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Myrmophilellus
This myrmecophilous genus of cricket, belonging to the family Myrmecophilidae, is restricted to ant nests.
Myrmophilellus pilipes, a myrmecophilous cricket that lives inside ant nests, has been reported from India, Sri Lanka, and Bhutan. However, our field survey along several years revealed a broader Asian distribution of this species and a host-generalist biology. We suggest that human transportation of tramp ant species and lack of host-specificity favored the broad distribution of M. pilipes.
List of Myrmophilellus Species and their Host Ants
| Genus and species | Author and Year | Ant Host | Distribution | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Myrmophilellus meneliki | Reichensperger, 1913 | Lepisiota capensis and Camponotus rufoglaucus | Ethiopia | |
| Myrmophilellus pilipes | Chopard, 1928 | ants | India, Sri Lanka (type), Bhutan |
REFERENCES
- Chopard L (1928) Revision of Indian Gryllidae. Rec Indian Museum 30:1–36
- Hsu, P.-W., Hugel, S., Wetterer, J.K., Tseng, S.-P., Ooi, C.-S.M., Lee, C.-Y., Yang, C.-C.S. 2020. Ant crickets (Orthoptera: Myrmecophilidae) associated with the invasive yellow crazy ant Anoplolepis gracilipes (Hymenoptera: Formicidae): evidence for cryptic species and potential co-introduction with hosts. Myrmecological News 30: 103-129 (doi:10.25849/myrmecol.news_030:103).
- Ingrisch S (2010) Review of the ant loving crickets from South-East Asia (Orthoptera: Gryllidae, Myrmecophilinae). Entomol Z 120:3–12.
- Komatsu, T., & Maruyama, M. (2016). Additional records of the distribution and host ant species for the ant cricket Myrmophilellus pilipes. Insectes Sociaux, 63(4), 623-627.
- Reichensperger, A. (1913) Zur Kenntnis von Myrmecophilen aus Abessinien. Zoologische Jahrbücher. Abteilung für Systematik, Geographie und Biologie der Tiere, 35, 185–218.