Oecanthus Serville, 1831: 38.

TYPE SPECIES. — Gryllus pellucens Scopoli, 1763 by subsequent designation (Kirby 1906).

ILLUSTRATIONS. — Habitus: Fig. 15B; Otte & Alexander 1983: fig. 298. Male genitalia: Otte & Alexander 1983: fig. 301D. Calling song: fig. 16.

DIAGNOSIS. — Medium sized species, with narrow body and very thin FIII. Lightly coloured, most often green or very light brown. FWs translucent. Head prognathous, elongate. Eyes very little prominent; only two ocelli present, often not clear.Fastigium narrower than scapes; scapes longer than wide. Maxillary palpi moderately elongate, all joints tubular and very thin; joint 5 the longest, apex obliquely truncate. Pronotum longer than wide, distinctly narrowed anteriorly; lower margin of lateral lobes somewhat raised dorsally. Legs all very thin. TI inflated at level of well-developed inner and outer tympana. TIII furrowed dorsally; with three inner and three outer apical spurs, dorsal spur the longest on each side; with six or seven inner and five outer small subapical spurs; serrulation present both above and between subapical spurs. Basitarsomeres III very long, without dorsal spine. Second tarsomeres not flattened. Claws bifidous at base. Cerci short. FWs always present. HWs most often longer than FWS.

Male. Metanotum gland very developed (Hancock’s gland). FWs translucent, covering abdomen and very wide; stridulum well-developed, FW wider at mirror level. Stridulum complete; file straight; harp with few transverse veins; mirror divided into two very wide cells. Apical field reduced; chords all parallel and closely set; chords 1 and 2 fused basally. Lateral field specialized. Male genitalia little sclerotized; pseudepiphallus short, anterior margin concave, distal apex shortly bifidous; pseudepiphallic parameres flap-like, close to pseudepiphallic apex; rami very long and thin; ectophallic fold short; ectophallic apodemes well-developed; dorsal cavity large, bordered by two longitudinal invaginations.

Female. FWs and HWs as developed as in males. Ovipositor straight; dorsal valves longer than ventral valves, with thick crests.

DISTRIBUTION. — Oecanthus is distributed worldwide; only one species is reported from New Caledonia, Oecanthus rufescens Serville, 1831, which has been described from India and recorded in Australia (Otte & Alexander 1983; Metrani & Balakrishnan 2005).

HABITAT. — Nocturnal species singing from high herbs or schrubs in disturbed vegetation, often along road side.