Chapter 18. Saginae : stick katydids (Handbook of Crickets and Katydids, an inactive project)

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CHAPTER 18 - Saginae : Stick Katydids
This is an Old World subfamily represented in North America by a single immigrant species.

Saga : Typical Stick Katydids. More than a dozen species of Saga occur in the Palearctic region. So far as known all but Saga pedo reproduce sexually.

MATRIARCHAL KATYDID Saga pedo
Map 18-1. Identification : (Fig. 18-1) (60-65 mm) Forelegs adapted for holding prey ; rows of strong spines along inside and outside lower edges of femur and tibia (Fig. 18-2). No males; females large and wingless. Known only from Jackson County, Michigan. Habitat : Old fields. Season : August and September. Eggs apparently require more than one winter to hatch. Similar species : None. Remarks : A reasonable hypothesis as to how the matriarchal katydid was brought to Michigan is that one or more of its eggs were in soil adhering to farm equipment returning from plowing contests in Italy. The first Michigan specimen was collected in 1970 and only six have been taken since. Unlike our native katydids and other species of Saga in Europe, the matriarchal katydid is obligatorily parthenogenetic. No males are known from here or from Europe. Even though there is no male calling song, females have prominent tympanal organs on the fore tibiae. A caged female captured and avidly ate grasshoppers. She inserted eggs in soil to a depth of about 25 mm. References : Cantrall 1972.

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Recueil et numérisation de l'article : Christophe BERNIER

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