The Saginae, commonly known as the predatory katydids or predatory bush-crickets, is a

subfamily In biological classification, a subfamily (Latin: ', plural ') is an auxiliary (intermediate) taxonomic rank, next below family but more inclusive than genus. Standard nomenclature rules end subfamily botanical names with "-oideae", and zoologi ...

of the family Tettigoniidae (the bush-crickets or katydids). They are mostly found in Europe, west and central Asia and southern Africa.Orthoptera species file (retrieved 3 January 2018)
/ref> The Saginae are specialist carnivores, which is unusual among the

Orthoptera Orthoptera () is an order of insects that comprises the grasshoppers, locusts, and crickets, including closely related insects, such as the bush crickets or katydids and wētā. The order is subdivided into two suborders: Caelifera – grassho ...

. Their specialist carnivory and appropriately adapted digestive tracts even were regarded as unique in the

order Order, ORDER or Orders may refer to: * Categorization, the process in which ideas and objects are recognized, differentiated, and understood * Heterarchy, a system of organization wherein the elements have the potential to be ranked a number of d ...

Orthoptera, but at least some members of two other subfamilies, the Austrosaginae and

Listroscelidinae The Listroscelidinae are a subfamily of the Tettigoniidae found in the Americas, Madagascar, and Australia. The genus ''Arachnoscelis'' has become better known to the public after being featured on the cover of Science in 2012. Basset, Y., Cize ...

are partly or completely predatory as well, and until recently those subfamilies were included in the Saginae.

Genera and selected species

* '' Clonia'' Stål, 1855 ** '' Clonia wahlbergi'' Stål, 1855 * '' Cloniella'' Kaltenbach, 1971 ** ''

Cloniella praedatoria ''Cloniella'' is a genus of bush crickets in the subfamily Saginae with species found in Africa.Kaltenbach. 1971. ''Beiträge zur Entomologie'' 21:418. Species The following species are recognised in the genus ''Cloniella'': * '' Cloniell ...

'' (Distant, 1892) ** '' Cloniella zambesica'' Kaltenbach, 1971 * '' Emptera'' Saussure, 1888 ** '' Emptera indica'' (Herbst, 1786) * '' Peringueyella'' Saussure, 1888 ** '' Peringueyella jocosa'' Saussure, 1888 ** '' Peringueyella macrocephala'' (Schaum, 1853) ** '' Peringueyella rentzi'' Kaltenbach, 1981 ** '' Peringueyella zulu'' Kaltenbach, 1971 * ''

Saga is a series of science fantasy role-playing video games by Square Enix. The series originated on the Game Boy in 1989 as the creation of Akitoshi Kawazu at Square (video game company), Square. It has since continued across multiple platforms, ...

'' Charpentier, 1825 ** '' Saga pedo'' (Pallas, 1771)

Description

Members of the Saginae are

gracile Gracility is slenderness, the condition of being gracile, which means slender. It derives from the Latin adjective ''gracilis'' (masculine or feminine), or ''gracile'' ( neuter), which in either form means slender, and when transferred for examp ...

and elongated in build compared to say, most locusts or crickets, but their four anterior walking legs, as opposed to their two posterior leaping legs, are powerful and lined with spines, mainly along their inner edges. They apply those inner spines in clasping their prey. Some species have spines on the outer surfaces and on the leaping legs as well; those external spines probably are defensive in function. The jaws of Saginae are not spectacular, but are large, powerful, sharp, and businesslike, as befits predators, and the insects do not hesitate to bite when handled. The Saginae are large insects, some species with a body length of more than 50 mm, not counting the antennae or ovipositor, which are long, typically about as long as the body. The ovipositor is long and sword-like, and used for oviposition in soil.

References

External links

* {{Taxonbar, from=Q3461414 Tettigoniidae Orthoptera subfamilies Taxa named by Carl Brunner von Wattenwyl