Segestidea queenslandica

Segestidea 2 a video by orthop1 on Flickr.

The Queensland Palm Katydid has been shown on the blog several times before. Females are much more common than males and the species is facultatively parthenogenetic. That means that unmated females can lay eggs and they all become females.

Males are uncommon and are not seen in some years. When they are around their calling song is loud and travels for many metres through the rainforest undergrowth. this is the first know recording of this species.

This is the male that produced the sound above.

A head-on view. This species cannot deliver a painful bite. The jaws are modified for eating palm leaves and this prevents the katydid from getting a good grip on fingers. The spiny hind legs are kicked vigorously when it is attacked.