Rhaphidophoridae

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Rhaphidophoridae
Ceuthophiluscricket.jpg
A Greenhouse camel cricket
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Orthoptera
Suborder: Ensifera
Superfamily: Rhaphidophoroidea
Walker, 1869
Family: Rhaphidophoridae
Walker, 1869
Subfamilies and genera

See text

The orthopteran family Rhaphidophoridae of the suborder Ensifera has a worldwide distribution. [1] Common names for these insects include cave crickets, camel crickets, spider crickets (sometimes shortened to "criders" or "sprickets"), [2] and sand treaders. Those occurring in New Zealand are typically referred to as jumping or cave wētā . [3] Most are found in forest environments or within caves, animal burrows, cellars, under stones, or in wood or similar environments. [4] All species are flightless and nocturnal, usually with long antennae and legs. [3] More than 500 species of Rhaphidophoridae are described. [1]

Contents

The well-known field crickets are from a different superfamily (Grylloidea) and only look vaguely similar, while members of the family Tettigoniidae may look superficially similar in body form.

Description

Camel cricket Camel Cricket dsc00387 Neda.jpg
Camel cricket

Most cave crickets have very large hind legs with "drumstick-shaped" femora and equally long, thin tibiae, and long, slender antennae. The antennae arise closely and next to each other on the head. They are brownish in color and rather humpbacked in appearance, always wingless, and up to 5 cm (2.0 in) long in body and 10 cm (3.9 in) for the legs. The bodies of early instars may appear translucent.

As their name suggests, cave crickets are commonly found in caves or old mines. Some inhabit other cool, damp environments such as rotten logs, stumps and hollow trees, and under damp leaves, stones, boards, and logs. [4] [5] Occasionally, they prove to be a nuisance in the basements of homes in suburban areas, drains, sewers, wells, and firewood stacks. One Species (Greenhouse Camel Cricket) has become a tramp species from Asia and is now found in hothouses in Europe and North America. Some reach into alpine areas and live close to permanent ice, such as the Mount Cook "flea" ( Pharmacus montanus ) and its relatives in New Zealand. [6] [7]

Subfamilies and genera

Aemodogryllinae

Genera include:

Anoplophilinae

Genera include:

Ceuthophilinae

cave crickets, camel crickets and sand treaders: North America
Genera include:

Dolichopodainae

cave crickets: southern Europe, western Asia

Gammarotettiginae

Auth. Karny, 1937 – North America

Macropathinae

Gondwanan cave crickets

Pachyrhamma edwardsii from New Zealand Male Pachyrhamma edwardsii from Golden Bay New Zealand.jpg
Pachyrhamma edwardsii from New Zealand

Genera include:

Talitropsis sedilloti Talitropsis sedilotti 'cave' weta.jpg
Talitropsis sedilloti

Protroglophilinae

Rhaphidophorinae

Genera include:

Troglophilinae

cave crickets: the Mediterranean region

Tropidischiinae

camel crickets: Canada

An as-yet-unnamed genus was discovered within a cave in Grand Canyon–Parashant National Monument, on the Utah/Arizona border, in 2005. Its most distinctive characteristic is that it has functional grasping cerci on its posterior. [9]

Ecology

Their distinctive limbs and antennae serve a double purpose. Typically living in a lightless environment, or active at night, they rely heavily on their sense of touch, which is limited by reach. While they have been known to take up residence in the basements of buildings, [10] many cave crickets live out their entire lives deep inside caves. In those habitats, they sometimes face long spans of time with insufficient access to nutrients. Given their limited vision, cave crickets often jump to avoid predation. Those species of Rhaphidophoridae that have been studied are primarily scavengers, eating plant, animal, and fungi material. [10] Although they look intimidating, they are completely harmless. [11] [ unreliable source? ]

The group known as "sand treaders" is restricted to sand dunes, and are adapted to live in this environment. They are active only at night, and spend the day burrowed into the sand to minimize water loss. In the large sand dunes of California and Utah, they serve as food for scorpions and at least one specialized bird, LeConte's thrasher (Toxostoma lecontei). The thrasher roams the dunes looking for the tell-tale debris of the diurnal hiding place and excavates the sand treaders (the range of bird is in the Mojave and Colorado Deserts in the U.S.).

Interactions with humans

Drawing of the cave cricket engraving Enlene, Grasshopper.jpg
Drawing of the cave cricket engraving

Cave and camel crickets are of little economic importance except as a nuisance in buildings and homes, especially basements. They are usually "accidental invaders" that wander in from adjacent areas. They may reproduce indoors, and are seen in dark, moist conditions such as a basement, shower, or laundry area, as well as in organic debris (e.g., compost heaps) that serve as food. They are fairly common invaders of homes in Hokkaido and other chilly regions in Japan. They are called kamado-uma or colloquially benjo korogi (便所コオロギ, literally, "toilet cricket").

A representation of a female from the Troglophilus genus has been found engraved on a bison bone in the Cave of the Trois-Frères, [12] showing that they were likely already present around humans, maybe as pets or pests, in caves inhabited by prehistoric populations in the Magdalenian.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anostostomatidae</span> Family of cricket-like animals

Anostostomatidae is a family of insects in the order Orthoptera, widely distributed in the southern hemisphere. It is named Mimnermidae or Henicidae in some taxonomies, and common names include king crickets in Australia and South Africa, and wētā in New Zealand. Prominent members include the Parktown prawn of South Africa, and the giant wētā of New Zealand.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gryllidae</span> Family of crickets

The family Gryllidae contains the subfamilies and genera which entomologists now term true crickets. Having long, whip-like antennae, they belong to the Orthopteran suborder Ensifera, which has been greatly reduced in the last 100 years : taxa such as the spider-crickets and allies, sword-tail crickets, wood or ground crickets and scaly crickets have been elevated to family level. The type genus is Gryllus and the first use of the family name "Gryllidae" was by Francis Walker.

<i>Pachyrhamma</i> Genus of orthopteran insects

Pachyrhamma is a genus of cave weta in the family Rhaphidophoridae, endemic to New Zealand.

<i>Isoplectron</i> Genus of orthopteran insects

Isoplectron is a genus of cave wētā in the family Rhaphidophoridae with three species currently recognised. The genus is endemic to New Zealand and distributed throughout the country.

Insulanoplectron is a genus of cave wētā in the family Rhaphidophoridae, with just one species: the Snares Island Wētā. Insulanoplectron spinosum is endemic to the subantartic Snares Island of New Zealand, where it is considered to be naturally uncommon. Wētā are nocturnal crickets found all around the world. During the day on the Snares, wētā can be found hiding in seabird burrows.

<i>Novoplectron</i> Genus of orthopteran insects

Novoplectron is a monotypic genus of cave wētā in the family Rhaphidophoridae, endemic to the Chatham Islands. Cave wētā are nocturnal, wingless crickets that occupy humid habitats. Novoplectron wētā generally live under stones and in burrows of seabirds, such as broad-billed prions, mutton birds and storm petrels.

<i>Pharmacus</i> Genus of orthopteran insects

Pharmacus is a genus of cave wētā in the family Rhaphidophoridae, endemic to New Zealand. All species are alpine adapted and found at high elevations in the South Island. They live among rocks on high mountain ridges, often well above glaciers and vegetation. Pharmacus has a geographical range that extends from Nelson south to central Otago and Fiordland. They are small insects with a body length of approximately 14-20mm. In this genus, females are larger than males. All species exhibit dark brown to black pigmentation of the body and legs. They have a dense clothing of setae and a serrated ovipositor. When active they are lively jumpers. For example, Pharmacus montanus is known as the Mount Cook flea because of its habit of leaping out of rock crevices on to mountain climbers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gryllacrididae</span> Family of insects

Gryllacrididae are a family of non-jumping insects in the suborder Ensifera occurring worldwide, known commonly as leaf-rolling crickets or raspy crickets. The family historically has been broadly defined to include what are presently several other families, such as Stenopelmatidae and Rhaphidophoridae, now considered separate. As presently defined, the family contains two subfamilies: Gryllacridinae and Hyperbaeninae. They are commonly wingless and nocturnal. In the daytime, most species rest in shelters made from folded leaves sewn with silk. Some species use silk to burrow in sand, earth or wood. Raspy crickets evolved the ability to produce silk independently from other insects, but their silk has many convergent features to silkworm silk, being made of long, repetitive proteins with an extended beta-sheet structure.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pseudophyllinae</span> Subfamily of cricket-like animals

The subfamily Pseudophyllinae contains numerous species in the family Tettigoniidae, the katydids or bush crickets. Sometimes called "true katydids", together with the crickets of suborder Ensifera, they form part of the insect order Orthoptera which also contains grasshoppers.

<i>Diestrammena</i> Genus of insects

Diestrammena is a 'camel' or 'cave-cricket' genus in the family Rhaphidophoridae. Species in the genus are native to Asia, including Japan.

<i>Ceuthophilus</i> Genus of cricket-like animals

Ceuthophilus is a genus of insects in the cave cricket family Rhaphidophoridae. It contains most of the species that are known commonly as camel crickets.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grylloidea</span> Superfamily of cricket-like animals

Grylloidea is the superfamily of insects, in the order Orthoptera, known as crickets. It includes the "true crickets", scaly crickets, wood crickets and other families, some only known from fossils.

<i>Pachyrhamma waitomoensis</i> Species of orthopteran insect

Pachyrhamma waitomoensis, known as the Waitomo cave weta, is a large species of cave weta, native to the Waitomo district of New Zealand.

<i>Pharmacus montanus</i> Species of orthopteran insect

Pharmacus montanus, the Mount Cook flea, is a type of cave wētā found above the tree line in the South Island of New Zealand. It was first described by Francois Jules Pictet de la Rive and Henri Saussure in 1893. Pharmacus montanus is one of the most widespread species within the genus, found from Aoraki/Mount Cook to Mount Owen in northern South Island. The highest recorded specimens of this species are from a population between 2700 and 2800 m above sea level on Mount Annan above the Tasman Glacier.

<i>Pachyrhamma edwardsii</i> Species of orthopteran insect

Pachyrhamma edwardsii is a species of wētā, in the family Rhaphidophoridae, endemic to New Zealand. This species is found in caves, or large cavities where there is high humidity and little plant or animal life.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wētā</span> Informal group of orthopteran insects

Wētā is the common name for a group of about 100 insect species in the families Anostostomatidae and Rhaphidophoridae endemic to New Zealand. They are giant flightless crickets, and some are among the heaviest insects in the world. Generally nocturnal, most small species are carnivores and scavengers while the larger species are herbivorous. Although some endemic birds likely prey on them, wētā are disproportionately preyed upon by introduced mammals, and some species are now critically endangered.

<i>Talitropsis sedilloti</i> Species of insect

Talitropsis sedilloti is a species of flightless wētā, in the family Rhaphidophoridae, endemic to Aotearoa New Zealand. This species is common in forests throughout New Zealand and during the day can be found hiding in holes in tree branches.

Dr Aola Mary Richards was a New Zealand entomologist specialising in the study of New Zealand and Australian cave crickets, or wētā (Rhaphidophoridae), and Australian ladybird beetles (Coccinellidae). She was the first New Zealand woman to gain a PhD in biology.

<i>Crux</i> (insect) Genus of orthopteran insects

Crux is a genus of cave wētā in the family Rhaphidophoridae. Two species are currently recognised, both of which are endemic to New Zealand.

Occultastella is a monotypic genus of cave wētā in the family Rhaphidophoridae. The sole member of this genus, Occultastella morgani, was described in 2024, and is endemic to New Zealand.

References

  1. 1 2 Cigliano, M. M.; Braun, H.; Eades, D. C.; Otte, D. (2022). "Orthoptera Species File Version 5.0/5.0".
  2. Ambrose, Kevin (2016-11-08). "Spider crickets: The bugs you don't want in your house this fall". The Washington Post. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  3. 1 2 Allegrucci, Giuliana; Trewick, Steve A.; Fortunato, Angela; Carchini, Gianmaria; Sbordoni, Valerio (2010-07-01). "Cave Crickets and Cave Weta (Orthoptera, Rhaphidophoridae) from the Southern End of the World: A Molecular Phylogeny Test of Biogeographical Hypotheses". Journal of Orthoptera Research. 19 (1): 121–130. doi: 10.1665/034.019.0118 . ISSN   1082-6467. S2CID   86260199.
  4. 1 2 Richards, Aola (1987). "Distribution and relationships of the Australian Rhaphidophoridae (Orthoptera)". In Baccetti, Baccio (ed.). Evolutionary Biology of Orthopteroid Insects. Chichester, West Sussex: Halstead Press. pp. 438–449. ISBN   0745802087.
  5. Hegg, Danilo; Morgan-Richards, Mary; Trewick, Steven A. (2019). "Diversity and distribution of Pleioplectron Hutton cave wētā (Orthoptera: Rhaphidophoridae: Macropathinae), with the synonymy of Weta Chopard and the description of seven new species". European Journal of Taxonomy (577). doi: 10.5852/ejt.2019.577 . ISSN   2118-9773.
  6. Hegg, Danilo; Morgan-Richards, Mary; Trewick, Steven A. (2022). "High alpine sorcerers: revision of the cave wētā genus Pharmacus Pictet & de Saussure (Orthoptera: Rhaphidophoridae: Macropathinae), with the description of six new species and three new subspecies". European Journal of Taxonomy (808): 1–58–1–58. doi: 10.5852/ejt.2022.808.1721 . ISSN   2118-9773. S2CID   247971884.
  7. Trewick (2015). "weta geta".
  8. 1 2 Trewick, Steven A. (2024). "Two new genera of tokoriro (Orthoptera: Rhaphidophoridae: Macropathinae) from Aotearoa New Zealand". Zootaxa. 5481 (5): 531–546. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.5481.5.3. ISSN   1175-5334.
  9. "New genus of cricket found in Arizona cave". Live Science. 5 May 2006. Retrieved 7 September 2017.
  10. 1 2 Richards, Aola (1961). "Some observations on New Zealand Cave-Wetas". Tuatara. 9 (2): 80–83.
  11. Rick Steinau. "Camelback Crickets". Ask the Exterminator. Archived from the original on June 14, 2021.
  12. Bégouën, Henri (1929). "Sur quelques objets nouvellement découverts dans les grottes des Trois Frères (Montesquieu-Avantès, Ariège)". Bulletin de la Société Préhistorique de France (in French). 26 (3): 188–196. doi:10.3406/bspf.1929.6692. ISSN   1760-7361..