Hadenoecus cumberlandicus

Hadenoecus cumberlandicus
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Orthoptera
Suborder:	Ensifera
Family:	Rhaphidophoridae
Genus:	Hadenoecus
Species:	H. cumberlandicus
Binomial name
Hadenoecus cumberlandicus Hubbell & Norton, 1978 [1]

Hadenoecus cumberlandicus, ^[1] the Cumberland cave cricket, is a species of camel cricket in the family Rhaphidophoridae. It is found in North America along the west of the Cumberland Plateau. ^{[2] [3] [4] [5]}

Habitat

The Cumberland cave cricket aggregates into groups or clusters within cave wall recesses and is considered vital to cave community ecosystems, noted as a keystone species. ^[6]

Features and reproduction

The crickets aggregate to minimize dehydration using specialized pheromones that reduce mobility on contact, acting as an anti-predator defense tactic from cave spiders. It has been found to have a co-occurrence relationship with the cave orb weaver spider Meta ovalis. Some populations of H. cumberlandicus are parthenogenic. ^[7]

Identification

This cricket has very long legs, and a dark body. Its body is broken into scale sections. The antennae are also longer than that of an average camel cricket. ^[8]

References

1. Hubbell, T. H.; Norton, Russell M. (1978). "The systematics and biology of the cave-crickets of the North American tribe Hadenoecini (Orthoptera: Saltatoria: Ensifera: Rhaphidophoridae: Dolichopodinae)". hdl:2027.42/56400.{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
2. "Hadenoecus cumberlandicus Report". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 2019-09-24.
3. "Hadenoecus cumberlandicus". GBIF. Retrieved 2019-09-24.
4. Otte, Daniel; Cigliano, Maria Marta; Braun, Holger; Eades, David C. (2019). "Orthoptera species file online, Version 5.0" . Retrieved 2019-07-02.
5. "Cumberland Cave Cricket". Bugs With Mike. 2025-04-04. Retrieved 2025-04-04.
6. Hobbs III, HH (1992). Hackney, CT; Adams, SM; Martin, WM (eds.). "Caves and Springs". Biodiversity of the Southeastern United States: Aquatic Communities: 59–131.
7. Yoder, Jay A.; Christensen, Brady S.; Croxall, Travis J.; Tank, Justin L.; Hobbs, Horton H. (May 2010). "The Pheromone of the Cave Cricket, Hadenoecus cumberlandicus, Causes Cricket Aggregation but Does Not Attract the Co-Distributed Predatory Spider, Meta ovalis". Journal of Insect Science. 10 (47): 47. doi:10.1673/031.010.4701. ISSN   1536-2442. PMC   3014794 . PMID   20572786.
8. "cricket".