Panacanthus
Panacanthus
Genus of katydids
Panacanthus is a genus of conehead katydids found in forests in northwestern South American (western Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador and northern Peru) and Panama, including the western Amazon, the Chocó and the Magdalena River Valley.[2] The common names spiny-headed katydid, spine-headed katydids, spike-headed katydids, thorny devil katydid, thorny devil bush cricket, and similar variations of the sort, do not apply to a single species or to this genus alone, and multiple species are often called by the same common name.
Panacanthus are omnivorous but with strong predatory tendencies. These nocturnal katydids are spiny with a horn-like projection on the top of the head and generally have a head-and-body length of about 2.5–7 cm (1.0–2.8 in), excluding the female's ovipositor.[2] The ovipositor is long, about 4–6.5 cm (1.6–2.6 in), but the relative size varies depending on species; in some it is shorter than the head-and-body and in some it is longer.[2] The genus includes both very poorly known and seemingly highly localized species and more widespread species that can be locally abundant.[2][3] They have loud voices that vary depending on species.[2][3]