.html
  4. Australian Orthopteroids, iNaturalist, https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/australian-orthopteroids

OrthopteraAustralian Orthopteroid Index Garden Mantis Grasshoppers Blistered Pyrgomorph Giant Grasshopper (Valanga irregularis) Macrotona Queensland Spotted Pyrgomorph (Greyacris profundesulcata) Katydids (family Tettigoniidae)

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