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{{Short description|Family of cricket-like animals}}
{{Taxobox
{{Automatic taxobox
| color = pink
| image = Myrmecophila acervorum.jpg
| name = Ant crickets
| image_caption = ''[[Myrmecophilus acervorum]]''
| regnum = [[Animal]]ia
⚫
| taxon = Myrmecophilidae
| phylum = [[Arthropoda]]
| authority = Saussure, 1874
| classis = [[Insecta]]
| synonyms =
| subclassis = [[Pterygota]]
* Myrmecophiloidea <small>Saussure, 1874</small>
| infraclassis = [[Neoptera]]
* Myrmecophiliens <small>Saussure, 1874</small>
| superordo = [[Exopterygota]]
| ordo = [[Orthoptera]]
| subordo = [[Ensifera]]
| superfamilia = [[Grylloidea]]
⚫
| familia = '''Myrmecophilidae'''
| subdivision_ranks = Genera
| subdivision =
⚫
''Myrmecophilus''
a few others
}}
}}
The '''ant crickets''' are rarely-encountered relatives of [[cricket (insect)|cricket]]s, and are obligate associates of [[ant]] nests. They are very small, wingless, and flattened, therefore resembling small [[roach]] [[nymph]]s. There are a few genera, containing fewer than 100 species.
The '''Myrmecophilidae'''<ref>Saussure (1874) ''Mission scientifique au Méxique et dans l'Amérique centrale'' 6:422.</ref> or '''ant-loving crickets''' are rarely encountered relatives of [[mole cricket]]s. They are very small, wingless, and flattened, resembling small [[cockroach]] [[nymph (biology)|nymph]]s. The few genera contain fewer than 100 species. Ant crickets are yellow, brown, or nearly black in color. They do not produce sound, and lack both wings and [[tympanal organ]]s ("ears") on the front tibia.


Species of the subfamily Bothriophylacinae live in caves and the burrows of desert vertebrates rather than ant nests. The three extant ant cricket genera (subfamily Myrmecophilinae) are obligate [[Kleptoparasitism|kleptoparasites]] of ants. They obtain food by soliciting [[trophallaxis]] in their host ants or by scraping off waxes from the bodies of ants. <ref>{{Cite book |last=Hölldobler |first=Bert |title=The Guests of Ants |pages=314–316}}</ref>
{{insect-stub}}


==Tribes and genera==
⚫
[[Category:Orthoptera]]
The ''Orthoptera Species File'' lists two subfamilies:<ref>{{Cite web |title=family Myrmecophilidae Saussure, 1874: Orthoptera Species File |url=http://orthoptera.speciesfile.org/Common/basic/Taxa.aspx?TaxonNameID=1128906 |access-date=2023-09-01 |website=orthoptera.speciesfile.org}}</ref>

===Bothriophylacinae===
Auth.: Miram, 1934; distribution: northern Africa, western Asia
* tribe Bothriophylacini Miram, 1934
**''[[Bothriophylax]]'' Miram, 1934
**''[[Eremogryllodes]]'' Chopard, 1929
* tribe Microbothriophylacini Gorochov, 2017
**''[[Microbothriophylax]]'' Gorochov, 1993

===Myrmecophilinae===
Auth.: Saussure, 1874; distribution: global
* tribe Myrmecophilini Saussure, 1874
⚫
**''[[Myrmecophilus]]'' Berthold, 1827
**''[[Myrmecophilellus]]'' Uvarov, 1940
* ''[[Incertae sedis]]''
** †[[Araripemyrmecophilops]] Martins-Neto, 1991
** [[Camponophilus]] Ingrisch, 1995

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{Commonscat inline}}

{{Taxonbar|from=Q599065}}
{{Orthoptera|1}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ant Cricket}}
⚫
[[Category:Ensifera]]
[[Category:Extant Jurassic first appearances]]

Latest revision as of 00:04, 29 June 2024

Ant cricket
Myrmecophilus acervorum
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Orthoptera
Suborder: Ensifera
Superfamily: Gryllotalpoidea
Family: Myrmecophilidae
Saussure, 1874
Synonyms
  • Myrmecophiloidea Saussure, 1874
  • Myrmecophiliens Saussure, 1874

The Myrmecophilidae[1] or ant-loving crickets are rarely encountered relatives of mole crickets. They are very small, wingless, and flattened, resembling small cockroach nymphs. The few genera contain fewer than 100 species. Ant crickets are yellow, brown, or nearly black in color. They do not produce sound, and lack both wings and tympanal organs ("ears") on the front tibia.

Species of the subfamily Bothriophylacinae live in caves and the burrows of desert vertebrates rather than ant nests. The three extant ant cricket genera (subfamily Myrmecophilinae) are obligate kleptoparasites of ants. They obtain food by soliciting trophallaxis in their host ants or by scraping off waxes from the bodies of ants. [2]

Tribes and genera

[edit]

The Orthoptera Species File lists two subfamilies:[3]

Bothriophylacinae

[edit]

Auth.: Miram, 1934; distribution: northern Africa, western Asia

Myrmecophilinae

[edit]

Auth.: Saussure, 1874; distribution: global

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Saussure (1874) Mission scientifique au Méxique et dans l'Amérique centrale 6:422.
  2. ^ Hölldobler, Bert. The Guests of Ants. pp. 314–316.
  3. ^ "family Myrmecophilidae Saussure, 1874: Orthoptera Species File". orthoptera.speciesfile.org. Retrieved 2023-09-01.
[edit]
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