Illustrated review of Mormon cricket (Anabrus simplex) embryonic development

Authors: Srygley, Robert; Senior, Laura

Submitted to: Journal of Orthoptera Research
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/13/2023
Publication Date: 3/11/2024
Citation: Srygley, R.B., Senior, L. 2024. Illustrated review of Mormon cricket (Anabrus simplex) embryonic development. Journal of Orthoptera Research. 33:87-93. https://doi.org/10.3897/jor.33.98763.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/jor.33.98763

Interpretive Summary: Mormon crickets are a pest of crops and rangeland in the western United States, but little is known about their development in the egg stage. Recent research has demonstrated that Mormon crickets have multiple states at which they may diapause as embryos affecting their survival in egg banks in the soil. To clearly describe these stages, it was necessary to organize a series of photographs of Mormon cricket embryonic stages using published research on Old World katydids. Where possible, we indicate features that can be seen through the chorion with the expectation that these will be useful in characterizing development in living embryos. As with other Orthoptera, the timing of development varied greatly among individuals, but at a minimum, we found that the embryos filled approximately half the egg in six weeks, whereas they required 12 weeks to reach the final stage before their obligate winter diapause. This developmental series provides an essential framework to characterize the capacity of Mormon cricket embryos to survive periodic high temperatures, drought, and other environmental extremes for multiple years in the soil.

Technical Abstract: Mormon crickets are a pest of crops and rangeland in the western United States, but little is known about their development in the egg stage. Because they have multiple states at which they may diapause and thus affect population growth, we organized a series of photographs of Mormon cricket embryonic stages using published research on Old World katydids. Earlier stages were more difficult to distinguish without removing the chorion. However where possible, we indicate features that can be seen through the chorion with the expectation that these will be useful in characterizing development in living embryos. As with other Orthoptera, the timing of development varied greatly among individuals, but at a minimum, we found that the embryos filled approximately half the egg in six weeks, whereas they required 12 weeks from oviposition to reach the final stage before their obligate winter diapause.