Atlanticus davisi

Rehn & Hebard, 1916

Davis's shieldback, Davis's shield-bearer

Atlanticus davisi is a of shield-backed katydid in the Tettigoniidae. It is commonly known as Davis's shieldback or Davis's shield-bearer. The species is found in North America, with confirmed records from Virginia. As a member of the Tettigoniinae, it belongs to a group characterized by their flattened, shield-like pronotum that extends over the .

Atlanticus davisi by (c) brendanboyd, some rights reserved (CC BY). Used under a CC-BY license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Atlanticus davisi: /ætlænˈtɪkəs ˈdeɪvɪsaɪ/

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Identification

Shield-backed katydids in the Atlanticus are distinguished by their highly flattened, shield-like pronotum that extends backward to cover most or all of the , giving them a distinctive profile unlike the more typical elongate katydids. Within Atlanticus, identification requires examination of male genitalia and subtle differences in pronotal shape and size. A. davisi can be separated from related eastern North American species such as A. testaceus by specific genitalic characters described in the original description by Rehn & Hebard (1916).

Images

Distribution

North America; confirmed present in Virginia.

Ecological Role

Has been documented as prey of the Great Golden Digger wasp (Sphex ichneumoneus), a solitary that hunts katydids to provision its nest.

Similar Taxa

Atlanticus testaceusOverlaps in eastern North America; distinguished by male genitalia and pronotal proportions

More Details

Taxonomic note

The Catalogue of Life lists Atlanticus davisi as a synonym, though GBIF and other sources treat it as an accepted . The original description by Rehn & Hebard (1916) established this .

Etymology

The specific epithet 'davisi' likely honors an individual with the surname Davis, though the original description should be consulted for confirmation.