Saginae

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Predatory katydids
Saga 2004 7 CB.jpg
Mature Saga pedo
Scientific classification
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Saginae

The Saginae, commonly known as the predatory katydids or predatory bush-crickets, is a subfamily of the family Tettigoniidae (the bush-crickets or katydids). They are mostly found in Europe, [1] west and central Asia and southern Africa. [2]

Contents

The Saginae are specialist carnivores, which is unusual among the Orthoptera. [3] Their specialist carnivory and appropriately adapted digestive tracts even were regarded as unique in the order Orthoptera, but at least some members of two other subfamilies, the Austrosaginae and Listroscelidinae are partly or completely predatory as well, and until recently those subfamilies were included in the Saginae.

Genera and selected Species

Clonia wahlbergi Winged Predatory Katydid (Clonia wahlbergi) (6860331798).jpg
Clonia wahlbergi

Description

Saga pedo about to oviposit an egg in soil Saga 2006 4 CB.jpg
Saga pedo about to oviposit an egg in soil

Members of the Saginae are gracile and elongated in build compared to say, most locusts or crickets, but their four anterior walking legs, as opposed to their two posterior leaping legs, are powerful and lined with spines, mainly along their inner edges. They apply those inner spines in clasping their prey. Some species have spines on the outer surfaces and on the leaping legs as well; those external spines probably are defensive in function. The jaws of Saginae are not spectacular, but are large, powerful, sharp, and businesslike, as befits predators, and the insects do not hesitate to bite when handled.

The Saginae are large insects, some species with a body length of more than 50 mm, not counting the antennae or ovipositor, which are long, typically about as long as the body.

The ovipositor is long and sword-like, and used for oviposition in soil.

Related Research Articles

Tettigoniidae Family of insects

Insects in the family Tettigoniidae are commonly called katydids, or bush crickets. They have previously been known as "long-horned grasshoppers". More than 6,400 species are known. Part of the suborder Ensifera, the Tettigoniidae are the only extant (living) family in the superfamily Tettigonioidea.

Gryllidae Family of crickets

The family Gryllidae contains the subfamilies and genera which entomologists now term true crickets. They belong to the Orthopteran subfamily Ensifera, having long, whip-like antennae and has been reduced in terms of the older literature, with taxa such as the spider-crickets and allies, sword-tail crickets, wood or ground crickets and scaly crickets elevated to family level. The type genus is Gryllus and the first use of the family name "Gryllidae" was by Walker.

Ensifera Suborder of cricket-like animals

Ensifera is a suborder of insects that includes the various types of crickets and their allies including: true crickets, camel crickets, bush crickets or katydids, grigs, weta and Cooloola monsters. This and the suborder Caelifera make up the order Orthoptera. Ensifera is believed to be a more ancient group than Caelifera, with its origins in the Carboniferous period, the split having occurred at the end of the Permian period. Unlike the Caelifera, the Ensifera contain numerous members that are partially carnivorous, feeding on other insects, as well as plants.

Bandwing Subfamily of grasshoppers

Bandwings, or band-winged grasshoppers, are the subfamily Oedipodinae of grasshoppers classified under the family Acrididae. They have a worldwide distribution and were originally elevated to full family status as the Oedipodidae. Many species primarily inhabit xeric weedy fields, and some are considered to be important locusts:

<i>Saga pedo</i> Species of cricket-like animal

Saga pedo is a species of bush cricket, spread throughout the European part of the Mediterranean, and Asia as far east as China. It is a wingless bush cricket, with the body size of up to 12 centimetres (4.7 in), which makes it one of the largest European insects and one of the world's largest Orthoptera. Colloquially known as the predatory bush cricket, or the spiked magician, it is uncommon among its kind due to its carnivorous lifestyle, most often preying on smaller insects, with a known tendency towards cannibalism as well. For this purpose, it has strong fore and mid legs, equipped with sharp spines. When these animals are hunting, they move about, catching their prey by suddenly leaping on them and grabbing them with their legs. Their prey is usually killed by biting into the throat, and eating is done at capture. Saga pedo is active at dusk and during nighttime, with activity slowly expanding through the day at the end of the season.

Trigonidiinae Subfamily of crickets

Trigonidiinae is a subfamily of insects in the order Orthoptera, suborder Ensifera, based on the type genus Trigonidium. They are often referred to as sword-tail crickets, winged bush crickets or trigs.

Pseudophyllinae Subfamily of cricket-like animals

The subfamily Pseudophyllinae contains numerous species in the family Tettigoniidae, the katydids or bush crickets. Sometimes called "true katydids", together with the crickets of suborder Ensifera, they form part of the insect order Orthoptera which also contains grasshoppers.

Phaneropterinae Subfamily of cricket-like animals

The Phaneropterinae, the sickle-bearing bush crickets or leaf katydids, are a subfamily of insects within the family Tettigoniidae. Nearly 2,060 species in 85 genera throughout the world are known. They are also known as false katydids or round-headed katydids.

Tridactylidae Family of [[Caelifera]]

The Tridactylidae are a family in the insect order Orthoptera. They are small, mole-cricket-like insects, almost always less than 20 mm (0.79 in) long when mature. Generally they are shiny, dark or black, sometimes variegated or sandy-coloured. They commonly live in short tunnels and are commonly known as pygmy mole crickets, though they are not closely related to the true "mole crickets" (Ensifera), as they are included in the Caelifera suborder.

Panoploscelis is a genus of very large insects belonging to the true katydid tribe Eucocconotini, which is a subfamily of the katydids. Like the other members of the suborder Ensifera, Panoploscelis are part of the insect order Orthoptera, which also contains crickets, grasshoppers and locusts. Members of this genus are among the largest katydids of the Neotropics.

<i>Zabalius</i> Genus of cricket-like animals

Zabalius is a genus of bush crickets or katydids in the subfamily Pseudophyllinae. Its distribution is essentially Afrotropical. They are generally heavily built, tree-dwelling herbivorous katydids, capable of flight.

Copiphorini Tribe of insects

The Copiphorini are a tribe of bush crickets or katydids in the family Tettigoniidae. Previously considered a subfamily, they are now placed in the subfamily Conocephalinae. Like some other members of Conocephalinae, they are known as coneheads, grasshopper-like insects with an extended, cone-shaped projection on their heads that juts forward in front of the base of the antennae.

Grylloidea Superfamily of cricket-like animals

Grylloidea is the superfamily of insects, in the order Orthoptera, known as crickets. It includes the "true crickets", scaly crickets, wood crickets and other families, some only known from fossils.

<i>Saga</i> (bush cricket) Genus of cricket-like animals

Saga is a genus of bush crickets or katydids containing around 15 species as of 2018. It is the only genus in the tribe Sagini and belongs to the subfamily Saginae. Species have been recorded from mainland Europe and western Asia.

Agraeciini Tribe of cricket-like animals

Agraeciini is a large tribe of bush crickets or katydids in the conehead subfamily, Conocephalinae.

<i>Clonia</i> (bush cricket) Genus of cricket-like animals

Clonia is an African genus of bush crickets in the subfamily Saginae.

Clonia (Hemiclonia) melanoptera, the giant black-winged clonia, is a species of predatory bush crickets in the subfamily Saginae. It is found in South Africa.

<i>Caedicia simplex</i> Species of insect

Caedicia simplex is a species of bush cricket, native to New Zealand. It is also found in Australia. Its common name is the common garden katydid.

Peringueyella is a genus of bush crickets in the subfamily Saginae with species found in Africa.

Cloniella is a genus of bush crickets in the subfamily Saginae with species found in Africa.

References

  1. Lemonnier-Darcemont M., Darcemont C., Heller K.-G., Dutrillaux A.-M. & Dutrillaux B., (2016) : Saginae of Europe. Édition G.E.E.M., Cannes, France. 208 pp. ISBN   978-2-9537533-9-4
  2. Orthoptera species file (retrieved 3 January 2018)
  3. Holm, E.; Scholtz, C. H. (1985). Insects of southern Africa. London: Butterworths. ISBN   0-409-10487-6.