Anostostomatinae

Belongs within: Anostostomatidae.

The king crickets or ground wetas of the Anostostomatinae are found in South America and Australasia. The males often bear noteworthy modifications of the mandibles; in some species, these have large frontal tusks that are used in fighting. One South African species, Libanasidus vittatus, has become known as the ‘Parktown prawn’ from its frequent discovery in swimming pools of the wealthier suburbs of Johannesburg.

Characters (from Gorochov 2001): Mandibles of male usually with sexual specialisation (enlarged and arched or with horn-like process); female mandibles not so developed. Pronotum and body not arched in profile. Wings, tympana and femoro-abdominal stridulatory apparatus developed or lost.

<==Anostostomatinae [Henicinae, Mimnermidae]
    |--Mimnermus cephalotesGo01
    |--Libanasidus vittatusT01
    |--SpitzaphilusGo01
    |--SpitzapterusGo01
    |--BochusGo01
    |--OnosandridusGo01
    |--Borborothus opacaT01
    |--Motuweta isolataGi01
    |--CnemotettixHR01
    |--Gryllotaurus Karny 1929R96, MF01
    |    `--*G. bicornis Karny 1929MF01
    |--HenicusGo01
    |    |--H. monstrosus (Herbst 1803) [=Locusta monstrosa]T01
    |    `--H. whellaniFD01
    |--NasidiusGo01
    |    |--N. longicaudaT01
    |    |--N. punctulatusFD01
    |    `--N. whellaniT01
    |--Libanasa Walker 1869FD01, G14
    |    |--L. capicolaFD01
    |    |--L. femoralisG14
    |    |--L. incisa [incl. L. fusca]G14
    |    |--L. punctulataG14
    |    `--L. vittataG14
    |--Anostostoma Gray 1837 [incl. Australostoma Karny 1931]MF01
    |    |--*A. australasiae Gray 1837MF01
    |    |--A. erinaceum (Burmeister 1839)MF01 [=Australostoma erinaceumR96]
    |    |--A. femoralis (Walker 1869)MF01
    |    |--A. opacum (Brunner 1888)MF01 [=Australostoma opacumR96]
    |    `--A. spinosum Karny 1930MF01
    |--Penalva Walker 1870MF01
    |    |--P. (Penalva)MF01
    |    |    |--*P. (P.) lateralis Walker 1870MF01
    |    |    `--P. (P.) flavocalceata (Karny 1928)MF01
    |    `--P. (Trihoplophora)MF01
    |         |--P. (*T.) abnormis (Brunner 1888)MF01
    |         `--P. (T.) uniformis Karny 1928MF01
    |--CarcinopsisGo01
    |    |--*C. signataG14
    |    |--C. cuniculator [incl. C. cuniculator var. ornata]G14
    |    |--C. humboldtiana Griffini 1914G14
    |    |--C. rothschildiG14
    |    |--C. rouxiana Griffini 1914G14
    |    |--C. sarasiniana Griffini 1914G14
    |    `--C. unicolorG14
    `--Hemiandrus Ander 1938MF01
         |--H. anomalusF01
         |--H. bilobatusM01
         |--H. fiordensisF01
         |--H. furciferWPT01
         |--H. maculifronsF01 [incl. Zealandosandrus gracilisHR01]
         |--H. pallitarsusM01
         |--H. similisF01
         `--H. subantarcticusF01

*Type species of generic name indicated

References

[F01] Field, L. H. 2001. Stridulatory mechanisms and associated behaviour in New Zealand wetas. In: Field, L. H. (ed.) The Biology of Wetas, King Crickets and Their Allies pp. 271–295. CABI Publishing: Wallingford (UK).

[FD01] Field, L. H., & N. A. Deans. 2001. Sexual selection and secondary sexual characters of wetas and king crickets. In: Field, L. H. (ed.) The Biology of Wetas, King Crickets and Their Allies pp. 179–204. CABI Publishing: Wallingford (UK).

[Gi01] Gibbs, G. W. 2001. Habitats and biogeography of New Zealand’s deinacridine and tusked weta species. In: Field, L. H. (ed.) The Biology of Wetas, King Crickets and Their Allies pp. 35–55. CABI Publishing: Wallingford (UK).

[Go01] Gorochov, A. V. 2001. The higher classification, phylogeny and evolution of the superfamily Stenopelmatoidea. In: Field, L. H. (ed.) The Biology of Wetas, King Crickets and Their Allies pp. 3–33. CABI Publishing: Wallingford (UK).

[G14] Griffini, A. 1914. Stenopelmatidae della Nuova-Caledonia. In: Sarasin, F., & J. Roux (eds) Nova Caledonia: Forschungen in Neu-Caledonian und auf den Loyalty-Inseln. A. Zoologie vol. 1 pt 4 pp. 283–311. C. W. Kreidels Verlag: Wiesbaden.

[HR01] Hale, R. J., & D. C. F. Rentz. 2001. The Gryllacrididae: an overview of the world fauna with emphasis on Australian examples. In: Field, L. H. (ed.) The Biology of Wetas, King Crickets and Their Allies pp. 95–110. CABI Publishing: Wallingford (UK).

[M01] McIntyre, M. 2001. The ecology of some large weta species in New Zealand. In: Field, L. H. (ed.) The Biology of Wetas, King Crickets and Their Allies pp. 225–242. CABI Publishing: Wallingford (UK).

[MF01] Monteith, G. B., & L. H. Field. 2001. Australian king crickets: distribution, habitats and biology (Orthoptera: Anostostomatidae). In: Field, L. H. (ed.) The Biology of Wetas, King Crickets and Their Allies pp. 79–94. CABI Publishing: Wallingford (UK).

[R96] Rentz, D. 1996. Grasshopper Country: The abundant orthopteroid insects of Australia. University of New South Wales Press: Sydney.

[T01] Toms, R. B. 2001. South African king crickets (Anostostomatidae). In: Field, L. H. (ed.) The Biology of Wetas, King Crickets and Their Allies pp. 73–78. CABI Publishing: Wallingford (UK).

[WPT01] Wharton, D. A., R. Poulin & C. L. Tyrell. 2001. Parasites of anostostomatid insects. In: Field, L. H. (ed.) The Biology of Wetas, King Crickets and Their Allies pp. 259–267. CABI Publishing: Wallingford (UK).