Tag Archives: Labiduridae

Labidura herculeana (Fabricius)

Saint Helena Giant Earwig (Labidura herculeana)

The Saint Helena Giant Earwig, described in 1798, was, as its name implies, endemic to the island of Saint Helena.

The species was by far the largest earwig in the world, reaching lenghts of over 8 cm; it was blackish and had reddish-brown colored legs.

The Saint Helena Giant Earwig was last seen alive in 1967, it is considered extinct since; the reasons for its extinction can be found in habitat loss and the introduction of rodents and insect-eating centipedes.

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Depiction: Alexander Lang

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edited: 02.06.2021