Rock Crawlers

Grylloblattodea

Classification

Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Hexapoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Notoptera
Suborder: Grylloblattodea

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Grylloblattodea: //ˌɡrɪl.loʊ.blæˈtoʊ.diə//

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Summary

Grylloblattodea, commonly known as icebugs or ice crawlers, are extremophile, wingless insects that thrive in cold environments, typically found in high elevations, often at the edges of glaciers and snow fields. They are nocturnal and primarily feed on dead organic matter, exhibiting unique physiological adaptations that allow them to survive in low temperatures. They represent the second smallest insect order with around 34 extant species mostly distributed across cold mountainous regions.

Physical Characteristics

15-30 mm; slender, elongate; yellowish brown to gray; wingless; long filiform antennae with 28 to 50 segments.

Identification Tips

Ovipositor sword shaped; cerci long with 8 segments; larvae and adults may be confused with some crickets or with the phasmid genus Timema.

Habitat

High elevations, under rocks, at the edge of snow fields, on ice caves, and in moss.

Distribution

Japan, Siberia, northwestern USA, western Canada; patchily distributed in glaciers, caves, montane environments, and occasionally lower-elevation forests in western North America, East Asia (Korea and Japan), and Central Asia (Siberia, China, and Kazakhstan).

Diet

Omnivorous, primarily feeding on dead arthropods and carrion; subsists on plant material when arthropod carcasses are scarce.

Life Cycle

Takes several years to mature; has 8 larval stages.

Conservation Status

Endangered; many species have small distribution ranges and are threatened by habitat warming.

Ecosystem Role

Probably predaceous or feed on debris of other insects.

Evolution

Generally thought to have emerged from the poorly defined group of extinct winged insects 'Grylloblattida' from the Late Carboniferous period. Closest living relatives may include Mantophasmatodea.

Similar Taxa

Mantophasmatodea