Labidura riparia

TaxID: 50449

Basic Information

Labidura riparia

Giant Earwig

Labidura riparia is a species of earwig in the family Labiduridae characterized by their modified cerci as forceps, and light tan color. They are commonly known as the shore earwig, tawny earwig, riparian earwig, or the striped earwig due to two dark longitudinal stripes down the length of the pronotum. They are sometimes wrongly referred to as Labidura japonica, although said species is actually a subspecies, Labidura riparia japonica, found from Japan and India to Papua New Guinea. L. riparia are a cosmopolitan species primarily in tropical to subtropical regions. Body size varies greatly, ranging from 16 mm to 30 mm, with 10 abdominal segments. Males and females differ in forcep size, with males having much larger and stronger curve, while females have smaller, straighter forceps with a slight curve at the end. Earwigs use these forceps to assist in predation, defense, sexual selection, courtship and mating, and wing folding. L. riparia are a subsocial earwig with complex maternal habits. They are voracious predators, and highly regarded as efficient for pest control in many situations. Repugnitory glands in the earwigs cause them to secrete a foul smelling pheromone to deter predators, which is said to smell like decomposition. Males of this species have two penises in which they can use interchangeably. Individuals have a preference on which they dominantly use though. Just like humans limb dexterity, L. riparia have a 90% prevalence of right-handed penises. This unequal proportion is unique to this species compared to all other earwigs, and may have a relationship with the spermatheca location on females.

from Wikipedia

Taxonomic Information

Metazoa

Arthropoda

Insecta

Dermaptera

Labiduridae

Labidura

riparia

unclassified

Photos (5 photos)

Labidura riparia
c
(c) Stephen Thorpe@BY-NC
Labidura riparia
c
(c) Geir Drange@BY-NC
Labidura riparia
c
(c) Andrey Ponomarev@BY-NC
Labidura riparia
c
(c) unknown@CC0
Labidura riparia
c
(c) Simon Grove@BY-NC

Morphological Features

A large earwig, total length up to 26 mm. Body coloration highly variable, including melanistic and hypomelanistic forms. Head pale to reddish-orange, sometimes with dark markings or completely black in melanistic individuals. Pronotum with a reddish-orange midline and yellowish or cream-colored lateral margins; in old preserved or hypomelanistic specimens the pronotum may be entirely cream-colored. Forceps symmetrical, light brown, darker distally; sexually dimorphic: male cerci noticeably longer, separated, with reduced teeth; female cerci shorter, closer together, strongly toothed basally. Adult males possess longitudinal keels on the distal portion of tergal plates 6–9, a distinctive feature among North American earwigs.

Source: GBIF Life Stage: Adult Source Type: Taxonomic treatment
Citation:

Plazi taxonomic treatment

Host Plants (0 host plants)

Data sources: EPPO Global Database and relevant literature.

No host plants available.

Quarantine Status (2 records)

Data sources: IPPC website and national quarantine websites; verified by human review.

Country Status Year Added
Egypt Disinfected-Admitted —
United States of America Quarantine pests —

Distribution (111 countries)

Data Sources: EPPO Global Database and GBIF.

111
Present
0
Absent
0
Unknown/Other
Country Status State
Albania Present —
Algeria Present —
United Arab Emirates Present —
Argentina Present —
Armenia Present —
Australia Present —
Austria Present —
Azerbaijan Present —
Burundi Present —
Belgium Present —
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Distribution Map (Latitude and longitude coordinates sourced from GBIF.)

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Genomes (0 records)

Data source: NCBI.

No genome records available.

Transcriptomes (0 records)

Data source: NCBI.

No transcriptome records available.

DNA Barcodes (0 records)

View all

Data source: BOLD.

No DNA barcode records available.

Literature