Cycloptilum
Scudder, 1869
Common Scaly Crickets
Species Guides
6- Cycloptilum bidens(two-toothed scaly cricket)
- Cycloptilum comprehendens(syncopated scaly cricket)
- Cycloptilum kelainopum(Black-Faced Scaly Cricket)
- Cycloptilum slossoni(Slosson's scaly cricket)
- Cycloptilum squamosum(Scudder's scaly cricket)
- Cycloptilum trigonipalpum(forest scaly cricket)
Cycloptilum is a of scaly crickets in the Mogoplistidae, established by Scudder in 1869. The genus contains at least 50 described distributed across the Americas, from the southeastern United States through the Caribbean to South America. These small crickets are characterized by distinctive -like body covering. The genus was historically placed in Gryllidae but is now classified in Mogoplistidae.
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Cycloptilum: /sɪˈklɒptɪləm/
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Identification
Members of Cycloptilum can be distinguished from other Mogoplistidae by their small size and the presence of -like structures covering the body. The can be separated from related genera such as Arachnocephalus by subtle differences in genitalic and wing venation patterns, though precise identification often requires examination of male genitalia.
Images
Distribution
The Americas, including the southeastern United States (Alabama, Arkansas, Florida), California, the Caribbean, and South America (Colombia). Records are primarily from field collections in Florida and surrounding regions.
Similar Taxa
- ArachnocephalusSimilar in the same tribe Arachnocephalini; distinguished by genitalic and wing venation differences
More Details
Taxonomic History
Cycloptilum was originally described in Gryllidae but is now placed in Mogoplistidae based on morphological and molecular evidence. The remains taxonomically active with new described as recently as 1938 based on southeastern U.S. collections.