Leaf-mimic katydid

Last updated

There are many insects in the family Tettigoniidae (bush crickets or katydids) which are mimics of leaves. [1] At a distance the katydid is an example of crypsis evading detection by blending into its background; up close the katydid mimics a leaf. [2]

This type of camouflage occurs in several subfamilies, among others including:

Other unrelated insects adopting a similar camouflage strategy include the leaf insects.

References

  1. James L. Castner & David A. Nickle (1995). "Intraspecific color polymorphism in leaf-mimicking katydids (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Pseudophyllinae: Pterochrozini)". Journal of Orthoptera Research . 4 (4): 99–103. doi:10.2307/3503464. JSTOR   3503464.
  2. Endler, John A. (August 1981). "An overview of the relationships between mimicry and crypsis". Biological Journal of the Linnean Society. 16 (1): 25–31. doi:10.1111/j.1095-8312.1981.tb01840.x.
  3. Orthoptera species file (retrieved 13 January 2018)