Myrmecophilus acervorum
Encyclopedia
Myrmecophilus acervorum is an orthoptera
n insect
belonging to the family Myrmecophilidae (the ant-loving crickets). This continental Europe
an species is probably the most widespread and most frequently encountered member of this rather obscure family found in Europe. It is also by far the smallest orthopteran found in western Europe, the total adult length never exceeding 3.5 millimetre (0.137795275590551 in).
As with other members of the family, this insect lives its whole life cycle as an inquiline
within ant
s' nests. M. acervorum is known to live with more than 20 different ant species. This specialized way of life has led this insect and its relatives to evolve
many morphological
differences to other orthopterans including complete absence of wing
s (as they never leave their host nest) and hearing organs (as they no longer use stridulation
) and much reduced eyesight, as well as their very small size.
These tiny insects are dark brown with paler bands and prominent cerci
which serve as their primary sensory organs. Adults are found throughout the year and take up to two years to reach adulthood from hatching. In this species males are not known, the females reproduce
parthenogenetically.
Orthoptera
Orthoptera is an order of insects with paurometabolous or incomplete metamorphosis, including the grasshoppers, crickets and locusts.Many insects in this order produce sound by rubbing their wings against each other or their legs, the wings or legs containing rows of corrugated bumps...
n insect
Insect
Insects are a class of living creatures within the arthropods that have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body , three pairs of jointed legs, compound eyes, and two antennae...
belonging to the family Myrmecophilidae (the ant-loving crickets). This continental Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an species is probably the most widespread and most frequently encountered member of this rather obscure family found in Europe. It is also by far the smallest orthopteran found in western Europe, the total adult length never exceeding 3.5 millimetre (0.137795275590551 in).
As with other members of the family, this insect lives its whole life cycle as an inquiline
Inquiline
In zoology, an inquiline is an animal that lives commensally in the nest, burrow, or dwelling place of an animal of another species. For example, some organisms such as insects may live in the homes of gophers and feed on debris, fungi, roots, etc...
within ant
Ant
Ants are social insects of the family Formicidae and, along with the related wasps and bees, belong to the order Hymenoptera. Ants evolved from wasp-like ancestors in the mid-Cretaceous period between 110 and 130 million years ago and diversified after the rise of flowering plants. More than...
s' nests. M. acervorum is known to live with more than 20 different ant species. This specialized way of life has led this insect and its relatives to evolve
Evolution
Evolution is any change across successive generations in the heritable characteristics of biological populations. Evolutionary processes give rise to diversity at every level of biological organisation, including species, individual organisms and molecules such as DNA and proteins.Life on Earth...
many morphological
Comparative anatomy
Comparative anatomy is the study of similarities and differences in the anatomy of organisms. It is closely related to evolutionary biology and phylogeny .-Description:...
differences to other orthopterans including complete absence of wing
Wing
A wing is an appendage with a surface that produces lift for flight or propulsion through the atmosphere, or through another gaseous or liquid fluid...
s (as they never leave their host nest) and hearing organs (as they no longer use stridulation
Stridulation
Stridulation is the act of producing sound by rubbing together certain body parts. This behavior is mostly associated with insects, but other animals are known to do this as well, such as a number of species of fishes, snakes and spiders...
) and much reduced eyesight, as well as their very small size.
These tiny insects are dark brown with paler bands and prominent cerci
Cercus
Cerci are paired appendages on the rear-most segments of many arthropods, including insects and arachnids but not crustaceans. Cerci often serve as sensory organs, but they may also be used as weapons or copulation aids, or they may simply be vestigial structures.Typical cerci may appear to be...
which serve as their primary sensory organs. Adults are found throughout the year and take up to two years to reach adulthood from hatching. In this species males are not known, the females reproduce
Biological reproduction
Reproduction is the biological process by which new "offspring" individual organisms are produced from their "parents". Reproduction is a fundamental feature of all known life; each individual organism exists as the result of reproduction...
parthenogenetically.