Rockcrawlers, Gladiators

Classification

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Arthropoda

Subphylum: Hexapoda

Class: Insecta

Order: Notoptera

There are two suborder in this group if insects: Grylloblattodea (rockcrawlers) and Mantophasmatodea (Gladiators).

There are around 25 species in the Grylloblattodea suborder. They are found in cold areas in the mountains in China, Siberia, Japan, Korea, and the western United States and Canada. There are 11 species in North America.

Rockcrawlers have no wings; long, segmented bodies; six legs; long cerci (rear sensory antennae); and long antennae. They are omnivores and forage on the snow and under rocks for food. They are only active when it is cold! When the temperature warms up, they burrow into the permafrost! Rockcrawlers are sometimes called icebugs.

Gladiators are a new suborder of insects that was first discovered in 2002! Gladiators are found in Africa and are wingless. They are carnivores and look like praying mantises.