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Half a century ago, Belgian Zoologist Bernard Heuvelmans first codified cryptozoology in his book On the Track of Unknown Animals.

The Centre for Fortean Zoology (CFZ) are still on the track, and have been since 1992. But as if chasing unknown animals wasn't enough, we are involved in education, conservation, and good old-fashioned natural history! We already have three journals, the largest cryptozoological publishing house in the world, CFZtv, and the largest cryptozoological conference in the English-speaking world, but in January 2009 someone suggested that we started a daily online magazine! The CFZ bloggo is a collaborative effort by a coalition of members, friends, and supporters of the CFZ, and covers all the subjects with which we deal, with a smattering of music, high strangeness and surreal humour to make up the mix.

It is edited by CFZ Director Jon Downes, and subbed by the lovely Lizzy Bitakara'mire (formerly Clancy), scourge of improper syntax. The daily newsblog is edited by Corinna Downes, head administratrix of the CFZ, and the indexing is done by Lee Canty and Kathy Imbriani. There is regular news from the CFZ Mystery Cat study group, and regular fortean bird news from 'The Watcher of the Skies'. Regular bloggers include Dr Karl Shuker, Dale Drinnon, Richard Muirhead and Richard Freeman.The CFZ bloggo is updated daily, and there's nothing quite like it anywhere else. Come and join us...

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Monday, June 17, 2013

CARL MARSHALL: Armoured cave crickets at Stratford

These just in!

The Armoured ground cricket Acantholpus discoidalis is considered a crop pest in the southern African countries of Botswana, Namibia and south Africa. When fully grown an adult of this flightless species may be three inches long and encased with thick armour plates and sharp barbs. They are defensive and have a rather painful bite.

There are many other names attributed to this species including Armoured bush cricket, Corn cricketGobabis prawn, Endindi and Koringkriek

Armoured ground crickets have the bizarre ability to spray haemolymph (their blood) from their abdomens and this deters at least three species of lizard. When deprived of protein and salt A. discoidalis can become cannibalistic. The ability to autohaemorrhage also has a downside as this can encourage other individuals to attack and cannibalise them, this happens in captivity when kept in large groups!

A. discoidalis is a wonderful, albeit strange addition to the order Orthoptera and we at the Butterfly Farm are very pleased with our new colony.   

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