Orchelimum pulchellum

The body length of the handsome meadow katydid is {{convert|18|to|23|mm|in}}. This katydid is distinguished from Orchelimum nigripes, its western relative, by the shape of the caudal portion of its lateral pronotum, which is arcuate inferior to the humeral sinus in O. pulchellum, while the same portion is sinuate or sub-sinuate in O. nigripes.{{cite journal |last1=Rehn |first1=James A. G. |last2=Hebard |first2=Morgan |title=A Synopsis of the Species of the Genus Orchelimum |journal=Transactions of the American Entomological Society |volume=41 |issue=1 |pages=11-87 |date=March 1915 |url=https://digital.library.cornell.edu/catalog/chla5077659_4251_001 |access-date=23 September 2023}}{{rp|24-25,27}} The medial tooth on each of the paired male cerci in O. pulchellum is positioned at a less acute angle to the sinuate sinus{{refn|group="note"|The presence of sinuate sinuses on the dorsal portion of male cerci among the Orchelimum is a defining characteristic of the nigripes group: O. pulchellum, O. nigripes, O. bullatum and O. carinatum}} of the cercus in O. pulchellum when compared to that of O. nigripes.{{rp|24-25}}{{cite web |title=Handsome Meadow Katydid |website=Singing Insects of North America (SINA) |url=https://orthsoc.org/sina/251a.htm |access-date=7 August 2022}} In females, the ovipositor is long and sickle shaped.{{rp|27}} The tibiae are brown in O. pulchellum, while they are typically black in O. nigripes.{{rp|24-25,27}} O. pulchellum typically has no spines on the inner carinae of the hind femora,{{rp|54}} which distinguishes it from another relative, O. carinatum.{{cite journal |last=Walker |first=Thomas J. |title=Orchelimum carinatum, a New Meadow Katydid from the Southeastern United States (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae) |journal=The Florida Entomologist |volume=54 |issue=4 |year=1971 |pages=277-281 |doi=10.2307/3493586}} It is distinguished from its Texas relative, O. bullatum, by virtue of its narrower fastigium and by having spines on the outer ventral carinae of the hind femora,{{rp|24-25,27}} generally numbering at least six total when both sides are counted. O. pulchellum commonly has blue compound eyes, a trait it shares with O. erythrocephalum,{{cite web|url=https://bugguide.net/node/view/7597|website=BugGuide|author1=Cotinis|author2=Phillip Harpootlian|date=18 November 2013|access-date=29 October 2022|title=Species Orchelimum erythrocephalum - Red-Headed Meadow Katydid}} on its white or yellow{{cite web |title=A Synopsis of Orthoptera (Sensu Lato) of Alabama |last1=Dakin, Jr. |first1=Matt E. |last2=Hays |first2=Kirby L. |id=Bulletin 404 |date=June 1970 |publisher=Agricultural Experiment Center, Auburn University |place=Auburn, Alabama |url=https://aurora.auburn.edu/handle/11200/2343 |page=75 |access-date=7 August 2022}} face. At rest, its folded wings appear to have a turquoise stripe, while the body is green with reddish marks around the head.

The song of the handsome meadow katydid is very similar to that of Orchelimum nigripes.{{cite journal |last=Shapiro |first=Leo H. |title=Hybridization and Geographic Variation in Two Meadow Katydid Contact Zones |journal=Evolution |volume=52 |issue=3 |pages=784-796 |url=https://orthsoc.org/sina/s220ls98.pdf |year=1998|access-date=27 February 2024|via=The Orthopterists' Society}} It consists of a series of paired and occasional single clicks leading into a short buzz.

The handsome meadow katydid is found east of the Appalachian Mountains, as far north as New York state. Its range extends south to Florida and west to Mississippi.

This katydid is found in moist forests and in wetlands. It consumes pollen from flowering plants and foliage.{{cite web |url=https://bugguide.net/node/view/7070 |author=Cotinis |date=31 August 2010 |title=Genus Orchelimum |access-date=8 August 2022 |website=BugGuide}} In Alabama, it is active from mid-July until mid-November.

According to Shapiro (1998), zones of hybridization have been established by O. pulchellum and O. nigripes in Mississippi and Alabama and along the Potomac River, near the confluence of the Anacostia River with the Potomac below the fall line.

{{reflist|group="note"}}

{{Reflist|refs=

{{Cite web| title=Orchelimum pulchellum Report

| url=https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=102237

| website=Integrated Taxonomic Information System

| accessdate=2019-09-24

}}

{{Cite web| title=Orchelimum pulchellum

| url=https://www.gbif.org/species/1693707

| website=GBIF

| accessdate=2019-09-24

}}

{{Cite web| title=Orchelimum pulchellum species information

|author=Cotinis

| url=https://bugguide.net/node/view/9493

| website=BugGuide.net

| accessdate=7 August 2022

|date=16 January 2012

}}

{{Cite web

| accessdate = 2019-07-02

| title = species Orchelimum pulchellum Davis, 1909

| date = 2019

| last1 = Otte | first1 = Daniel

| last2 = Cigliano | first2 = Maria Marta

| last3 = Braun | first3 = Holger

| last4 = Eades | first4 = David C.

| url = http://orthoptera.speciesfile.org/Common/basic/Taxa.aspx?TaxonNameID=1133691

| website = Orthoptera species file online, Version 5.0

}}

}}

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• {{Commons category-inline|Orchelimum pulchellum|Orchelimum pulchellum}}

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{{Taxonbar|from=Q10611163}}

pulchellum

Category:Articles created by Qbugbot

Category:Insects described in 1909

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