Tettigoniidae

Definition

A large family of orthopteran insects in the suborder Ensifera, comprising katydids, bush crickets, and long-horned grasshoppers. Distinguished by extremely long, thread-like antennae (often exceeding body length), tympanal organs on the fore tibiae, and stridulation produced by rubbing together specialized veins on the forewings (tegmina). With more than 8,000 described species, it is the only extant family in the superfamily Tettigonioidea and represents one of the most diverse lineages of singing insects.

Etymology

From the type genus Tettigonia (Greek tettix, cicada/grasshopper, via Latin) + -idae (family suffix)

Example

The greater angle-wing katydid (Microcentrum rhombifolium) and the meadow katydid (Conocephalus spp.) are familiar North American representatives of Tettigoniidae, often detected by their loud, species-specific calling songs at dusk.

Synonyms

• katydids (vernacular, family-level)
• bush crickets (British vernacular)
• long-horned grasshoppers (obsolete)

Related Terms

• Ensifera
• Orthoptera
• Gryllidae
• stridulation
• Tympanum
• tegmen
• Tettigonioidea

Usage Notes

The vernacular 'katydid' derives from the onomatopoeic call of the true katydid (Pterophylla camellifolia); 'bush cricket' is preferred in British English. The obsolete term 'long-horned grasshopper' reflects historical confusion with Caelifera (short-horned grasshoppers), but Tettigoniidae are phylogenetically closer to crickets (Gryllidae) than to grasshoppers. The family is diagnosed morphologically by antennae longer than the body and fore tibial tympana—features that distinguish it from both Gryllidae (fore tibial tympana present but antennae typically shorter relative to body) and Acrididae/Caelifera (antennae short, tympana on first abdominal segment).