Multiple locomotion gaits in the mole cricket

Insects are exceptionally robust walkers. Although different species exhibit distinct anatomical and functional specializations, they are also highly adaptive within these constraints. How such adaptations enable insects to efficiently navigate diverse environments and perform mechanical tasks remains far from fully explored. The mole cricket, which dwells underground, is one of the least studied insects, largely due to its cryptic lifestyle. It excels at digging tunnels and exhibits extreme morphological adaptations, particularly its exceptional fossorial forelegs. Its versatile locomotion, above and below ground, makes the mole cricket an attractive model system for studying the biomechanics of insect movement. Here we provide the first quantitative characterization of mole cricket locomotion. Using a tunnel-like arena, we recorded freely-moving insects and analyzed their various locomotion gaits. We identified and described three main modes of locomotion, including a backward-bound gait that has not previously been reported in any insect. To test specific hypotheses regarding form-function relationships and the generation of thrust, we integrated biomechanical modeling and deep reinforcement learning to simulate the observed gaits. Our work opens several future directions, from exploring context-dependent gait transitions to bio-inspired technological innovations.