Conocephalus fasciatus

(De Geer, 1773)

slender meadow katydid

Conocephalus fasciatus, commonly known as the slender meadow , is a small to the United States and Canada. It inhabits grassy and weedy areas across diverse environments including pastures, open pine woods, and roadsides. The is recognized by its slender body, long narrow , and distinctive alternating -and-buzz song. It feeds primarily on grasses and grass seedheads.

Conocephalus fasciatus - katydid species (42561192500) by Andy Reago & Chrissy McClarren. Used under a CC BY 2.0 license.Slender Meadow Katydid (Conocephalus fasciatus) - Thunder Bay, Ontario 2012-08-01 (02) by Ryan Hodnett. Used under a CC BY-SA 4.0 license.Slender Meadow Katydid (Conocephalus fasciatus) - Gatineau Park, Quebec 2016-09-21 (03) by Ryan Hodnett. Used under a CC BY-SA 4.0 license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Conocephalus fasciatus: /ˌkɒnoʊˈsɛfələs fæʃiˈeɪtəs/

These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.

Identification

Distinguished from similar meadow by its slender build and that extend past the . The male's green with inner stout and weakly flattened tip provide diagnostic characters. The song—a soft sequence of alternating and buzzes lasting 1–20 seconds—differs from the continuous trills of some . Females are identified by the straight, relatively short .

Images

Appearance

Small, slender with long, narrow extending beyond the . Body length 18–26 mm. Coloration typically a combination of and green. Males possess green with a stout on the inner border and a weakly flattened tip. Females have a straight approximately two-thirds the length of the hind .

Habitat

Grassy and weedy areas in pastures, open pine woods, roadsides, and other open with abundant grass cover.

Distribution

United States and southern Canada. Documented records include Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, British Columbia, and California.

Seasonality

Active year-round in southern portions of range; present throughout growing season in northern areas.

Diet

Grasses and grass seedheads.

Life Cycle

laid using the , likely inserted into tissue or soil. Development includes nymphal stages before adulthood. Specific details of stage not documented in sources.

Behavior

Males produce -specific songs consisting of alternating and buzzes to attract females. Song duration varies from 1 to 20 seconds. Both sexes associated with grassy vegetation.

Ecological Role

in grassland ; serves as for various including birds and other .

Human Relevance

Subject of bioacoustic study; song used in identification and behavioral research.

Similar Taxa

  • Conocephalus brevipennisShort-winged meadow has distinctly shorter not extending beyond and different song pattern consisting of buzzes and with short pauses.
  • Conocephalus strictusStraight-lanced meadow has longer, sword-like and different preferences.

More Details

Acoustic communication

Song structure has been studied in relation to female mate choice; the buzz component may be particularly important in female preference.

Sources and further reading