Family (Alpha): ACRIDIDAE GRYLLACRIDIDAE GRYLLIDAE GRYLLOTALPIDAE RHAPHIDOPHORIDAE ROMALEIDAE TETRIGIDAE TETTIGONIIDAE TRIDACTYLIDAE
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Neonemobius variegatus (Bruner, 1893) - Variegated Ground Cricket
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Taxonomy
Family: Gryllidae
Subfamily: NemobiinaeTribe: PteronemobiiniSynonym: Nemobius bruneri Comments: One of six species in this genus that occur in North America north of Mexico (Cigliano et al., 2017), three of which have been recorded in North Carolina
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Online Photographs: SINA, Google Images ,
iNaturalist , GBIF Technical Description, Adults/Nymphs: Hebard (1913); Blatchley (1920)SINA 546a.htm Comments: Hebard (1913) describes the general color as clay yellow mottled or flecked with mummy brown. The head below the antennae is distinctively shining dark brown, but the occiput is cinnamon, mottled with brown. In the male, the dorsal surface of the abdomen is dark brown, but in the female it is clay color spotted with dark brown. Total Length [body plus wings; excludes ovipositor]: 7 mm, males (Washington DC); 9.1 mm (Maryland) (Hebard, 1913)Structural Features: Members of Neonemobius are distinguished by their small size -- males are less than 9 mm in body length. Females also possess short, upwardly curved ovipositors, less than or equal to 2/3 the length of the hind femur, and that have fine teeth only on the dorsal side of the tip (SINA, 2017)Singing Behavior: Fulton (1931) described the song of variegatus (= bruneri) as similar to that of Allonemobius allardi (which he identified as A. f. fasciatus). However, rather than the separate "sharp chirps" of allardi, the song of variegatus is "higher pitched, weaker", and with a vibrato that is "more rapid, and not perceptible at high temperatures". Recordings provided by by David H. Funk to SINA (accessed 2021) have pulse rates of 34 to 35 pps and a dominant frequency ranging from 6.7 to 6.9 kHz at around 20 C. We have several recordings that are consistent with that call rate and dominant frequency, but some of which are highly modulated both in amplitude and frequency, which has not been mentioned in the few descriptions of the song that exist. They are also broken at irregular intervals. Recording playback at normal speed.
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Distribution in North Carolina
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Adult Dates: Click on graph to enlarge
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Fulton (1931) describes the habitat as consisting of stream borders, particularly on somewhat open gravel bars. Diet: Probably omnivorousObservation Methods: Abundance/Frequency: Adult Phenology: Fulton (1951) reported that adults of variegatus are the latest of the ground crickets to emerge as adults in the Raleigh are, appearing in the first half of September and persisting until the first week of November. We have recent records from August, however, and Rehn and Hebard (1916) had at least a couple of records in North Carolina (as bruneri) from July.
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status: Natural Heritage Program Ranks: GNR SHS3State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public landsComments: We have very few records for this species and there is comparatively little information in the literature. The habitat of this species, however, is widespread and it has probably been generally overlooked. More information is needed, however, of its distribution and exact habitat associations in the state before its conservation status can be accurately assessed.
Image Gallery for Neonemobius variegatus - Variegated Ground Cricket Recorded by: Steve Hall, Dee Stuckey, and Savannah Hall Recorded by: Steve Hall Recorded by: Steve Hall
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