Ant Cricket vs Tasmanian Cave Cricket
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Ant Cricket | Tasmanian Cave Cricket |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Myrmecophilus acervorum | Micropathus ditto |
| Order | Orthoptera | Orthoptera |
| Family | Gryllidae | Rhaphidophoridae |
| Size | 2-3 mm | 10-15 mm |
| Habitat | Woodlands | Forests |
| Diet | Parasites | Fungus Feeders |
| Regions | Europe, Western Asia | Australia |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Endangered |
Ant Cricket
A minute, wingless cricket that lives inside ant nests as a social parasite. It is oval-shaped and moves quickly among its host ants.
Did You Know?
It acquires its host ants' cuticular hydrocarbons to smell like them, allowing it to live undetected inside their colony.
Tasmanian Cave Cricket
A recently described cave cricket from wet forests of Tasmania, Australia. It is a short-range endemic threatened by habitat loss.
Did You Know?
It was only formally described in recent years despite being known to cavers.