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Thoracistus
Also known as Seedpod shieldbacks
Thoracistus is a genus of decticine or shield-backed katydids in the family Tettigoniidae. The mostly carnivorous genus is endemic to South Africa.
Species
GENUS
- KingdomAnimalia
- PhylumArthropoda
- ClassInsecta
- OrderOrthoptera
- FamilyTettigoniidae
Observations8
via GBIF
Wikidata facts
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- Thoracistus sp, Iphithi Natuurreservaat.jpg
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- taxon name
- Thoracistus
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- Thoracistus
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Article
4 sectionsContents
- Morphology
- Biology
- Species
- References
Thoracistus is a genus of decticine or shield-backed katydids in the family Tettigoniidae. The mostly carnivorous genus is endemic to South Africa.
==Morphology== This genus of decticine is extreme in the extent of its inflated pronotum. The pronotum completely conceals the tiny wings, which are used for stridulation only. The pronotum functions as a resonating chamber, to amplify the singing of the male. As in all decticines a "free plantula" is found at the base of the tarsus of the jumping leg. This pair of elongate pads may aid jumping in ground biomes.