Species information
Scientific name: Vescelia pieli ryukyuensis
Japanese name: リュウキュウサワマツムシ
Chinese name: 琉球擬亮蟋、比爾擬亮蟋琉球亞種、皮爾氏亮蟋琉球亞種
English name: Ryukyu stream cricket
Origin: Amamioshima, Tokunoshima, Okinawajima, Kumejima, Ishigakijima, Iriomotejima
Ecology and description
In streamside environments of Okinawajima and other islands, the clear and high-pitched calls of the Ryukyu stream cricket can often be heard. These sounds are courtship calls produced by males rubbing their forewings together. Although their calls can be heard from May to December, the species is highly wary—males immediately stop calling when approached, making visual observation difficult.
The species Vescelia pieli includes two other subspecies: V. p. pieli and V. p. monotonia, which are distributed in Guangdong and Hainan Island in China.（Reference）
For details, refer to the following publication:
DI TIAN,CHU-ZE SHEN, LIN CHEN, GUANG-YU CHEN, TAO ZHANG, KAI LI & ZHU-QING HE.2019. An integrative taxonomy of Vescelia pieli pieli species complexbased on morphology, genes and songs from China (Orthoptera: Grylloidea:Phalangopsidae: Phaloriinae). Zootaxa, 4695 (1): 67–75.
Field photographs taken during our tours, with observation dates
During the 【Herping】 tour in summer and autumn, this species is frequently heard in stream environments, though actually spotting it is quite difficult.
