Oecanthus capensis, the Cape thermometer cricket, is a species of tree cricket (Subfamily Oecanthinae).[2] It has been found that the rate at which these crickets chirp follows Dolbear's law.[3]

Cape thermometer cricket
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Orthoptera
Suborder: Ensifera
Family: Oecanthidae
Genus: Oecanthus
Species:
O. capensis
Binomial name
Oecanthus capensis
Saussure, 1878[1]

Description

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Similar to Oecanthus pellucens, but a little smaller; the wings shorter, elytra of the female slightly stronger, male elytra shorter. The female's ovipositor is nearly the length of elytra.[1]

Range

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Southern, eastern and central South Africa.[4][2]

Habitat

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Ecology

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Etymology

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Cape; capensis - after the Cape of Good Hope.
Thermometer cricket - The rate at which these crickets chirp can be used to the estimate the temperature.[3]

Taxonomy

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References

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  1. ^ a b de Saussure, H. (1878). "Mélanges orthoptérologiques. VI. fascicule Gryllides". Mémoires de la Société de Physique et d'Histoire Naturelle de Genève. 25: 456.
  2. ^ a b "Oecanthus capensis Cape Thermometer Cricket". iNaturalist. California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 10 April 2022.
  3. ^ a b Toms, R.B. (1992). "Effects of temperature on chirp rates of tree crickets (Orthoptera: Oecanthidae)". South African Journal of Zoology. 27 (2): 70–73. doi:10.1080/02541858.1992.11448264. Retrieved 10 April 2022.
  4. ^ GBIF Secretariat. "Oecanthus capensis Saussure, 1878". GBIF. Global Biodiversity Information Facility. Retrieved 10 April 2022.