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Project Noah Nature School
Microcentrum rhombifolium
This is a female and male Katydid that have wonderful camouflage with their leaf-mimic appearance. These two have already mated and the female has a bright, white spermatophore which the male transferred during copulation. The spermatophore consists of two parts "a small packet of sperm which is inserted into the female followed by a larger glob of nutritious gel, a nuptial gift that the female consumes to help with egg production." - austinbug.com
I spotted this pair of Katydid at sunset on a rose bush
The nymph of this species can be seen at: http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/376...
Spotted on Nov 2, 2013
Submitted on Nov 3, 2013
21 Comments
I couldn't agree more, Gilma! This site is full of educational knowledge. Even if it's learning as we go :)
Thank you all for taking this educational journey with me and being so supportive of this interesting spotting!
Sooo amazing!!!!!!!!!!!! unique spotting cindy :) ! Thank you very much for sharing learned a lot !!!!!!!
No worries Cindy, the series is no less wonderful, and even more educational :-)
Thank you so much for all the information on this Katydid from you and the members...This is what I love about PN!!
Thank you so much for all the comments!
Wow, what a change in perspective! So the white is the spermatophore that was transferred from the male. The mating already occurred and the male moved in front of the female before I walked up.
So much to learn! I'll update the spotting to include this new information.
I believe Sckel is correct. In butterflies too, a spermatophore is passed during copulation.
Superb series, Cindy - thanks so much for sharing this with us!
Hi, Cindy. Amazing photos. Yesterday, was my Katydid pet with a transparent gelatinous thing attached to it, I googled and find this explanation:
"When they mate, the male transfers a large jelly-like mass called a spermatophore to the female. This has two parts: a small packet of sperm which is inserted into the female followed by a larger glob of nutritious gel, a nuptial gift that the female consumes to help with egg production. This white glob is easily seen attached to recently mated females."
What is that white stuff? My Katydidse is male or female. I did not post the pictures, you like to see?
Thanks for documenting and sharing this amazing example of our fabulous natural world, Cindy!
Awesome spot Cindy!
Brilliant spotting Cindy. Fascinating creatures (and gadgets!)
So blessed by this moment Cindy! Kudos and Congrats!
Amazing Cindy! I never saw a katydid with this kind of genitalia before!
Is an amazing moment! thanks for sharing it with us!
Thank you! This is something I have never seen before of any Orthoptera and am glad that the community appreciates the uniqueness of it!
Simply incredible series! How lucky of you to have found this pair at this time.
Amazing series!
Absolutely amazing. Real SOTD stuff this! This is Project Noah at its best when a spotting like this that a very few minuscule % of people will ever see can be shared.
Fantastic series Cindy, what a find!
Amazing series!
wow great Cindy!Thnk u very much for sharing this amazing series!