Grylloblattids: A Critically Endangered Insect Order

This video is from from Purdue Universitys Dr. Grzegorz Buczkowski, who writes "Few entomologists have seen a grylloblattid and even fewer have observed them in the wild. Grylloblattids (also known as ice crawlers or rock crawlers) are a poorly known group of primitive insects named for their resemblance to both crickets and cockroaches. They are restricted to cold and extreme habitats such as glaciated mountains or ice caves. Grylloblattids are found only in Japan, Siberia, the northwestern United States, and western Canada. There are 26 species known worldwide; the 10 North American species are restricted to icy mountains in Montana, California, Oregon, Washington, and western Canada. Some species are found only on certain mountains or in certain caves, most often volcanic lava tubes. Grylloblattids are nocturnal and during the day can be found hiding under rocks at glacial margins. They are primarily predators and scavengers of other insects. Their optimal temperature for activity is near freezing, and the insects will die if held only briefly in a human hand. As glaciers and ice fields recede due to the effects of climate change, many grylloblattid habitats are threatened. Therefore, Grylloblattodea stands as the least known and the most threatened insect order. They are in dire need of basic research and conservation, which is complicated by a lack of information on the life history and ecology of this group. The video shows never-before-seen field footage of a female grylloblattid (Grylloblatta sculleni) traversing an ice field as she searches for food. Females can be identified by the sword-like ovipositor visible between the cerci. This and several other individuals were observed while surveying the surface of a glacier on a north-facing talus slope. The video was filmed on July 2009 at a high elevation (ca. 9,000 ft) volcanic mountain pass in the Three Sisters Wilderness in Oregon. As can be seen in the video, grylloblattids are very agile and can move quite fast despite being wingless and living at extremely cold temperatures."

Category:

Science & Technology

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• grylloblattid
• ice crawler
• rock crawler
• insect
• Grylloblatta sculleni
• bug
• entomology
• science