Changa Mole Cricket vs Moss Grasshopper

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Changa Mole Cricket Moss Grasshopper
Scientific Name Scapteriscus didactylus Batrachideinae sp. (Coscineuta coxalis)
Order Orthoptera Orthoptera
Family Gryllotalpidae Tetrigidae
Size 30-40 mm 10-18 mm
Habitat Underground Rivers & Streams
Diet Root Feeders Omnivores
Regions Caribbean, South America Central America, South America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Changa Mole Cricket

A large mole cricket native to South America that became a severe pest in Puerto Rico and the Caribbean. It has only two claws on its digging forefeet.

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Did You Know?

Its name changa comes from the Puerto Rican Spanish word for the insect, where it historically devastated sugarcane plantations.

Moss Grasshopper

A tiny pygmy grasshopper with an elongated pronotum covered in moss-like textures. It is practically invisible on moss-covered rocks and logs.

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Did You Know?

Its pronotum extends far beyond its abdomen and is textured to precisely mimic the moss it feeds on.