Phaneropterinae species comparison — Life in a Southern Forest

Workbook

This page is a compilation of images and diagnostic features to aid identification of phaneropterine katydids.

See also unpublished notes pages from April 4, 2019
Polichne

Caedicia

Diastella

Torbia

Torbia spp.

Diagnostic features (from Rentz, 2010)

a flat dorsal surface of the pronotum (Fig. A, white arrow)

a broad lateral lobe…nearly as long as the dorsal length of the pronotum itself (Fig. A, black arrow)
narrow, laterally compressed thoracic sterna (Fig. B)
meso- and metathoracic lobes longer than broad (Fig. B, black arrows)

Fig. A

Fig. B

Torbia perficita

Diagnostic features (from Rentz, 2010)

large size
veins of tegmina strongly indicated both in structure and emphasised by colour (Fig. A)
posterior margin of pronotum well-produced (Fig. A)
pinkish-purple, prominent mark on thorax (Fig. B)
venation at the base of the male’s left tegmen (Figs. C, D)

Fig. C

Fig. D

iNaturalist observations:

(found dead on Old Bridge Road

adult male reared from eggs collected in early spring 2021 (see Growing up blog)

adult female reared from eggs collected in early spring 2021

Torbia viridissima

Diagnostic features (from Rentz, 2010)

“This species is found from coast to coast in almost all habitats where eucalypts occur. Like T. perficita, there are marks on the thorax. In addition, the posterior margin of the lateral lobe of the pronotum is produced. The veins of the tegmina are not as well indicated as in that species.”

Original description (Brunner von Wattenwyl)

“Bright-green and whitish. Pronotum with rough, transverse ridges very minute or absent. Elytra in the middle about one and a half times as wide as the length of the pronotum; transverse veinlets in the marginal area rather remote, radial branch forked in the middle. Size small.”
Length of body Male 22mm, Female 25mm
Length of pronotum Male 5mm, Female 6mm
Length of elytra Male 31mm, Female 40mm (31mm measured from syntype in OSF)
Width of elytra Male 7.5mm, Female 11mm (6mm measured from syntype in OSF)
Length of hind femora Male 20mm, Female 26mm (21mm measured from syntype in OSF)
Length of ovipositor 4mm

Images below from Orthoptera Species File

female syntype

female syntype - cerci

iNaturalist observations:

https://inaturalist.ala.org.au/observations/104437286 (adult from Woombah)

https://inaturalist.ala.org.au/observations/104437394 (adult from Woombah)

https://inaturalist.ala.org.au/observations/107530987 (adult female Wonboyn)

https://inaturalist.ala.org.au/observations/141054519 (early instar nymph Wonboyn)

Genus Novum 16, Species 1

We sighted this katydid on lightsheets on two occasions.
Following images are from 4th April, 2019 when several individuals were seen. (https://inaturalist.ala.org.au/observations/109987812)

Fig. A

Fig. B

Fig. C

Fig. D

Fig. E

Fig. F

The following images are of a single individual seen on lightsheet on 29th March, 2022. https://inaturalist.ala.org.au/observations/58298109

Fig. G

Fig. H

Fig. I

Fig. J

Fig. K

Fig. L

You Ning Su at ANIC told us that the above images match type specimens of Dictyota pruinosa Brunner taken by David Rentz. He suggests that it was probably incorrectly synonymised with Torbia perficita by Kirby, 1906.

Diagnostic features
- based on our specimens and these other similar-looking iNat observations #25574504, 64511800, 62477615, 71548022, 102524445, 71697598, 92993315)

red vertex
blue eyes
red femur 3 (except 71548022 and 102524445, which have yellow femora 3)
wide, crinkly, bright yellow lateral carinae of pronotum
edges of radius marked with short, black lines

Species description of Dictyota pruinosa (from Tepper, 1892)

Size large. Brownish-green; head, pronotum and the base of the elytra and femora whitish. Lateral edges of pronotum rough and scabrous. Width of elytra twice the length of pronotum, form lanceolate, apex acuminate; transverse veinlets of marginal area very close; radial branch forked in the middle. Fore coxae with a small spine.

Length of body Female 38mm, Length of pronotum Female 10mm, Length of elytra Female 65mm, Width of elytra Female 20mm, Length of hind femora Female 33mm, Length of ovipositor 4mm

Images below are from Orthoptera Species File of type specimen of Dictyota pruinosa in BMNH

Male lectotype BMNH

male mirror on tegmina

*Dictyota pruinosa* from Brunner von Wattenwyl 1878

This is a workbook page … a part of our website where we record the observations and references used in making species identifications. The notes will not necessarily be complete. They are a record for our own use, but we are happy to share this information with others.