Species Euborellia arcanum

Classification · Explanation of Names · Size · Identification · Range · Habitat · Food · Life Cycle · Remarks · Works Cited

Euborellia plebeja? - Euborellia arcanum - female

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Dermaptera (Earwigs)

Family Anisolabididae

Genus Euborellia

Species arcanum (Euborellia arcanum)

Explanation of Names

Euborellia arcanum Matzke & Kocarek 2015

arcanum = 'mysterious,' a reference to the unclear origin and manner of introduction into Europe(1)

Size

Adults 20-26 mm(1)

Identification

from(1):

Wingless in all stages

pronotum rectangular, parallel-sided, longer than wide

legs uniform yellow, no femoral bands

distinctive male gentalia are

E. peregrina & E. antoni are similar, but with pronotum widening posterad (also differs in male genitalia and forceps)

Range

FL, likely other southern states. Seems to be introduced, perhaps from the Neotropics(1)

Habitat

Dark moist places in greenhouses & urban areas, perhaps elsewhere(1); in TX found under potted plants

Food

Has been raised on banana pieces and dried Gammarus(1)

Life Cycle

Eggs are smooth and white, ~1x1 mm; 5 instars total(1)

Remarks

Creates burrows and chambers in soil and emerges at night, retracting food into burrows for consumption. First described in 2015 from specimens in greenhouses/exhibits in Leipzig, Germany, then subsequently found in greenhouses Potsdam, Germany & Vienna, Austria. These individuals may have come from soil/plants from Florida(1)

Works Cited

1.	Description and biology of Euborellia arcanum sp. nov., an alien earwig occupying greenhouses in Germany and Austria ... Danilo Matzke, Petr Kocarek. 2015. Zootaxa 3956 (1): 131 – 139 .

Contributed by Graham Montgomery on 25 December, 2016 - 5:55pm
Additional contributions by v belov
Last updated 12 February, 2019 - 6:31pm

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