Camel crickets

Definition

Common name for insects of the family Rhaphidophoridae (Orthoptera: Ensifera), a group of flightless, nocturnal crickets characterized by a distinctly arched or humpbacked thorax, extremely long antennae and legs, and reduced or absent wings. Most species inhabit dark, humid microhabitats including caves, forest leaf litter, animal burrows, cellars, and spaces beneath stones or rotting wood. The humpbacked profile that gives the group its name is an adaptation for moving through tight spaces in subterranean or cryptic environments.

Etymology

From the arched, humpbacked (camel-like) profile of the thorax; 'cricket' from Old French criquet, imitative of the stridulation of related orthopterans.

Example

In eastern North American basements, the greenhouse camel cricket Diestrammena asynamora—an introduced Asian species—often replaces native rhaphidophorids and is frequently mistaken for a large spider due to its long legs and erratic jumping when disturbed.

Synonyms

• cave crickets
• spider crickets
• sand treaders

Related Terms

• Rhaphidophoridae
• Ensifera
• Orthoptera
• cave wētā
• cavernicolous
• Apterous
• Nocturnal
• Diestrammena

Usage Notes

The term is applied broadly across the family Rhaphidophoridae, though not all species occupy caves; some inhabit surface forests or arid environments (sand treaders). In New Zealand, related species are called jumping or cave wētā and belong to genera such as Gymnoplectron and Turbottoplectron. Despite the common name, camel crickets are not true crickets (family Gryllidae) and lack the auditory tympana and stridulatory apparatus for sound production found in many ensiferans. They are silent and rely on vibration and chemical cues for communication. The name 'spider cricket' reflects their appearance, not phylogeny.