The orthopteran family Rhaphidophoridae of the suborder Ensifera has a worldwide distribution. Common names for these insects include jumping wētā, cave wētā, cave crickets, camelback crickets, camel crickets, Hogan bugs, spider crickets (sometimes shortened to "criders" or "sprickets"), land shrimp, and sand treaders. Those occurring in New Zealand and Australia are typically referred to as jumping or cave wētā. Most are found in forest environments or within caves, animal burrows, cellars, under stones, or in wood or similar environments. All species are flightless and nocturnal, usually with long antennae and legs. More than 500 species of Rhaphidophoridae are described.
The well-known field crickets are from a different superfamily (Grylloidea) and only look vaguely similar, while members of the family Tettigoniidae may look superficially similar in body form.
Description
Most cave crickets have very large hind legs with "drumstick-shaped" femora and equally long, thin tibiae, and long, slender antennae. The antennae arise closely and next to each other on the head. They are brownish in color and rather humpbacked in appearance, always wingless, and up to long in body and for the legs. The bodies of early instars may appear translucent.
As their name suggests, cave crickets are commonly found in caves or old mines. Some inhabit other cool, damp environments such as rotten logs, stumps and hollow trees, and under damp leaves, stones, boards, and logs. Occasionally, they prove to be a nuisance in the basements of homes in suburban areas, drains, sewers, wells, and firewood stacks. One has become a tramp species from Asia and is now found in hothouses in Europe and North America. Some reach into alpine areas and live close to permanent ice, such as the Mount Cook "flea" (Pharmacus montanus) and its relatives in New Zealand.
Subfamilies and genera
Aemodogryllinae
Genera include: tribe Aemodogryllini Jacobson, 1905 - Asia (Korea, Indochina, Russia, China), Europe Diestrammena Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1888 Tachycines Adelung, 1902 tribe Diestramimini Gorochov, 1998 - India, southern China, Indochina Diestramima Storozhenko, 1990 Gigantettix Gorochov, 1998
Anoplophilinae
Genera include:
Alpinanoplophilus Ishikawa, 1993 – Japan
Anoplophilus Karny, 1931 – Japan and Korea
Ceuthophilinae
cave crickets, camel crickets and sand treaders: North America
Genera include: tribe Argyrtini Saussure & Pictet, 1897 Anargyrtes Hubbell, 1972 Argyrtes Saussure & Pictet, 1897 Leptargyrtes Hubbell, 1972 tribe Ceuthophilini Tepper, 1892 Ceuthophilus Scudder, 1863 Macrobaenetes Tinkham, 1962 Rhachocnemis Caudell, 1916 Styracosceles Hubbell, 1936 Typhloceuthophilus Hubbell, 1940 Udeopsylla Scudder, 1863 Utabaenetes Tinkham, 1970 tribe Daihiniini Karny, 1930 Ammobaenetes Hubbell, 1936 Daihinia Haldeman, 1850 Daihinibaenetes Tinkham, 1962 Daihiniella Hubbell, 1936 Daihiniodes Hebard, 1929 Phrixocnemis Scudder, 1894 tribe Hadenoecini Ander, 1939 - North America Euhadenoecus Hubbell, 1978 Hadenoecus Scudder, 1863 tribe Pristoceuthophilini Rehn, 1903 Exochodrilus Hubbell, 1972 Farallonophilus Rentz, 1972 Pristoceuthophilus Rehn, 1903 Salishella Hebard, 1939