LIBRARY

ORTHOPTERA 103
Family TRIDACTYLIDlE Brunner 1882 (Tri'dac-tyl'i-dre, from the Greek
TpeLs, TpLa, three, + oaKTI))\.05, a digit, toe). Pigmy Mole Crickets.
These are peculiar minute crickets, scarcely more than 10 mm. long, with the
fore tibire fossorial and the hind femora enormously enlarged for jumping. The
fore and middle tarsi are two-segmented, and the hind tarsi are one-segmented
or absent. The hind tibire terminate in movable elongated plates called natatory
lamella: which spread out and probably aid in jumping from the surface of loose
sand and water. The antennre are short and ll-segmented; there are three
minute ocelli; short tegmina; long wings often extending beyond the tip of the
abdomen; no auditory or stridulating organs; a pair of styli; and a pair of cerci.
These insects inhabit damp areas near water. They burrow freely into the sand
and jump with remarkable energy. Like the grouse locusts, they seem to be
equally adept on water and on land. The family is world-wide, although represent.ed
by but three genera and 55 species. Tridactylus variegatlts (Latreille) is
the common species in southern Europe, northern Africa, western Asia, and the
East Indies. T. japonicus Ratin is a Japanese species; T. capensis Saussure,
South African; T. tarlarus Saussure, south Siberian; T. apicalis Say and Ellipes
minuta Scudder, North and Central American.
SELECTED REFERENCES
BLATCHLEY, W. S., Orthoptl!ra of Northeastern America, pp. 1-784,246 figs., bibliography,
Nature Pub. Co., Indianapolis, 1920.
BRUNNER, C. v. WATTENWYL, Monograpllie der Phaneropteriden, pp. 1-399,8 pis., Wien,
1878.
--, "Monographie der Stenopelmatiden und Gryllacrideu," Wiellel' Zoologische­
Botanisch Gesellschaft 1888: 247-394, pIs. 5-9, 1888.
--, "Revision du Systeme des Orthopteres," Annuales Mus. Cill. Star. Naturaliste,
pp. 1-230, 6 pIs., 1893.
BURR, MALCOLM, "Eumastacidre," Gen. InsectoTum 16: pp. 1-23, 1 pl., 1903.
CAUDELL, A. N., "The Decticinre of North America," Proc. U. S. Nat. MU$. 32: 285-
410,1907.
--, "Decticinre," Gen. Insectorum 72: 1-43, 2 pIs., 1908.
--, "Prophalangospinre," Gen. Inseclorum 120: 1-7, 1 pl., 1911.
--, "Meconemime, Phyllophorinre. Tympanophorinre, Phasgonurime, Phasmodime,
Bradyporinre," Gen. Inseclorum 138: 1-25, 2 pis., 1912.
--, "Ephippigerinre," Gen. Insectoruln 140: 1-10, 1 pl., 1912.
--, "Sagime," Gen. Insectorum 167: 1-10, 2 pis., 1916.
--, "Hetrodinre," Gen. lnseclorum 168: 1-13, 1 pl., 1916.
--, "Mecopodinre," Gen. Insecta rum 171: 1-31, '1 pIs., 1916.
--, "The genera of the Tettigoniid insects of the subfamily Rhaphidophorinre found
in America north of Mexico," Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. 49: 655-690, 1916.
FULTON, B. B., "The tree crickets of New York; life history and bionomics," N. Y.
Agr. Exp. Sta., Tech. Bull. 42: 1-47, 6 pis., 1915.
HANCOCK, J. L., The Tettigidm of North America, pp. 1-188, 10 pIs., Chicago, 1902.
--, "Tetriginre," Gen. lnsectorum 48: 1-77, 4 pls., 1906.
HEARN, LAFCADJO, "Insect·Musicians," Exotics and retrospectives and ghostly Japan, 9:
30-63, 15 text figs., 1 col. pl., Houghton Mifflin, Boston, Koizumi ed. 1923.