Belocephalus sabalis

Distinguished from other North American conehead genera by the shape and structure of the head cone. Differs from Pyrgocorypha uncinata (hook-faced conehead), which has a distinctly hooked tip on its cone. Separated from Neoconocephalus species by cone morphology; Belocephalus lacks the hooked cone tip found in some related genera. The specific cone shape of B. sabalis distinguishes it from B. subapterus, which has a similarly shaped cone but is restricted to the southeastern coastal plain.

A katydid with a prominent, forward-projecting cone-shaped structure (fastigium) extending from the head. The cone is a defining feature of the genus Belocephalus. Body form typical of conehead katydids with elongated, slender build. Coloration not explicitly documented in available sources.

Associated with palmetto vegetation, as indicated by the common name. Likely inhabits areas with suitable host plants in subtropical and warm temperate regions of the southeastern United States.

Recorded from Florida and the southeastern United States. Distribution centered in the coastal plain region of the southeastern U.S.

• Pyrgocorypha uncinataBoth are North American conehead katydids with prominent head cones, but P. uncinata has a distinctly hooked tip on the cone while Belocephalus sabalis does not.
• Belocephalus subapterusSame genus with similarly shaped cone, but B. subapterus is strictly restricted to the southeastern coastal plain and does not occur in Arkansas.
• Neoconocephalus speciesCommon conehead katydids in the same tribe, but Neoconocephalus species lack the distinctive hooked or specialized cone tip morphology seen in Belocephalus.

• katydid
• conehead
• Orthoptera
• Tettigoniidae
• southeastern United States
• palmetto

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