Gum Leaf Katydid: Torbia viridissima

Gum Leaf Katydid
Notice the visible tip of the inner wing: Phaneroptera

Knock, knock

Who's there?

It's a Katydid

Katydid who?

Torbia viridissima

This Katydid was actually knocking on my front door one non windy summer night. It was attracted to the light and perched on the glass door till we switched the lights off. It is the Gum Leaf Katydid belonging to the subfamily of katydids called Phaneroptera. It is called Gum Leaf Katydid because the wings look exactly like a gum leaf, complete with venation. These katydids are arboreal and this feature makes for an excellent camouflage. They are large and agile. This one has reddish eyes, reddish colouration on the dorsum and reddish legs. The tips of the inner wing are exposed, which is a characteristic feature Phaneroptera, meaning 'visible wing'. 

Location: South West Coast, Western Australia

Season: Summer, January

Order: Orthoptera

Family: Tettigoniidae

Suborder: Ensifera

Superfamily: Tettigonioidea

Tettigoniidae

Subfamily: Phaneroptera

Torbia viridissima

Gum Leaf Katydid
Notice the male genitalia
The auditory apparatus on the bend of the first limb

References:
http://bie.ala.org.au/species/Torbia+viridissima#
http://www.bowerbird.org.au/observations/3660

Balloon Winged Katydid In Bunbury: Tympanophora Sp.

Location: Bunbury, South West, Western Australia

Season: Early Summer, November
Order: Orthoptera
 Family: Tettigoniidae
Genus: Tympanophora
Tympanophora insolita

When I saw this perching on the tree, I thought it was a tiny reptile but on close inspection it turned out to be a large katydid. The long antennae, the really long ovipositor and the presence of abdominal segments confirmed that it was a female katydid, not a reptile. The Balloon Wing Katydids are called so because the wings of the male resemble a balloon. The females are wingless, as seen above.

Balloon Winged Katydid belongs to the genus Tympanophora. There are many described species, one of which is local to Bunbury called Tympanophora insolita. The species identification requires detailed anatomical description which unfortunately are not very clear in the photos above. There is limited literature for description of this species, especially for the female but below are some great references pointing towards identification.

   

Reference: A Guide to the Katydids of Australia By David Rentz

Tettigoniidae of Australia Volume 3: Listroscelidinae, Tympanophorinae, Meconematinae and Microtettigoniae By David Rentz

Australian Tympanophora White