True Crickets (Family: Gryllidae)
Description
Antennae
Eyes
- three ocelli (simple eyes) on forehead
Wings
- lie flat on body
- very variable in size between species, being reduced in size in some and missing in others
- forewings (tegmina) are elytra made of tough chitin
- hind pair are membranous, folding fan-wise under the forewings
Legs
- one or more tympani on front tibiae
- femora of the back pair of legs are greatly enlarged for jumping
- tarsi 3-3-3
Thorax
- pronotum is trapezoidal in shape, robust and well-sclerotinized. It is smooth and has neither dorsal or lateral keels (ridges)
Abdomen
- pair of long cerci on tip of abdomen
- long narrow ovipositor (except sword-tailed)
Diversity in Saskatchewan
- 3 Subfamilies
- 4 Genera
- 10 Species
