OrthopteraTettigoniidae – Katydids

Slender Longwing

Capnobotes attenuatus

This record describes Capnobotes attenuatus (species). Recorded family: Tettigoniidae. Recorded order: Orthoptera.

Identification and Appearance

Slender Longwing - Capnobotes attenuatus — Contributed by David J. Ferguson

Similar to C. occidentalis but more slender. Male song is similar, but sounds somewhat different, being more regular and softer.

Classification

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Orthoptera (Grasshoppers, Crickets, Katydids)
Suborder: Ensifera
Family: Tettigoniidae (Katydids)
Subfamily: Tettigoniinae
Genus: Capnobotes

Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.

Habitat and Range

Geographic Range

Coastal mountains, Bay Area, California

About Grasshoppers, Crickets, Katydids: the wider group

Order-level background for Orthoptera, the group containing Capnobotes attenuatus. Species-specific details appear above.

Group overview

Orthoptera includes ~28,000 described species of grasshoppers, crickets, and katydids. Desert locusts can form swarms covering 460 square miles containing up to 80 million individuals per square kilometer.

Ecological role of the group

Grasshoppers and crickets are a primary food source for birds, reptiles, and small mammals. Cricket farming is a growing industry - crickets require 12× less feed than cattle to produce the same amount of protein, using 2,000× less water.

Economic and practical significance of the group

A single large locust swarm can consume the same amount of food in one day as 35,000 people. The 2019-2021 East Africa locust crisis affected food security for 42 million people across multiple countries. Global crop losses from locusts can reach billions annually.

Recorded sources for this group: FAO, UN World Food Programme, research publications. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.

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