Jerusalem cricket

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Jerusalem cricket
Jerusalemcricket.jpg
Ammopelmatus fuscus
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Orthoptera
Suborder: Ensifera
Family: Stenopelmatidae
Subfamily: Stenopelmatinae
Tribe: Stenopelmatini
Genera

Jerusalem crickets (or potato bugs) [1] are a group of large, flightless insects in the genera Ammopelmatus and Stenopelmatus , together comprising the tribe Stenopelmatini. The former genus is native to the western United States and parts of Mexico, while the latter genus is from Central America. [2]

Contents

Despite their common names, these insects are neither true crickets (which belong to the family Gryllidae) nor true bugs (which belong to the order Hemiptera), nor are they native to Jerusalem. These nocturnal insects use their strong mandibles to feed primarily on dead organic matter but can also eat other insects. [3] Their highly adapted feet are used for burrowing beneath moist soil to feed on decaying root plants and tubers.

While Jerusalem crickets are not venomous, they can emit a foul smell and are capable of inflicting a painful bite.

Classification

There are 19 species recognized as valid in the genus Stenopelmatus , as presently delimited (with 13 more of uncertain status and potentially not valid), though the genus was formerly much larger, including most of the species now placed in the genus Ammopelmatus , which contains 20 additional species. [2] The family Stenopelmatidae and subfamily Stenopelmatinae contain several Old World genera, but only the genera in the tribe Stenopelmatini (all New World) are referred to as Jerusalem crickets. Other families in the same superfamily (Stenopelmatoidea) in Australia and New Zealand include the wētā and king crickets. They are similar to stenopelmatines in many respects.

Communication

The Jerusalem cricket's song features a characteristic drumming sound
Ammopelmatus fuscus Stenopelmatus fuscus (Jerusalem Cricket).jpg
Ammopelmatus fuscus
Idahoan "potato bug" Ammopelmatus fuscus Ammopelmatus fuscus back.jpg
Idahoan "potato bug" Ammopelmatus fuscus

Similar to true crickets, each species of Jerusalem cricket produces a different song during mating. This song takes the form of a characteristic drumming in which the insect beats its abdomen against the ground.

No species have wings with sound-producing structures; moreover, evidently none has structures it could use to hear sound. [4] [5] This contrasts with true crickets and katydids, who use their wings to produce sounds and have hearing organs to sense sounds of others. Jerusalem crickets seem unable to hiss by forcing air through their spiracles, as some beetles and cockroaches do. Instead, the few Jerusalem crickets that do make sound rub their hind legs against the sides of the abdomen, producing a rasping, hissing noise. [6] This hiss may serve to deter predators rather than to communicate with other crickets. For such purposes, Jerusalem crickets rely on substrate vibrations felt by subgenual organs located in all six of the insect's legs. [7]

Names

Mahogany Jerusalem cricket (Ammopelmatus n. sp. "mahogany") next to a 2.4 cm quarter Mahogany Jerusalem cricket.jpg
Mahogany Jerusalem cricket (Ammopelmatus n. sp. "mahogany") next to a 2.4 cm quarter

Several hypotheses attempt to explain the origin of the term "Jerusalem cricket". [8] One suggests the term originated from a mixing of Navajo and Christian terminology, resulting from the strong connection Franciscan priests had with the Navajos in developing their dictionary and vocabulary. Such priests may have heard the Navajos speak of a "skull insect" and took this as a reference to Calvary (also known as Skull Hill) outside Jerusalem near the place where Jesus was crucified.

Several Navajo names refer to the insect's head: [8]

Other names include the Hopi qalatötö ("shiny bug"), [8] the Spanish niño de la tierra ("child of the earth") and cara de niño ("child's face"). [8] [9]

Jerusalem cricket in its burrow Potato Bug in its Burrow.jpg
Jerusalem cricket in its burrow

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Orthoptera</span> Order of insects including grasshoppers, crickets, weta and locusts

Orthoptera is an order of insects that comprises the grasshoppers, locusts, and crickets, including closely related insects, such as the bush crickets or katydids and weta. The order is subdivided into two suborders: Caelifera – grasshoppers, locusts, and close relatives; and Ensifera – crickets and close relatives.

<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. The distribution of this family reflects a common ancestry before the fragmenting of Gondwana.

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

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

<i>Cooloola</i> (insect) Genus of cricket-like animals

Cooloola is a genus of ensiferan orthopterans known as Cooloola monsters. It is the only genus in the subfamily Cooloolinae and family Cooloolidae of the superfamily Stenopelmatoidea.

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

Stenopelmatus is one of two genera of large, flightless insects referred to commonly as Jerusalem crickets. They are primarily native to Central America, and one species is known from Ecuador.

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

Ensifera is a suborder of insects that includes the various types of crickets and their allies including: true crickets, camel crickets, bush crickets or katydids, grigs, weta and Cooloola monsters. This and the suborder Caelifera make up the order Orthoptera. Ensifera is believed to be a more ancient group than Caelifera, with its origins in the Carboniferous period, the split having occurred at the end of the Permian period. Unlike the Caelifera, the Ensifera contain numerous members that are partially carnivorous, feeding on other insects, as well as plants.

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

Stenopelmatidae is a family of large, mostly flightless orthopterans that includes the Jerusalem crickets. Two genera: Ammopelmatus and the type genus Stenopelmatus are found in the New World. Oryctopus and Sia are Old World genera, and previously placed in their own subfamilies, but with the addition of new genera, current placement is as five tribes in the single subfamily Stenopelmatinae.

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

Ammopelmatus is a genus of insects in the family Stenopelmatidae, one of two genera of large, flightless insects referred to commonly as Jerusalem crickets. They are native to western United States and northwestern Mexico.

<i>Ammopelmatus muwu</i> Species of cricket-like animal

Ammopelmatus muwu is a species of insect in family Stenopelmatidae. It is endemic to parts of San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties in the United States state of California.

Ammopelmatus cahuilaensis is a species of insect in the family Stenopelmatidae. The species is found in the Coachella Valley and was described by Ernest R. Tinkham in 1968, in The Great Basin Naturalist.

Ammopelmatus navajo, commonly known as the Navajo Jerusalem cricket, is a species of nocturnal Jerusalem cricket in the family Stenopelmatidae. It is endemic to the United States, specifically Arizona, and found under rocks in loose soil. It is closely related to A. fuscus and they have nearly identical drumming patterns. They live one to two years as adults, but can die prematurely by parasitic infections, commonly by the horsehair worm.

Ammopelmatus nigrocapitatus is a species of insect in the family Stenopelmatidae. It is endemic to parts of Southern California.

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

Stenopelmatoidea is a superfamily of insects in the order Orthoptera; in some older classifications this group was referred to as Gryllacridoidea.

<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.

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

Tettigoniidea is an infraorder of the order Orthoptera, with six extant families.

<i>Ammopelmatus pictus</i> Species of cricket-like animal

Ammopelmatus pictus is a species of Jerusalem cricket in the family Stenopelmatidae. It is found in parts of the Central Valley, Diablo Range, and Silicon Valley within California.

Ammopelmatus mescaleroensis is a species of Jerusalem cricket in the family Stenopelmatidae. It is found in the area around Mescalero, in the United States state of New Mexico.

Anabropsini is a tribe of king crickets. The tribe comprises over 40 species, has a broad distribution in Old and New World tropics, including Asia, Africa, Oceania, Central America, and South America.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stenopelmatinae</span>

Stenopelmatinae is the sole subfamily in the family Stenopelmatidae. There are about 7 genera and more than 50 described species in Stenopelmatinae.

Ammopelmatus longispina is a species of Jerusalem cricket in the family Stenopelmatidae. It is found in North America.

References

  1. ↑ BugGuide
  2. 1 2 D.B. Weissman, A.G. Vandergast, H. Song, S. Shin, D.D. McKenna, N. Ueshima (2021) Generic relationships of New World Jerusalem crickets (Orthoptera: Stenopelmatoidea: Stenopelmatinae), including all known species of Stenopelmatus. ZooTaxa 4917. DOI:10.11646/zootaxa.4917.1.1
  3. ↑ Milne, Lorus and Margery (1980) The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Insects & Spiders. Alfred A. Knopf, Inc, pp. 437. ISBN   0-394-50763-0
  4. ↑ L. Desutter-Grandcolas (2003). "Phylogeny and the evolution of acoustic communication in extant Ensifera (Insecta, Orthoptera)". Zoologica Scripta . 32 (6): 525–561. doi:10.1046/j.1463-6409.2003.00142.x. S2CID   85659457.
  5. ↑ Robinson, DJ; Hall, MJ (2002). "Sound Signalling in Orthoptera". Advances in Insect Physiology, Volume 29. Elsevier. pp. 151–278. ISBN   978-0-12-024229-0.
  6. ↑ Weissman, DB (2001). The Biology of Wetas, King Crickets and Their Allies. Wallingford, Oxfordshire, UK: CABI Publishing. pp. 351–375. ISBN   978-0-85199-408-6.
  7. ↑ Weissman, DB; Vandergast, AG; Ueshima, N (2008). Encyclopedia of Entomology. Berlin: Springer. pp. 2054–2061. ISBN   978-1-4020-6242-1.
  8. 1 2 3 4 Stoffolano JG, Wright B (2005). "Sö ́sö'öpa—Jerusalem Cricket: An Important Insect in the Hopi Katsina Pantheon". American Entomologist. 51 (3): 174–179. doi: 10.1093/ae/51.3.174 .
  9. ↑ Eaton, Eric R.; Kenn Kaufman (2007). Kaufman Field Guide to Insects of North America. New York: Houghton Mifflin. p. 84. ISBN   978-0-618-15310-7.
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