i have a couple lizards, and i noticed some of the crickets i put into the tank start to stick this weird black stick out of their butt or something and kinda probe into the sand with it. what is that thing, and why are they doing it? it looks really weird, and kinda gross...
2007-06-18 13:41:53 · 3 answers · asked by heathervsmail 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Zoology
That's the 'ovipositer' that females have - they lay eggs through it into the dirt.
2007-06-18 13:45:23 · answer #1 · answered by John R 7 · 3⤊ 1⤋
Ovipositor. The part of the female crickets anatomy used to deposit eggs. It is not weird nor gross. It is just a cricket.
Check out this site, it has a really cool drawing of a cricket with labels for all the external anatomy.
Invertebrate Anatomy OnLine
Acheta domestica ©
European House Cricket
http://webs.lander.edu/rsfox/invertebrates/acheta.html
2007-06-18 13:57:57 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Check out this Wiki article:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ovipositor
It pretty much says it all!
2007-06-18 13:51:34 · answer #3 · answered by tim 1 · 1⤊ 1⤋