Oblong-winged Katydid (Orthoptera of Iowa)

Oblong-winged Katydid

Amblycorypha oblongifolia

Identification ⁴

This species is usually green, but rare pink individuals are encountered like the default iNaturalist photo. Note the elongate oval shape of the wings, without the gentle angle of the Greater Anglewing. Legs are long and usually extend well above the wings. Scudderia species and Neoconocephalus species (Coneheads) have more narrow wings.

Also see the species account for Amblycorypha parvipennis, which has hindwings that do not extend past/outside the forewings. It has many historical records in Iowa but no records in iNaturalist. It is a sister species to A. rotundifolia and they are supposedly separated by the Mississippi River. A. parvipennis and A. rotundifolia are flightless, or can only fly a few meters, so will not be found at night lights as A. oblongifolia often is. A. parvipennis is known from prairie and prairie/forest interface where it likes to eat flowers. See more information under that species.

Also see the species account for the similar Amblycorypha rotundifolia. A. rotundifolia is thought to only occur on the east side of the Mississippi River. Knutson and Jaques (1935) listed A. rotundifolia as occurring in Iowa, but I suspect this was an error. In any case, naturalists in eastern Iowa may wish to examine any Amblycorypha more carefully to determine the exact species. See the key at SINA for separating A. rotundifolia from A. oblongifolia. Separating A. rotundifolia from A. parvipennis based on morphology is difficult. See the species accounts for those species.

Amblycorypha longicincta (Common Virtuoso Katydid) is not documented from Iowa, but may occur in the far far southeast corner. See the key to Amblycorypha at SINA.