''Scapteriscus'' is a genus of insects in the family Gryllotalpidae, the mole crickets. Members of the genus are called two-clawed mole crickets.
[Genus ''Scapteriscus''.]
In: Walker, T. J. ''Singing Insects of North America''. Entomology and Nematology. University of Florida, IFAS. They are native to South America.
[Parkman, J. P. and J. H. Frank. (1992)]
Infection of sound-trapped mole crickets, ''Scapteriscus'' spp., by ''Steinernema scapterisci''.
''Florida Entomologist'' 75(1) 163-65. Some species have arrived in other regions (by flight or as contaminants of ship ballast or cargoes), including parts of North America, where some have become invasive species, invasive and have become established as pest (organism), pests.
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Description
These are medium-sized or large mole crickets characterized by the structures on their forelegs: two sharp claws and a blade-like process with a sharp flange or tooth. Other mole crickets have three or four claws.[Rodríguez, F. and S. Heads. (2012)]
New mole crickets of the genus ''Scapteriscus'' Scudder from Colombia (Orthoptera: Gryllotalpidae; Scapteriscinae).
''Zootaxa'' 3282, 61–68. Like other mole crickets, these burrow in the ground and the males produce calls with their tegmen, tegmina.[Nickle, D. A. (2003)]
A revision of the mole cricket genus ''Scapteriscus'' with the description of a morphologically similar new genus (Orthoptera: Gryllotalpidae: Scapteriscinae).
''Transactions of the American Entomological Society'' 129(3–4) 411–485.
Impacts
''Scapteriscus'' species have been called "the most damaging crickets in the New World".[ The major pest species include ''S. abbreviatus'', ''S. borellii'', ''S. didactylus'', and ''S. vicinus''.][Names, Origins, and Distribution of Mole Crickets.]
Entomology and Nematology. University of Florida, IFAS. These burrowing insects are pests of lawns, pastures, and gardens.[ Some species feed on plant roots and seedlings,][Tawny Mole Cricket, ''S. vicinus''.]
Entomology and Nematology. University of Florida, IFAS. while others are carnivorous and damage turf with their digging activity.
Entomology and Nematology. University of Florida, IFAS.[ ''S. didactylus'' is invasive in Australia, where it damages turf, especially on golf courses, and attacks crops such as rice and capsicum, peppers.][Rentz, D. C. F. (1995)]
The changa mole cricket, ''Scapteriscus didactylus'' (Latreille), a New World pest established in Australia (Orthoptera: Gryllotalpidae).
''Australian Journal of Entomology'' 34(4) 303-06.
In French Guiana, ''S. didactylus'' is a predator of the eggs of the critically endangered leatherback sea turtle (''Dermochelys coriacea'').[Maros, A., et al. (2003)]
''Scapteriscus didactylus'' (Orthoptera, Gryllotalpidae), predator of leatherback turtle eggs in French Guiana.
''Marine Ecology Progress Series'' 249,289-96.
Agents of biological pest control have proved effective for these mole crickets. The nematode ''Steinernema scapterisci'' kills the mole cricket by carrying bacterium, bacteria into its body, introducing an overwhelming infection.[Smart, G. C. (1994)]
''Steinernema scapterisci'', a nematode parasite of mole crickets, ''Scapteriscus'' spp.
Nematology Circular No. 206. Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. The Tachinidae, tachinid fly ''Ormia depleta'' is a parasitoid that leaves its carnivorous larva on the body of the mole cricket The crabronid wasp ''Larra bicolor'' (family Crabronidae) catches the mole cricket and sticks an egg to it. When the larva emerges, it consumes the mole cricket alive.[Frank, J.H. and Sourakov, A. 2012. ''Larra'' wasps, mole cricket hunters. http://entnem.ifas.ufl.edu/creatures/beneficial/Larra_wasps.htm][
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Diversity
In 2003, 21 species were in the genus.[ More have since been described.][
Species include:][
*''Scapteriscus abbreviatus'' – short-winged mole cricket
*''Scapteriscus borellii'' – southern mole cricket
*''Scapteriscus cerberus''][
*''Scapteriscus costaricensis''
*''Scapteriscus didactyloides''
*''Scapteriscus didactylus'' – West Indian mole cricket, ''changa''
*''Scapteriscus ecuadorensis''
*''Scapteriscus grossi''
*''Scapteriscus imitatus'' – imitator mole cricket
*''Scapteriscus macrocellus''
*''Scapteriscus peruvianus''
*''Scapteriscus quadripunctatus''
*''Scapteriscus saileri''
*''Scapteriscus tenuis''
*''Scapteriscus vicinus'' – tawny mole cricket
*''Scapteriscus zeuneri''][
Two species of ''Scapteriscus'' were separated and placed in the new genus ''Indioscaptor''.][
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References
{{Authority control
Gryllotalpidae
Ensifera genera