Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
formerly considered a subfamily (Gryllotalpinae) within the cricket family Gryllidae
Explanation of Names
Author of family is Fieber, 1852. From genus
Gryllotalpa, itself New Latin, from Latin
gryllus a cricket, plus
talpa, mole
(1).
Often considered a subfamily (Gryllotalpinae) of family Gryllidae.
BugGuide follows the classification of
Orthoptera Species File Online, which treats the group as family Gryllotalpidae.
Numbers
Arnett
(2) lists seven species.
Nearctica.com lists three genera and seven species: Gryllotalpa (3 species), Neocurtilla (1 species), Neoscapteriscus (3 species).
Here's a list of Gryllotalpidae known from the USA, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands. Distribution data is available for each species from the
Mole Cricket Knowledgebase. [Archived from 2015]
Genus Gryllotalpa Latreille, 1804
G. cultriger Uhler, 1864
G. gryllotalpa (Linnaeus, 1758)
G. major Saussure, 1874
G. orientalis Burmeister, 1838
Genus Neocurtilla Kirby, 1906
N. hexadactyla (Perty, 1832)
Genus Neoscapteriscus Cadena-Castañeda, 2015
N. abbreviatus Scudder, 1869
N. borellii Giglio-Tos, 1869
N. didactylus (Latreille, 1804)
N. imitatus Nickle & Castner, 1984
N. vicinus Scudder, 1869
… Sam W. Heads, 29 March, 2008
Size
body length 20 mm or greater
Identification
Fairly large burrowing orthopterans. Characteristics:
front legs broad, modified for digging, have large "claws"
hind legs not enlarged for jumping (compare Tridactylidae, which have enlarged hind legs)
all tarsi with three segments (formula 3-3-3)
tympana at base of front tibiae
antennae less than half body length
ovipositor variable
Key genera based on structure of forelegs. See Gryllotalpidae section of
Checklist of Crickets North of Mexico, and
photo comparing genera, and the different species of
Neoscapteriscus .
In overall appearance, compare these two widespread species:
Left. Northern Mole Cricket (Neocurtilla hexadactyla) has brownish pronotum, which forms a bit of a hood over head, and short wings.
Right. Southern Mole Cricket (Neoscapteriscus borellii) has grayish pronotum (usually with four pale spots), which does not form hood over head, and longer wings.
Overview of Species:
Gryllotalpa gryllotalpa
Gryllotalpa major
---no image--- Gryllotalpa cultriger
Neocurtilla hexadactyla
Neoscapteriscus abbreviatus
Neoscapteriscus borellii
Neoscapteriscus vicinusHabitat
fossorial (digging), nocturnal
Remarks
Mole crickets dig and mold underground tunnels of exceptional acoustical design. Their burrow looks and sounds like a subterranean megaphone. The cricket chirps by raising its wings and rubbing them together. This burrow amplifies them in hopes of attracting a female.
(3)See Also
superficially similar but unrelated
Tridactylidae - Pygmy Mole 'Crickets' (suborder Caelifera)
Print References
The Century Dictionary--entry for
Gryllotalpa (1)
Capinera, p. 212, plate 47
(4)
Internet References
family account and
key to genera (Singing Insects of North America)
classification plus list of world species, synonyms, literature references (Orthoptera Species File)
