G. it. Ent., 10 (50): 123-132
September 2002
Biology of Brazilian crickets
The cavernicolous Strinatia brevipennis Chopard, 1970
and the epigean Endecous itatibensis Rehn, 1918
(Ensifera: Phalangopsidae) in the laboratory
I. Feeding, reproduction and egg survival
by
PEDRO GNASPINI & FLÁVIA PELLEGATTI-FRANCO
Abstract - The present paper focuses on the biology of the cave cricket Strinatia brevipennis Chopard, 1970 in the laboratory. The data for the epigean (cavicolous) cricket Endecous itatibensis Rehn, 1918 were secondarily taken and are included for comparison. The two species have been kept separate in an underground compartment. They were fed twice a week with a mixture of fresh vegetables and oat meal. A kind of cannibalism seems to occur in both species. Only few cases of mating were observed, when females climb male backs, and eat substances from their metathoracic glands. Meanwhile, the male's spermatophore attached to his terminalia releases its content into the female terminalia. Afterwards, the male gets rid of his spermatophore by rubbing it against the substrate. Oviferous females were kept separate and their eggs were followed to detect egg survival and hatching in three different substrates (cotton, sand and vermiculite). Best results were achieved in cotton for Strinatia brevipennis, and in vermiculite for Endecous itatibensis. Embryonic development lasted 47 to 63 days for Strinatia brevipennis throughout the year, and 70 to 105 days during winter, and 40 to 77 days during summer for Endecous itatibensis.
