Parktown prawn
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| Libanasidus vittatus Kirby, 1899 |
Parktown prawn is the familiar term South Africans label for Libanasidus vittatus, a King cricket species found in South Africa, belonging to the Anostostomatidae family. It is not considered a true cricket. Adults are usually around 4 to 5 centimeters in length, with an antennae of 2 cm. Parktown is an affluent suburb in Johannesburg, from where the name comes. The name Parktown Prawn most likely comes from Johannesburg, and indeed, Parktown residents finding these bright orange and brown insects dead in their swimming pools in the mornings.
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[edit] History and Discovery
The insect was not known within Johannesburg before the 1960's, the first known specimen being found in Barberton in 1899 by William Kirby. They only became prevalent after 1960, when Johannesburg began to expand rapidly in size and population. The reason for the increase in the insects' numbers is not known, although they have flourished better in a urban environment than in the wild. Johannesburg, being part of the South African highveld, was almost totally dry and arid, which was unsuitable habitat for the Parktown Prawn. With the arrival of suburban dwellers, gardens took on a more tropical and forest-like appearance, which was typically wet and well-covered, which helped the insect thrive. Johannesburg is considered to be the world's largest man-made forest, since the city is very green and leafy, representing a total transformation of local flora.
[edit] Appearance
The Parktown Prawn is one of the larger insects found in Johannesburg homes. A large specimen may grow to be 5 centimetres or more, with long whip-like antennae extending to 2 centimetres. The exoskeleton is orange to light brown, with darker brown or black stripes along the thorax and abdomen, which gives it a toxic look to would-be aggressors. The legs have downward-facing hooked barbs, which allow it climb up walls and trees.
The male insect sports a strong set of mandibles, although the need for them is not fully known, other than for use in self-defense against other male Parktown Prawns. The female has a well-developed ovipositor, through which it will lay between 80 and 100 eggs during mating season in damp or wet topsoil.
[edit] Feeding Habits
Typically, the Parktown Prawn is omnivorous, feeding on slugs, snails and cutworms as well as vegetable matter. They have been seen feeding on dog food, as well as dry oatmeal and fallen fruit. Gardens that have a high population of Parktown Prawns will have almost no snails - thus, they can be considered an effective and natural form of pest control. Their natural predators aside from man, are usually the Hadeda Ibis, which is only one of the few urban-dwelling birds able to take on the considerable size of the Parktown Prawn.
[edit] In Society
They are generally considered pests by most in South Africa, and are held in the same regard as cockroaches. The strong exoskeleton of the Parktown Prawn makes it exceedingly difficult to kill. They are able to function for a short time when decapitated, and are more impervious to anti-insect sprays than most other arthropods. They are most visibly prevalent after rain during Summer, which is when they are most likely to be found indoors.
The Parktown Prawn is reknowned and feared for their ability to jump long distances when threatened, often landing on a bystander in the process. They also release a vile-smelling black fecal liquid.
A popular urban legend, fuelled by April Fools articles published by the Johannesburg newspaper The Star, tells that the Parktown Prawn was actually the result of a escaped genetic experiment by students from the University of the Witwatersrand in the 1960's (thus explaining the insects' sudden arrival in Johannesburg at that time). The insect's unusual strength, vivid orange colouring and size are seen to 'confirm' this urban legend.
The resilience and strength of the Prawn allowed two cartoon versions to become objects of humour in the well known South African cartoon strip Madam & Eve, where Gwen Anderson and Eve Sisulu lost their wits at the sight of them; In the cartoons, the Prawns got 'high' on insecticide (in reference to their size and how much poison is required to kill them), and produced two prawn-shaped indentations on the bottom of the house's frying pan with which they were swatted, in reference to their hard exoskeletons.
