Miotopus richardsi, Fitness, Morgan-Richards, Hegg & Trewick, 2018

Miotopus richardsi View in CoL sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:BFDCEBC5-E058-4362-B5B4-42E3D9FAAD8F

Figs 4 View Fig , 5C View Fig , 6 View Fig C–D, 7C–F, 8D–F, 9, 10C–F

Diagnosis

A medium sized cave wētā found in forested areas of the South Island, New Zealand with a variegated colour pattern. Similar to Miotopus diversus based on apical spines with the exception of the presence on hind femora of both prolateral and retrolateral apical spines (n.b. this trait was formerly considered diagnostic of Pachyrhamma , see Cook et al. 2010). It is easily identified by the very long legs and the presence of three pairs of prominent, socketed superior spines on the hind tibiae. Female with subgenital plate similar to M. diversus , but differs in male genital terminalia. Notably long ovipositor, as long as or longer than body length ( Fig. 10 View Fig C–F).

Etymology

Named for Aola Richards who studied New Zealand cave wētā and published many important systematic papers from 1954 until 1972.

Type material

Holotype NEW ZEALAND: ³, adult, Fiordland ( FD), Gulliver River, -44.704477, 167.97031, 60 m a.s.l., under large river boulders in native forest, by hand during night search, Jan. 2014, Tony Jewell leg. (MPN CW2619 ; NMNZ AI.035053). GoogleMaps

Paratype NEW ZEALAND: ♀, adult, Brunner ( BR), Lewis Pass, Cannibal Gorge, -42.333962, 172.424113, 820 m a.s.l., on rotting tree stump in native forest, with insect net during night search, 24 Apr. 2017, Danilo Hegg leg. (MPN CW 3429; NMNZ AI.035054). GoogleMaps

Additional material examined

See Table 3.

Description

MEASUREMENTS. See Table 1. View Table 1

HEAD. Head slightly variegated colouring with a medium brown and golden light brown; covered in fine setae; palps are light golden brown and covered with fine setae; fastigium medium brown with minor golden light brown, with pale spots on the sides; eyes black; antennae long and medium brown with setae; scape and peduncle light golden brown ( Fig. 5 View Fig C–D).

THORAX. Pronotum anterior and posterior margins slightly convex; sides are rounded with a slight outward ‘lip’. On the upper surface it bears the markings of a large inverted W, the side-arms fainter than the V in the middle ( Fig. 6 View Fig C–D).

LEGS. Long. Hind femora shorter than tibiae. Coxae and trochanters cream in colour, femora and tibiae dark brown with cream bands. Fore femora compressed with one prolateral apical spine and one retrolateral apical spine, short dark setae present. Fore tibiae with two pairs of long, pale linear spines positioned in the mid to distal portion of the tibiae. Fore tibiae with two superior apical spines (one prolateral and one retrolateral), pale with dark tip and almost hidden amongst the setae, two inferior apical spines (one prolateral and one retrolateral), longer than superior spines, articulate, pale with dark tip, longer and thicker than the surrounding setae. Mid femora compressed with one long articulated prolateral apical spine, one long articulated retrolateral apical spine. Mid tibiae with two pairs of long, linear spines positioned in the mid to distal portion of the tibiae, prolateral spines longer than the retrolateral ones. Mid tibiae with two superior apical spines (one prolateral and one retrolateral), pale with dark tip, two inferior apical spines (one prolateral and one retrolateral), inferior spines longer than superior spines, pale with dark tip. Hind femora with one retrolateral and one prolateral apical spine, small, stout, slightly pigmented. Hind tibiae longer than femora with small brown alternate spines along length of the superior surface, three pairs are spurlike and three times the length of the other smaller spines ( Fig. 9 View Fig ). Hind tibiae with two superior subapical spines (one prolateral and one retrolateral), two superior apical spines (one prolateral

and one retrolateral), twice as long as superior subapical spines, two inferior apical spines (one prolateral and one retrolateral) ¾ the length of superior apical spines above, two inferior subapical spines. Hind tarsi with 4 segments, 1 st and 2 nd segment with a pair of spines on distal end. 1 st segment has 4–11 small dorsal, alternate spines, and minute brown spinules along the underside of either side of the tarsal pad. The 2 nd segment occasionally has one or two small spines above, 4 th segment half the length of the 1 st segment.

ABDOMEN. Shiny, brown coloured. Short setae covering both tergites and sternites; sternum pale brown colour.

TERMINALIA MALE. Cerci long, round, brown in colour, clothed in setae. Styli reduced, not extending beyond the end of the subgenital plate. Subgenital plate short and bulbous, usually with median groove on ventral surface. Paraprocts adjacent to subgenital plate each bearing a prominent, sharp spine ( Fig. 7 View Fig C–D).

TERMINALIA FEMALE. Subgenital plate simple. Appears as either truncated or sinuous with middle portion of posterior margin slightly indented. Ovipositor very long, as long as or longer than the body length, reddish-brown with 18–30 small teeth on ventral edge near the tip ( Fig. 8 View Fig D–F).