Mole cricket

Japanese: ケラ(螻蛄) - ケラ（英語表記）mole cricket

An insect of the Orthoptera order, Grylloidea, family Critidae (illustration). Commonly known as the Okera. It digs tunnels underground close to the surface and lives there. Its front legs are specialized to be shovel-shaped for digging soil, reminiscent of a mole's front legs. Males vibrate their small forewings to make a low buzzing sound. It is widely distributed throughout Japan, Asia, Africa, Australia, etc. It is brown all over and has a body length of about 30 mm. Its head is small and tubular, and fits snugly into the large pronotum. Its antennae are short, which distinguishes it from other crickets.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

直翅目コオロギ上科ケラ科の昆虫（イラスト）。俗にオケラともいう。地表近い地中にトンネルを掘り，その中で生活する。前脚が土を掘るためにシャベル状に特化し，モグラの前脚を思わせる。雄は小さな前翅を振動させてジージーと低い音で鳴く。日本全国，アジア，アフリカ，オーストラリアなどに広く分布する。全体が茶褐色で，体長約30mm。頭は小さく，筒状で大きい前胸背板にすっぽりとはまっている。触角は短く，この点で他のコオロギ類と異なっている。

出典　株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典第２版について　情報

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