Mammoth Cave Cricket vs Shiny Lined Rove Beetle

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Mammoth Cave Cricket Shiny Lined Rove Beetle
Scientific Name Hadenoecus subterraneus Xantholinus longiventris
Order Orthoptera Coleoptera
Family Rhaphidophoridae Staphylinidae
Size 15-30 mm 6-8 mm
Habitat Caves Underground
Diet Predators Predators
Regions United States Europe, Western Asia, introduced to North America
Conservation Vulnerable Least Concern

Mammoth Cave Cricket

A large obligate cave cricket and keystone species of Mammoth Cave, Kentucky. Its eggs are the primary food source for many cave predators.

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Did You Know?

It is the most important nutrient source in the Mammoth Cave ecosystem.

Shiny Lined Rove Beetle

A distinctively elongate rove beetle with a shiny black head and pronotum, and reddish-brown elytra. It hunts in narrow spaces and is commonly found in synanthropic habitats.

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Did You Know?

The disproportionately large mandibles of this beetle, relative to its narrow head, allow it to subdue prey in tight spaces where it has a significant advantage.