Clinopleura
Scudder, 1894
Clinopleura is a of ( ) 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 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 and . The genus name refers to the slanted or inclined margins of the pronotum. Specific identification to species level requires examination of male and stridulatory 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 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.