Platter Ant vs Galapagos Flightless Katydid

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Platter Ant Galapagos Flightless Katydid
Scientific Name Cataulacus intrudens Nesoecia cooksoni
Order Hymenoptera Orthoptera
Family Formicidae Tettigoniidae
Size 3-6 mm 40-60 mm
Habitat Forests Heathland
Diet Herbivores Herbivores
Regions West and Central Africa South America
Conservation Least Concern Vulnerable

Platter Ant

An arboreal African ant with a heavily armored, flattened body and sculptured cuticle. Workers have a broad, shield-like head that can be used to block nest entrances. They nest in tree holes and have a slow, deliberate gait.

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Did You Know?

Their flattened body and strong tarsal grip allow them to resist removal by predators by clamping flat against bark surfaces.

Galapagos Flightless Katydid

A large flightless katydid endemic to the Galapagos Islands. Part of the archipelagos remarkable pattern where 74% of endemic orthopterans have lost the ability to fly.

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Did You Know?

In the Galapagos, 74% of endemic grasshoppers and crickets have evolved flightlessness — the same pattern seen in many island insect populations worldwide.