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!
Great post! I had no idea some earwigs could be this colorful – the ones I usually come across under logs are plain brown. Is it known whether Eparchus cruentatus actually produces defensive secretions to back up those warning colors, or is the bright pattern more of a bluff? Also curious if the Mount Rinjani specimen was found at a particular elevation or habitat type.