Grylloblattodea

entomology

1. Grylloblattodea Notoptera , Grylloblattaria , Grylloblattida Common names: rock crawlers, ice crawlers

2. Grylloblatta campodeiformis

3. Diagnostic characters E longate, wingless insects that as adults are 2–3.5 cm long. H ead is flattened and prognathous . Mouth parts mandibulate and filiform antennae. The compound eyes are reduced to a few ommatidia or are entirely absent. There are no ocelli .

4. The thoracic segments are more or less identical, though the prothorax is slightly larger than the other two. The six legs are similar in structure, each with a large coxa and a five-segmented tarsus. The abdomen has 10 obvious segments and the 11th is represented by the epiproct and paraprocts .

5. The ovipositor of females comprises three pairs of valves. The cerci are long, eight-segmented structures .

6. Habitat C ryptozoic insects, generally found in cold wet locations, often at relatively high altitudes, under stones, in rotting logs or leaf litter of cool temperate forests. insects are active by both day and night. In korea , they were found in caves. They favor low temperatures (optimally around 4◦C) and go underground during warmer months.

7. In winter they probably remain active, occupying the air space between the snow and ground surface. Interestingly, they have very limited ability to withstand below-freezing temperatures.

8. Feeding habit They are typically predaceous, eating a variety of other insects, dead or alive, but also ingest some plant material.

9. Reproduction The black eggs are laid singly, and embryonic development takes from a few months to 3 years. There are eight juvenile stages, and development may take up to 7 years.