Clinopleura

Scudder, 1894

Species Guides

2

Clinopleura is a of shield-backed katydids ( Tettigoniidae) described by Scudder in 1894. The genus comprises at least four described distributed in western North America, particularly California. Members are classified within the Tettigoniinae and tribe Platycleidini. As shield-backed katydids, they are characterized by a pronotum that extends backward over the .

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Clinopleura: //ˌklɪnoʊˈplʊrə//

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Identification

Clinopleura can be distinguished from other Platycleidini by features of the pronotum and tegmina. The genus name refers to the slanted or inclined lateral margins of the pronotum. Specific identification to species level requires examination of male genitalia and stridulatory file characteristics.

Distribution

Western North America; records concentrated in California.

Similar Taxa

  • PlatycleisBoth belong to tribe Platycleidini and share shield-backed ; Platycleis is primarily Palearctic while Clinopleura is Nearctic.
  • MetriopteraSimilar body plan in Tettigoniinae; Metrioptera generally have more reduced wings and different pronotal proportions.

More Details

Species diversity

Four are currently recognized: C. flavomarginata, C. infuscata, C. melanopleura, and C. minuta. C. melanopleura was originally described in a different (Decticus) by Scudder in 1876.

Taxonomic history

The was established by Scudder in 1894, with subsequent descriptions by both Scudder and Caudell in the early 1900s.

Sources and further reading