Orthoptera of North Carolina

Family (Alpha):

View	Tettigoniidae Members:	NC Records
Amblycorypha arenicola Walker, 2004 - Sandhill Virtuoso Katydid

Taxonomy

Family: Tettigoniidae	Subfamily: Phaneropterinae	Tribe: Amblycoryphini
Comments: One of seventeen species in this genus that occur in North America (Cigliano et al., accessed 2024-09-25; Forrest et al., 2023). Eight species have been recorded in North Carolina.
Species Status: Belongs to the Uhleri Species Group of Walker (2004). Males of the Uhleri Species Group are characterized by their possession of a pair of dark spots on the lateral carina of the pronotum (Walker, 2006).

Identification

Field Guide Descriptions:	Online Photographs: SINA, BugGuide, Google Images, iNaturalist, GBIF	Technical Description, Adults/Nymphs: Walker (2004)	SINA 002a.htm
Comments: Arenicola and longinicta are probably indistinguishable in terms of color and pattern but differ in size and other structural features. Males can be distinguished by their songs.
Forewing Length: 28-29 mm (Walker, 2006)
Structural Features: Like other members of the Uhleri Group, arenicola has a deep humeral sinus on the lateral face of the pronotum and each metasternal lobe is longer than wide (Walker, 2006). Arenicola differs from longinicta primarily in size. For males, the following measurements are diagnostic for arenicola: pronotal length 5.6 mm, width 4.1; tegminal length 28, width 8.5; hind femur length 26; hindwing exposure 6.5. Females are similar in size but the hind femur is longer and exceeds the tip of the tegmina. Males have more extensive stridulatory fields than longinicta and females have longer, straighter ovipositors with smaller but more numerous teeth (see illustrations in Walker, 2004).
Singing Behavior: Members of the Uhleri Species Group have some of the most complex songs among the singing Orthopterans. Songs typically consist of sequences of four syllable types, with the combinations differing between the species (Walker, 2004).

Distribution in North Carolina


County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.


Adult Dates: High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft. Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft. Piedmont (Pd) Coastal Plain (CP) Click on graph to enlarge

Habitats and Life History

Habitats: Associated with xeric to mesic, fire-maintained sandhill scrub communities (Walker, 2004). Stands with xerophytic oaks may be preferred, although individuals can occasionally be found in herb-dominated sandhill communities. In the latter habitats, arenicola can be found alongside longinicta.

Diet:

Observation Methods: Probably most easily detected by the male songs.

Abundance/Frequency:

Adult Phenology:

See also Habitat Account for General Fire-maintained Sandhills

Status in North Carolina

Natural Heritage Program Status: W-PK

Natural Heritage Program Ranks: GNR S2S3

State Protection:

Comments:

Image Gallery for Amblycorypha arenicola - Sandhill Virtuoso Katydid
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger, Jim Petranka, and Becky Elkin Richmond Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Mark Basinger, Jim Petranka, and Becky Elkin Richmond Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger, Jim Petranka, and Becky Elkin Richmond Co. Comment:

Amblycorypha arenicola Walker, 2004 - Sandhill Virtuoso Katydid

Image Gallery for Amblycorypha arenicola - Sandhill Virtuoso Katydid