Most earwigs would rather hide than be noticed. Not Eparchus cruentatus. This species wears one of the boldest outfits in the order Dermaptera: a jet black body, vivid orange-red legs and antennae, red-edged abdominal segments, and a large red-orange blotch on each forewing.
This is aposematic coloration, a warning signal that tells predators exactly what they are in for. The message, roughly translated: do not eat me, I taste terrible (or worse).
It belongs to the family Forficulidae, the typical earwigs, and like all earwigs it carries a pair of forceps-like cerci at the rear. The specimen found on Mount Rinjani was a walking traffic light in the middle of the green forest.
What is the order of this insect? Please let me know.
Great question! Eparchus cruentatus belongs to the order Dermaptera — the earwigs. As the article mentions, it’s a member of the family Forficulidae, and like all earwigs it bears the characteristic forceps-like cerci at the rear of its abdomen. Its black-and-red aposematic coloration is a warning to predators, which makes it one of the more striking members of the order. Thanks for reading!