Tenerife Cave Cricket vs Armored Ground Cricket

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Tenerife Cave Cricket Armored Ground Cricket
Scientific Name Petaloptila canariensis Acanthoplus discoidalis
Order Orthoptera Orthoptera
Family Gryllidae Tettigoniidae
Size 10-15 mm 40-50mm
Habitat Caves Deserts & Drylands
Diet Omnivores Carrion Feeders
Regions Canary Islands Africa
Conservation Vulnerable Least Concern

Tenerife Cave Cricket

A pale cave-dwelling cricket found in lava tubes on Tenerife. It has reduced eyes and elongated antennae adapted to life in darkness.

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Did You Know?

It relies entirely on its extremely long antennae to navigate the pitch-dark cave environment.

Armored Ground Cricket

A large heavily armored katydid with sharp spines on its thorax and legs. It is flightless and moves in large migratory bands. When threatened, it can squirt hemolymph from its joints.

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Did You Know?

Individuals in marching bands become cannibalistic, and those that stop moving are eaten by those behind them.