The Hexacentrinae, are a subfamily of predatory bush crickets or katydids. The type genus is Hexacentrus, which may be known as "balloon-winged" bush crickets/katydids etc., is also the most speciose and widespread in Africa and Asia.
Description
The group has sometimes been treated as a tribe (as "Hexacentrini") within Conocephalinae, which may be a sister group.
A.V. Gorochov described the following characters for this subfamily:
- rostrum of head narrow with simple, moderately long mandibles, without distinct sexual dimorphism;
- flat, wide hind lobe of the pronotum with thoracic sternites having a pair of spines or finger-like processes;
- fore and middle legs have tibiae with long spines, especially on the ventral surface (for predation);
- hind wings (if not shortened) with developed âÂÂcostal lobeâÂÂ, and a characteristic thickened crossvein;
- anal plate and epiproct rather simple (no distinct specializations) in both sexes, but male paraprocts have a finger-like process or distinct lobule at their apex.
Genera and Distribution
, the Orthoptera Species File lists the following tribes and genera:
South American tribes
Genera have been placed in two tribes, mostly from Ecuador.
Ecuanedubini <small>Braun, Chamorro-Rengifo & Morris, 2009</small>
- Acanthoraculus <small>Braun & Morris, 2009</small> (1 species)
- Ecuaneduba <small>Gorochov, 2006</small> (3 spp.)
Nubimystrigini <small>Braun, 2016</small>
- Nubimystrix <small>Braun, 2016</small> (2 sp.)
Unplaced genera
- Aerotegmina <small>Hemp, 2001</small> (4 spp. E Africa)
- Alison <small>Rentz, 2001</small> (4 spp. Australia, New Guinea)
- Euhexacentrus <small>Hebard, 1922</small> (1 sp. Philippines)
- Glenophisis <small>Karny, 1926</small> (5 spp. Malesia)
- Hexacentrus <small>Serville, 1831</small> (28 spp. Africa, SE Asia)
- Nepheliphila <small>Hugel, 2010</small> (1 sp. Indian Ocean)
- Parahexacentrus <small>Karny, 1912</small> (1 sp. New Guinea)
- Parateuthras <small>BolÃÂvar, 1905</small> (2 spp. New Guinea)
- Philippicentrus <small>Willemse, 1961</small> (1 sp. Philippines)
- Teuthroides <small>BolÃÂvar, 1905</small> (1 sp. New Guinea)
References