Texas Trilling Cricket

Gryllus texensis

Classification

Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Hexapoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Orthoptera
Suborder: Ensifera
Infraorder: Gryllidea
Family: Gryllidae
Subfamily: Gryllinae
Genus: Gryllus
Species: texensis

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Gryllus texensis: /ˈɡrɪləs teˈksɛnsɪs/

These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.

Images

Field cricket at Mechode Padur by വരി വര. Used under a CC BY-SA 4.0 license.

Gryllus texensis (22232533028) by Insects Unlocked
. Used under a CC0 license.

Summary

Gryllus texensis, described by Cade and Otte in 2000, is a widely studied cricket species in the southern United States known for its distinct call song and specific habitat preferences.

Identification Tips

Gryllus texensis is morphologically similar to Gryllus integer and Gryllus rubens, making field identification challenging without acoustic monitoring or genetic analysis. Their call song structure is a significant distinguishing feature.

Habitat

Lawns, pastures, and roadsides, often attracted to light.

Distribution

Texas, Florida, Tennessee, Kansas, and New Mexico.

Life Cycle

The Texas field cricket has two generations per year. Late-summer and fall adults produce overwintering juveniles that become adults in the spring of the following year.

Evolution

Morphologically similar to Gryllus rubens, with significant differences in call song structure; closely related based on mitochondrial DNA analysis.

Similar Taxa

Misconceptions

Field crickets from the Southeastern United States, previously identified as Gryllus integer, are often misidentified and should be classified as G. texensis.