Paracilacris Chopard, 1955

Naskrecki, Piotr, Bazelet, Corinna S. & Spearman, Lauren A., 2008, New species of flightless katydids from South Africa (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Meconematinae), Zootaxa 1933 (1), pp. 19-32 : 24

Paracilacris Chopard, 1955

Type species: Paracilacris lateralis Chopard, 1955: 273 .

Paracilacris is a genus endemic to eastern parts of South Africa, and its species are associated with middle to high elevation grasslands. It is closely related to the genera Acilacris Bolivar and Aroegas Peringuey , but differs in the presence of a sharply incised, horizontal subgenital plate in the male, a strongly projecting fastigium of vertex, and the male cercus with a large, basal tooth.

Little is known about the biology of the species of this genus, but it is likely that they all feed on flowers and seeds of grasses. P. periclitatus n. sp. was observed feeding on flowers of several unidentified species of grasses. All species of Paracilacris have been collected during the day by grass sweeping, but their feeding and reproductive activities most likely take place only at night. Males of P. periclitatus start stridulating around 19:30, and continue well past midnight.