The Phaneropterinae, the sickle-bearing bush crickets or leaf katydids, are a subfamily of insects within the family Tettigoniidae. They are also known as false katydids or round-headed katydids.
The name Phaneropterinae is based upon the Old World genus Phaneroptera (type species P. falcata), meaning "visible wing"; this refers to the exposed tips of the inner wings seen in many species, although some genera, notably in the tribes Barbitistini and Odonturini have become brachypterous.
The legs of individuals in this subfamily vary from genus to genus, but, as in nearly all Orthoptera, the posterior (rear) legs are adapted to leaping, and as such are always much longer than other legs. Phaneropterinae are generally well-camouflaged with green and brown colors being most prevalent, but there are exceptions including certain Aganacris and Scaphura that are Batesian mimics of wasps.
The Phaneropterinae are largely arboreal in habitat. The vast majority of species live in shrubs and trees, feeding on leaves and twigs. Some species might potentially cause significant damage, though usually superficial, when present in large numbers, but this is rare; they usually are solitary, unlike meadow grasshoppers, so much so that they seldom come to human notice.
The ovipositor and male genitalia vary according to the genus. The Phaneropterinae differ from other subfamilies of Tettigoniidae (and other Orthoptera) in their oviposition; their eggs are rarely deposited in the earth, but are either glued in double rows to twigs, or are inserted in the edges of leaves.
The subfamily Phaneropterinae was first erected in 1838 by German zoologist Hermann Burmeister. , Orthoptera Species File lists the following tribes, subtribes, genus groups, and genera.
Auth.: Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1878 â Africa, Europe, the Middle East
Auth.: Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1878 â Americas, Africa
Auth.: Jacobson, 1905 â Europe to central Asia
Auth.: Massa, 2016 â Africa
Auth.: Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1878 â Africa, India, China, Indochina to Australia
Auth.: Rehn, 1950 â tropical Americas
Auth.: Cadena-Castañeda, 2015 â tropical Americas
Auth.: Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1891 â Asia
Auth.: Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1878 â Africa, Asia-Pacific
Auth.: Rehn, & Hebard, 1914 â tropical & subtropical Americas
Auth.: Massa, 2017 â eastern Africa
Auth.: Hebard, 1922 â Asia
Auth.: Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1878 â Americas
Auth.: Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1878 â Asia
Auth.: Karsch, 1890 - central and western Africa
Auth.: Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1878 â Americas, Iberian peninsula, Africa, Pacific islands
Auth.: Karsch, 1889 - Africa
Auth.: Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1878 - Africa
Auth.: Cadena-Castañeda, 2015 â South America
Auth.: Burmeister, 1838 â distributed worldwide
Auth.: Karsch, 1889 â Africa
Auth.: Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1878
Auth.: Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1878 â South America
Auth.: Cadena-Castañeda, 2015 â Africa
Auth.: Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1878 â Africa
Auth.: Karsch, 1890 â Africa
Auth.: Cadena-Castañeda, 2014 â Central and South America
Auth.: Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1878 â Americas
Auth.: Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1878 â subtropical and tropical parts of the Americas
Auth.: Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1878 â Africa, Sri Lanka
Auth.: Gorochov, 2014 â China, Indochina, Malesia
Auth.: Bei-Bienko, 1954 â Middle East, India, Malaysia
Auth.: Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1878 â Africa, Europe, Middle East, western Asia
Auth.: Cadena-Castañeda, 2015 â Africa, Asia
Auth.: Karsh, 1890 - tropical Africa
Genus groups include:
These genera have not been placed in a tribe: