''Scapteriscus abbreviatus'', the short-winged mole cricket, is a

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

of insect in the mole cricket family, Gryllotalpidae. It is native to South America but has been introduced inadvertently into Florida, in the United States. Unlike other related species, it is unable to fly, nor do the males emit songs in order to attract females.

Description

''Scapteriscus abbreviatus'' is a medium-sized mole cricket with a length of from . Its leathery forewings are shorter than its prothorax and its membranous hind wings are shorter than its forewings, rendering it unable to fly. Members of this genus are characterized by having two sharp claws and a blade-like process with a sharp edge on their forelegs. Other mole crickets have three or four claws.Rodríguez, F.; Heads, S. (2012)
New mole crickets of the genus ''Scapteriscus'' Scudder from Colombia (Orthoptera: Gryllotalpidae; Scapteriscinae).
''Zootaxa'' 3282, 61–68. ''S. abbreviatus'' can be distinguished from the other members of its genus found in Florida, '' S. borellii'' and '' S. vicinus'', by examining the two claws on its front leg. They diverge slightly and the distance between them at the base is equal or greater than the size of a claw base. The other two species have forewings that are longer than their prothorax, and hindwings that exceed the length of their abdomens.

Distribution and habitat

''Scapteriscus abbreviatus'' is native to South America where it is found in eastern Brazil. It is now also present in Central America and the West Indies. The type locality is

Pernambuco Pernambuco () is a state of Brazil, located in the Northeast region of the country. With an estimated population of 9.6 million people as of 2020, making it seventh-most populous state of Brazil and with around 98,148 km², being the 19 ...

in Brazil. It was accidentally introduced into Florida, United States, around 1900, probably with turf, manure or live plant material. It is mostly found in coastal regions and digs its burrows in sandy soils in grassland, fields, verges, turf and lawns.

Control

Mole crickets cause more damage to turf than do other insects in Florida. In 1988, it was reported that some forty million dollars was spent each year on mole cricket control in the state, the main species targeted being ''S. abbreviatus'' and ''S. vicinus''. It was customary to use organophosphates to control them, but these have fallen out of favour on environmental grounds.

Fenoxycarb Fenoxycarb is a carbamate insect growth regulator. It has a low toxicity for bees, birds, and humans, but is toxic to fish. The oral LD50 for rats is greater than . Fenoxycarb is non-neurotoxic and does not have the same mode of action as ot ...

, a juvenile hormone analogue has been researched and was found to greatly reduce the number of eggs produced by each female ''S. abbreviatus''.

Biological pest control Biological control or biocontrol is a method of controlling pests, such as insects, mites, weeds, and plant diseases, using other organisms. It relies on predation, parasitism, herbivory, or other natural mechanisms, but typically also invo ...

has also been used, with the introduction into Florida of certain natural enemies to the mole crickets from South America. The

parasitoid In evolutionary ecology, a parasitoid is an organism that lives in close association with its host (biology), host at the host's expense, eventually resulting in the death of the host. Parasitoidism is one of six major evolutionarily stable str ...

wasp ''

Larra bicolor ''Larra bicolor'' is a parasitoid wasp native to South America. It was introduced into Florida as a biological pest control of invasive mole crickets. Description Adult females of this species are about 22 mm long, with the males somewhat ...

'' deposits

larva A larva (; plural larvae ) is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle. The ...

e on adult mole crickets and the fly '' Ormia depleta'' acts in a similar manner, laying eggs on them; in both cases, the developing larvae devour the tissues of the

host A host is a person responsible for guests at an event or for providing hospitality during it. Host may also refer to: Places * Host, Pennsylvania, a village in Berks County People *Jim Host (born 1937), American businessman * Michel Host ...

. The mole cricket nematode (''Steinernema scapterisci'') liberates a bacterium which causes

sepsis Sepsis, formerly known as septicemia (septicaemia in British English) or blood poisoning, is a life-threatening condition that arises when the body's response to infection causes injury to its own tissues and organs. This initial stage is follo ...

and death to its host mole cricket.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q10662879 Gryllotalpidae Insects described in 1869 Insects of South America