Grasshoppers, crickets (Orthoptera) and earwigs (Dermaptera) of Tovačov gravel pit (central Moravia, Czech Republic): New locality for several thermophilous species in anthropogenic secondary habitat

Abstract

Grasshoppers, crickets (Orthoptera) and earwigs (Dermaptera) of Tovačov gravel pit (central Moravia, Czech Republic): New locality for several thermophilous species in anthropogenic secondary habitat.Abstract: Study of Orthoptera and earwigs was conducted in Tovačov gravel pit in 2014. We have recorded 18 species of Orthoptera and 3 species of earwigs. The most significant recorded species are Cepero's ground-hopper (Tetrix ceperoi), pygmy mole cricket (Xya variegata), Italian tree cricket (Oecanthus pellucens) and riparian earwig (Labidura riparia). Tovačov gravel pit poses the northernmost locality of T. ceperoi and X. variegata in the Czech Republic and the northernmost known locality in Moravia for O. pellucens. For the L. riparia, we present a founding from Tovačov together with another finding from Olomouc vicinity, which is currently the northernmost locality within Moravia. Our findings display recent spatial expansion of some thermophilous species. Moreover, we emphasize importance of (post)-industrial areas as secondary habitats for specialised endangered species.

New records of the striped earwig Labidura riparia (Pallas, 1773) (Insecta: Dermaptera: Labiduridae) in Mexico

“…To our knowledge, this is the first time that the distribution of a species of earwig is monitored through a citizen science platform; this is possible for L. riparia since it is the only member of its group in the region and is very easily distinguished from the rest of the North American earwigs without the need of examining minute details of its morphology under a stereomicroscope or the dissection of the male genitalia. Great chromatic variation was found in the specimens examined and the photographs revised, but a clear pattern in the distribution of the variants could not be found, therefore, we conclude that this is just the normal, albeit dramatic, intraspecific variation of the species (Nishikawa and Han 2015;Trnka and Rada 2015).…”

“…This is a large (up to 26 mm in total length) and colorful earwig (Figs. 1A-B) with notable intraspecific color variation, including melanistic (Nishikawa and Han 2015) and hypomelanistic (Trnka and Rada 2015) variants. The head is pale to reddish-orange and can bear or completely lack dark markings (it can be completely black in melanistic individuals).…”