Copiphorini

Karny, 1912

Coneheads

Genus Guides

Belocephalus(short-winged coneheads)
Bucrates(conehead katydids)
Neoconocephalus(common coneheads)
Pyrgocorypha(coneheads)

Copiphorini is a tribe of katydids (Tettigoniidae) within the Conocephalinae, characterized by a distinctive cone-shaped projection on the that extends forward in front of the base. Members range from 24 to 74 mm in length, with females typically larger than males. The tribe was originally described as a subfamily (Copiphorinae) by Karny in 1912 but has been reclassified. produce loud songs through forewing stridulation and possess straight, slender, toothless ovipositors.

Belocephalus sabalis by (c) Tyler Bishop, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Tyler Bishop. Used under a CC-BY license.

Conocephalus brevipennis by (c) Katja Schulz, some rights reserved (CC BY). Used under a CC-BY license.

Pyrgocorypha uncinata by (c) David George, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by David George. Used under a CC-BY license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Copiphorini: //ˌkoʊ.pɪˈfɔɹ.ɪ.naɪ//

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

Identification

Distinguished from other tribes by the markedly slanting shape with a forward-projecting cone (fastigium) that is notched at the . The cone shape varies among and , with some such as Pyrgocorypha uncinata possessing a distinctive hooked tip. are filamentous and longer than the body. Species identification relies heavily on male stridulatory file structure and cone .

Images

Distribution

Widespread across tropical and temperate regions including North America, Central and South America, the Caribbean, Europe, Asia (Taiwan, China, India, Japan, Indonesia), and Australia. Specific distribution varies by ; for example, Pyrgocorypha uncinata occurs in the southeastern United States reaching northern Arkansas, while Euconocephalus are found across China and Taiwan.

Behavior

Males produce loud, -specific songs primarily through forewing stridulation, enabling acoustic identification. Some species possess hearing organs in the tibial segments of the legs. During copulation, males transfer a consisting of a sperm container and nutritious gelatinous , which females consume; this may reduce female remating likelihood.

Human Relevance

Some serve as prey for predatory such as Sphex ichneumoneus (Great Golden Digger Wasp), which paralyzes katydids to provision nests. The tribe includes no known major agricultural pests, though related conehead (unrelated insects with convergent shape) are significant structural and crop pests.

Similar Taxa

ConocephalusBoth belong to Conocephalinae and share conehead , but Conocephalus is placed in tribe Conocephalini rather than Copiphorini; Conocephalus typically have less pronounced cones and different stridulatory file structures.
NeoconocephalusLarge North American conehead katydids formerly placed in Copiphorini but now classified elsewhere; Neoconocephalus lack the distinctly notched characteristic of Copiphorini and have different cone proportions.