Common Virtuoso Katydid (Amblycorypha longinicta)
Virtuoso is certainly an appropriate name for this gorgeous katydid with an exceptional song. Built on the same basic plan as other members of the genus Amblycorypha, the Common Virtuoso Katydid can be recognized by the brown coloration of the lower portions of all its legs, as well as the scattering of dark spots on its back and wings. What’s more, the Virtuoso’s complex song is perhaps the most amazing of all the orthopterans.
Song of a Common Virtuoso Katydid (scroll down for explanation and additional recordings!).
Song: Highly variable from one individual to the next, but composed of several distinct kinds of sounds. Because of its complexity, it is difficult to say exactly where a song begins or ends. Nevertheless, song may unfold as follows. Every few seconds or so we may hear a brief shuffle that drops in volume from beginning to end. Then we may hear a series of ten or more sharp ticks, given at a rate of one or two per second. Then we might hear a few more brief shuffles. Then comes the most remarkable utterance: a three-parted rattling sequence that lasts 5–10 seconds and gradually builds in volume like a musical crescendo. Sequences typically begin with raspy shuffles that grade into a series of rattling ticks that get louder and louder before suddenly terminating with an accented shuffle. Song is quite loud, but with a peak frequency of around 15 kHz, it can be difficult to hear.
Sonogram of a Common Virtuoso Katydid. © Wil Hershberger.
Common Virtuoso Katydid
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Spring and Fall Field Cricket
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Mole Crickets (Gryllotalpidae):
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FAMILY DESCRIPTION
Saltmarsh Meadow Katydid
Short-winged Meadow Katydid
Slender Meadow Katydid
Woodland Meadow Katydid
Black-sided Meadow Katydid
Long-tailed Meadow Katydid
Straight-lanced Meadow Katydid
Agile Meadow Katydid
Dusky-faced Meadow Katydid
Stripe-faced Meadow Katydid
Nimble Meadow Katydid
Black-legged Meadow Katydid
Common Meadow Katydid
Gladiator Meadow Katydid
Handsome Meadow Katydid
Lesser Pine Meadow Katydid
Long-spurred Meadow Katydid
Red-headed Meadow Katydid
Coneheads (Copiphorinae):
FAMILY DESCRIPTION
Round-tipped Conehead
Nebraska Conehead
Robust Conehead
Slightly Musical Conehead
Sword-bearing Conehead
False Robust Conehead
Marsh Conehead
Black-nosed Conehead
True Katydids (Pseudophyllinae):
FAMILY DESCRIPTION
Common True Katydid
False Katydids (Phaneropterinae):
FAMILY DESCRIPTION
Clicker Round-winged Katydid
Common Virtuoso Katydid
Rattler Round-winged Katydid
Oblong-winged Katydid
Great Angle-wing
Lesser Angle-wing
Broad-winged Bush Katydid
Curved-tailed Bush Katydid
Fork-tailed Bush Katydid
Northern Bush Katydid
Texas Bush Katydid
Treetop Bush Katydid
Modest Katydid
Shield-backed Katydids (Tettigoniinae):
FAMILY DESCRIPTION
American Shieldback
Least Shieldback
Protean Shieldback
Robust Shieldback
Roesel’s Katydid
Band-winged Grasshoppers (Oedipodinae):
Boll’s & Carolina Grasshoppers
Marsh Meadow Grasshopper