Tettigoniinae

The subfamily Tettigoniinae, sometimes called shield-backed katydids, contains hundreds of species, which are native to the Americas, Australia, southern Africa, Europe (especially Mediterranean), and the Near East. The faunas of the Neotropics and Australia are more closely related to one other than to those of southern Africa, although the three groups are related. They are attributed to an ancient Gondwana fauna which is reflected in the known distribution of the southern African genera, which are in turn related to the North American genera Neduba and Aglaothorax. Many of the common northern European species (e.g. in the genera Tettigonia, Metrioptera and Platycleis) are in this subfamily. In the Orthoptera Species File, the following are listed: The Mormon cricket, actually a katydid and member of this subfamily, has been known to cause extensive damage when it breeds in large numbers in cropland. 123 species are native to North America.