crazy Caribbean orthopteran

[Joan Waltermire]

Hi all,
Ginny Barlow and I were in the Grenadines (on Union Island) in January when Ginny got it into her head to break open a big termite nest in order to take a photo. This is what emerged instead! It was big -- 2" at least, with very long antennae. Look at those white eyes! The second photo shows it emerging from the nest. It was sealed in, as far as we could tell. We've found zero info about a possible commensal relationship. From someone named Ed Saugstad on AllExperts.com we were directed to a similar-looking animal with aquamarine eyes from St.Lucia but with no real biological information. Can anyone tell us what was going on here? Or direct us to The World's Orthopteran Authority?

Ginny and I are having a skirmish over whether its specific name will be waltermireii or barlowii.

Alas, we didn't even think to collect it, we were so enthralled.

Thanks!
Joan Waltermire

[Alan Graham]

These orthopterans sound interesting.  Anyone have any ideas?

Alan

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Joan Waltermire <joan.wa...@montshire.org>
Date: Tue, Feb 28, 2012 at 9:22 AM
Subject: Re: crazy Caribbean orthopteran
To: Alan Graham <alan.c...@gmail.com>

Hey Alan, thanks for sending this on to someone! I only look at this email on Tuesdays; otherwise, joan.wa...@gmail.com is best. This is pretty fabulous, isn't it?

Joan

On Feb 20, 2012, at 5:43 PM, Alan Graham wrote:

Dr. Otte,
Would you or Dave have any idea what kind of Orthopteran this might be?  Sounds interesting.
Alan

Alan C. Graham
Vermont Agency of Agriculture
PO Box 141
South Pomfret, VT  05067

[Hanson, Trish]

Hello everyone,

Last Friday, I forwarded Joan’s inquiry about the crazy Caribbean orthopteran to Marcos Lhano, a specialist at Center of Agricultural, Environmental and Biological Sciences at the Federal University of Reconcavo of Bahia (Cruz Das Almas, Brazil).  I haven’t heard back from him yet, but am hopeful that he can tell us more about this creature.

Trish