The katydid or bush cricket genus Dichopetala Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1878 sensu Rehn and Hebard, 1914 is revised, with the description of 6 new genera (Obolopteryx, Planipollex, Rhabdocerca, Gymnocerca, Mactruchus, and Acanthorintes) and 14 new species (Rhabdocerca zanclophora, Gymnocerca cycloprista, Gymnocerca enaulites, Mactruchus ischnodus, Mactruchus cryothermastris, Mactruchus megasynactor, Acanthorintes xanthephaptor, Acanthorintes erythrephaptor, Acanthorintes thenarocercus, Acanthorintes zeuglaius, Pterodichopetala strepsidactyla, Pterodichopetala hypsibates, Pterodichopetala padrisima, and Pterodichopetala pityophila).
The following two species are synonymized: Dichopetala acambarensis Marquez Mayaudon, 1958 is designated a junior synonym of Dichopetala serrifera Rehn and Hebard, 1914, and Dichopetala chirura Strohecker, 1945 is designated a junior synonym of Dichopetala pollicifera Rehn and Hebard, 1914.
Sixteen North and Central American species are transferred from Dichopetala into newly-erected genera: Obolopteryx emarginata Rehn and Hebard, 1914, Obolopteryx seeversi (Strohecker, 1941), Obolopteryx gladiator (Rehn and Hebard, 1914), Obolopteryx brevihastata (Morse, 1902), Obolopteryx castanea (Rehn and Hebard, 1914), Obolopteryx poecila (Hebard, 1932), Obolopteryx catinata (Rehn and Hebard, 1914), Obolopteryx oreoeca (Rehn and Hebard, 1914), Planipollex pollicifer (Rehn and Hebard, 1914), Rhabdocerca tridactyla (Rehn and Hebard, 1914), Rhabdocerca caudelli (Rehn and Hebard, 1914), Gymnocerca falcata (Rehn and Hebard, 1914), Mactruchus durangensis (Rehn and Hebard, 1914), Mactruchus serrifer (Rehn and Hebard, 1914), Acanthorintes tauriformis (Rehn and Hebard, 1914), and Pterodichopetala cultricerca (Strohecker, 1945). The final South American taxon described in the genus, Dichopetala transfuga (Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1878), is transferred to another genus, resulting in the combination Cohnia transfuga (Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1878).
These taxonomic acts are accompanied by various discussions concerning the new taxa herein erected, including but not limited to biogeography, phylogeny and polarity, natural history, and the problems associated with maintaining a large heterogeneous genus.