Family of crickets
Mogoplistidae is a family of scaly crickets within the superfamily Grylloidea.[1] Considered to be monophyletic, a sister taxon to the Gryllidae crickets. This family consists of more than 370 species worldwide;[2] 20 species in 4 genera occur in North America and this family includes the scaly crickets of Europe.
Subfamilies, Tribes and selected Genera
The Orthoptera Species File lists the following:[3]
Malgasiinae
Auth.: Gorochov 1984; distribution: Madagascar and Indian Ocean islands
Mogoplistinae
Auth.: Brunner von Wattenwyl 1873
- tribe Arachnocephalini Gorochov 1984
- Apterornebius Ingrisch, 2006
- Arachnocephalus Costa, 1855
- Bothromogoplistes Gorochov, 2020
- Cycloptiloides Sjöstedt, 1909
- Cycloptilum Scudder, 1869
- Discophallus Gorochov, 2009
- Ectatoderus Guérin-Méneville, 1847
- Ornebius Guérin-Méneville, 1844
- Pseudomogoplistes Gorochov, 1984
- †Pseudarachnocephalus Gorochov, 2010
- tribe Mogoplistini Brunner von Wattenwyl 1873
- Biama Otte & Alexander, 1983
- Collendina Otte & Alexander, 1983
- Derectaotus Chopard, 1936
- Eucycloptilum Chopard, 1935
- Gotvendia Bolívar, 1927
- Hoplosphyrum Rehn & Hebard, 1912
- Kalyra Otte & Alexander, 1983
- Kiah Otte & Alexander, 1983
- Marinna Otte & Alexander, 1983
- Microgryllus Philippi, 1863
- Micrornebius Chopard, 1969
- Mogoplistes Serville, 1838
- Musgravia Otte, 1994
- Oligacanthopus Rehn & Hebard, 1912
- Pachyornebius Chopard, 1969
- Paramogoplistes Gorochov, 1984
- Pongah Otte & Alexander, 1983
- Talia Otte & Alexander, 1983
- Terraplistes Ingrisch, 2006
- Tubarama Yamasaki, 1985
- Yarabina Otte, 1994
†Protomogoplistinae
Ecology
These crickets have a worldwide distribution: especially in tropical/subtropical environments near water. Like many other crickets, they are omnivorous scavengers and will eat fungi, plant material, and other insects. Members of this family are distinguished from closely related families by the scales that covers their abdomen and parts of their thorax and resemble those of Lepidoptera.
History
The family was originally described by Brunner von Wattenwyl in 1873,[4]: 167 but a genus (mogoplistes) was described earlier, 1838, by Serville[5] and was the basis for the family nomenclature. Mogoplistidae has three subfamilies: Mogoplistinae, Malgasiinae and Protomogoplistinae. Little work has been completed to classify and describe these crickets although work has been done on their acoustic development and identification of new characters.[6]
