San Diego Meadow Katydid
Conocephalus spinosus
This record describes Conocephalus spinosus (species). Recorded family: Tettigoniidae. Recorded order: Orthoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Orthoptera (Grasshoppers, Crickets, Katydids)
- Suborder
- Ensifera
- Family
- Tettigoniidae (Katydids)
- Subfamily
- Conocephalinae
- Tribe
- Conocephalini
- Genus
- Conocephalus (Lesser Meadow Katydids)
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Salt marshes along the Pacific coast.
Geographic Range
Southern CA; San Diego County and Orange County (SINA and bugguide range).
About Grasshoppers, Crickets, Katydids: the wider group
Order-level background for Orthoptera, the group containing Conocephalus spinosus. 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.
Photos of San Diego Meadow Katydid (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by metrioptera; Additional contributions by James Bailey , Tyler Hedlund