Insecta (true insects)

True insects are classified in the Class Insecta, have six legs, 

exposed mouth-parts and generally have wings. However, camel 

crickets lack wings. 

8/01

 

056a.jpg: Ceuthophilus gracilipes Hubbell, TX: A camel cricket, molts in Round Spring Cavern, Shannon County. This is the most common species of four Ceuthophilus in Missouri caves.
056a.jpg		 056b.jpg: Ceuthophilus sp., probably C. gracilipes, a female camel cricket. Note the long, curved ovipositor between the hind legs, which is used for laying eggs in soil or cracks.
056b.jpg		 057.JPG: Rove or staphylinid beetles are common inhabitants of dung, carrion, and organic detritus. Fifty species are known from Missouri caves, and most are troglophiles. Aleochara, Atheta, Philonthus and Quedius are common genera. Photo of Sepidophilus littorinus, about 10 mm, by James E. Gardner.
057.JPG
058a.jpg: Ground beetle, about 20 mm, TP: Probably Platynus tenuicollis, known from 10 Missouri caves. Carabid (ground) beetles are predators. Two species of Xenotrechus are troglobites from four caves in eastern Missouri (Jefferson and Ste. Genevieve counties).
058a.jpg		 059.jpg: Ptomaphagus beetles are common in American caves. This 7 mm Ptomaphagus nevadicus from California is similar to the troglophile Ptomaphagus cavernicola, which occurs in caves in the Ozarks, Iowa, Florida, Alabama, Texas and Mexico. Leiodid beetles such as this usually are found in guano, fungi, wood, under carrion and scats.
059.jpg		 060a.jpg: Cave webworm, TP: The 10-20 mm larva of a fungus gnat, Macrocera nobilis Johnson, spins webs for catching and eating flying insects. Family Mycetophilidae. By David C. Ashley.
060a.jpg
060b.jpg: Fungus gnat adults, TP: About 10 mm long, Macrocera nobilis breeding in a Missouri cave. By James E. Gardner.
060b.jpg		 060c.jpg: Fungus gnat adults, TP: About 10 mm long, Macrocera nobilis breeding in a Missouri cave. By James E. Gardner.
060c.jpg		 061.jpg: Amoebalaria defessa (Osten Sacken), TX: This heleomyzid cave fly, about 5 mm long, usually is found on the ceiling. It is a weak flier, but is sometimes attracted to a headlamp. By James E. Gardner.
061.jpg
062.jpg: Scoliopteryx libatrix (Linnaeus), TX: the Herald Moth or Scalloped Owlet Moth overwinters in caves in eastern and central Missouri. Family Noctuidae. Length about 20 mm.
062.jpg