PhD Student Texas A&M University College Station, Texas
Pygmy mole crickets (Orthoptera: Tridactylidae) are a fascinating and ancient group of insects that have received little scientific attention. Most are semiaquatic, but in central Florida, two lineages have transitioned to a lifestyle in xeric scrub and sandhill habitats. These ecosystems are the results of relict Pleistocene dune systems and serve as landlocked islands. Careful study and documentation of the endemic biota of these habitats is critical as they are rapidly being destroyed for cropland and suburban development. The pygmy mole crickets of scrub have never been systematically surveyed or studied, but it has been postulated that isolation may have given rise to numerous distinct lineages in Florida, mirroring the biogeographic patterns of other organisms endemic to scrub, including the Florida Scrub-Jay and various short-winged Melanoplus grasshoppers. Recent collecting has revealed numerous populations across nearly all of Florida’s sand ridges that are likely to show strong geographic structuring. Future work will investigate the molecular phylogeny of these insects and their acoustic behavior within a phylogenetic framework.
