''Alinjarria elongata'', commonly known as the territory imitator,
[ is a species of bush-cricket from tropical northern Australia.]Hemisaga
''Hemisaga'' is a genus of insect in family Tettigoniidae
Insects in the family Tettigoniidae are commonly called katydids (especially in North America), or bush crickets. They have previously been known as "long-horned grasshoppers". More t ...
'' until it was realised that its unique characteristics warranted placing it in a new genus.
Description
This is a large long-legged bush cricket with short wings. It can be distinguished from ''Alinjarria jadoni'', the only other species in the genus, by the elongation of the male's cerci which have a noticeably larger internal flange. The female's cerci are also distinctive because they curve outwards.[
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Distribution
This species is found in tropical northwestern Australia, with a range extending from Darwin to Mataranka Mataranka may refer to.
* Mataranka, Northern Territory, a town and locality in Australia
* Mataranka Falls, a water fall in Australia
* Mataranka Hot Springs, a hot spring in Australia
* Mataranka Primary School, a school – refer List of school ...
in the Northern Territory. It is a woodland species, also found in bushes and scrub.[
]
Ecology
''Alinjarria elongata'' is a predator. It has been observed in the daytime in shrubs, tall vegetation and rough grasses, catching insects. In the night-time it has been seen in sorghum
''Sorghum'' () is a genus of about 25 species of flowering plants in the grass family (Poaceae). Some of these species are grown as cereals for human consumption and some in pastures for animals. One species is grown for grain, while many othe ...
crops, feeding on scarab beetles and on other species of bush cricket.[
]
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q10405302
Tettigoniidae