Microcentrini

Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1878

angle-wing katydids, angle-winged katydids

Genus Guides

Microcentrini is a tribe of katydids within the Phaneropterinae, commonly known as angle-winged katydids. The tribe comprises approximately 17 and 102 with a Neotropical distribution, centered in the Amazon Rainforest. Members are characterized by their distinctive wing , with expanded, often angular forewings. The tribe has been the subject of recent taxonomic revision, with numerous new genera and species described from Amazonian localities.

Microcentrini by no rights reserved, uploaded by Vasily Reinkymov. Used under a CC0 license.

Microcentrini by (c) Barbara Banfield, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Barbara Banfield. Used under a CC-BY license.

Microcentrini by (c) Lucas Rubio, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Lucas Rubio. Used under a CC-BY license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Microcentrini: //ˌmaɪ.kroʊˈsɛn.trɪˌniː//

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Identification

Microcentrini can be distinguished from other Phaneropterinae tribes by the combination of expanded, often angular forewings and specific male genitalia . The stridulatory file structure and male internal genitalia provide diagnostic characters for -level identification. within the tribe show considerable variation in wing shape and coloration, with some genera exhibiting transparent or hyaline wing areas.

Images

Habitat

Amazon Rainforest, including terra firme forest. occur in tropical forest understory and mid- vegetation.

Distribution

Neotropical region, from Rica southward through South America to southern Brazil. Center of diversity in the Amazon Basin, with records from Brazil (Acre, Amazonas), Colombia (Caquetá), Peru, and Bolivia.

Similar Taxa

SteirodontiniAlso within Phaneropterinae; Microcentrini was historically classified as subtribe Microcentrina within Steirodontini, but is now recognized as a distinct tribe based on morphological and phylogenetic evidence.
Other Phaneropterinae tribesDistinguished by the combination of angular wing and specific male genitalia characters; other tribes in the typically lack the pronounced wing expansion seen in Microcentrini.

More Details

Taxonomic history

Microcentrini was established by Brunner von Wattenwyl in 1878. It has been treated variously as a tribe or subtribe (Microcentrina) within Steirodontini, but current classification recognizes it as a distinct tribe within Phaneropterinae. The tribe has undergone substantial revision, with the number of recognized increasing from 11 to 17 in recent years.

Recent taxonomic activity

Between 2020 and 2021, at least seven new were described from the Amazon Rainforest: Boroseiyla, Caauara, Capiguara, Capanema, Hyalipenna, Tuaia, and Tukunha. These descriptions included 23 new , indicating the tribe remains poorly known and that additional undescribed diversity likely exists in poorly sampled Amazonian regions.