More than 2200 species of the wild flora and fauna photographed in Zihuatanejo, Guerrero, Mexico and the surrounding area.
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Earwigs of Zihuatanejo
FAMILY FORFICULIDAE
Lined Earwig
Doru taeniatum
-Arthropods (Phylum Arthropoda)
-Hexapods (Subphylum Hexapoda)
-Winged and Once-winged Insects (Subclass Pterygota)
-Earwigs Order Dermaptera
-Extant Earwigs (Suborder Neodermaptera)
-Epidermapteran Earwigs( Infraorder Epidermaptera)
-Parvorder Eteodermaptera
-Superfamily Forficuloidea
-Common Earwigs (Family Forficulidae)
-Subfamily Forficulinae
-Genus Doru
-Lined Earwig (Doru taeniatum)
Doru taeniatum (Lined Earwig) is a species of earwigs in the family common earwigs. These pincers are used to capture prey, defend themselves and fold their wings under the short tegmina. Earwigs are mostly nocturnal and often hide in small, moist crevices during the day, and are active at night, feeding on a wide variety of insects and plants.
Diet
Doru taeniatum is an omnivorous and predatory earwig. It feeds on small insects and other arthropods, including moth eggs and small caterpillars, as well as plant material and other organic matter. It has been observed feeding on eggs of the velvetbean caterpillar and on eggs and small larvae of fall armyworm.
It can also utilize grass pollen, and its habit of living among grasses brings it into close contact with insect eggs and larvae found on those plants.
Range
The Lined Earwig has a broad New World distribution, extending from the southeastern United States through Mexico and Central America to Colombia, Venezuela, Bolivia and Brazil.
The species occurs in tropical and subtropical Mexico, including areas of western and southern Mexico.
Habitat
Doru taeniatum is particularly associated with grasses and other herbaceous vegetation. It spends much of its time among leaves and grass stems, where it can find both plant food and insect prey.
In Mexico it can occur in relatively dry habitats with low scrub and scattered trees. One Mexican observation found it among vegetation in semi-arid scrub following the first substantial rains of the season.
Around Zihuatanejo, suitable habitat would include grasslands, grassy margins, tropical dry forest clearings, scrub and other areas with dense herbaceous vegetation, particularly during the rainy season.
Description
The Lined Earwig is a slender earwig generally around 15–20 mm long including the forceps. The body is brown to dark brown, with a conspicuous broad yellowish or pale stripe running along the forewings.
The antennae are long and slender, and the abdomen terminates in a pair of forceps-like cerci. Males and females differ in the shape and robustness of these forceps, with males generally having larger, more strongly curved cerci.
Adults are capable of flight and can be strongly attracted to lights, particularly in tropical areas. The combination of its narrow body, pale longitudinal wing stripe and earwig-like forceps makes it readily recognizable.