A problem of taxonomic status of "banana cricket" from culture of the Moscow Zoo insectarium

Abstract

The "banana cricket" is one of the preferred laboratory objects used for studying general and applied biological problems. However, the exact identity of this form remains obscure. Correct identification of the insects maintained in culture is vital for the correct prediction of the properties of the object in question and comparative studies. Analysis of acoustic signals showed that the banana cricket from the Moscow Zoo culture did not belong to the Gryllus assimilis (F.) group as it was assumed earlier. Analysis of acoustic signals and genitalia revealed similarity between the banana cricket and insects from the culture maintained at the Institute of Evolutionary Physiology and Biochemistry (IEPhB, St. Petersburg), which were supposed to be Gryllus argentinus (Sauss.). The calling songs and genitalia of crickets from both cultures differed from those of G. argentinus. Thus, the banana cricket and Gryllus sp. from the IEPhB culture belong to the same species but the exact identity of that species has not been yet determined. © 2012 Pleiades Publishing, Ltd.