Micropathus zubat Beasley-Hall, 2025

Micropathus zubat Beasley-Hall sp. nov.

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Figs 1–2 View Fig View Fig , 9 View Fig , Table 1

Diagnosis

The apices of the hind femora bear an apical spine on the retrolateral side. The ventral surfaces of the hind femora are unarmed prolaterally but variably bear linear spines retrolaterally. The male suranal plate has a proximal margin that resembles three wide, rounded lobes / similar to M. montanus , but has a small medial notch on the distal margin rather than being rounded ( Figs 2 View Fig , 9b View Fig ). The female subgenital plate is very distinctive: the structure is sclerotised at the lateral and distal margins, appearing orange, and bears two well-produced, spiked lobes originating from the distal margin. The lobes are separated by a deep medial notch and resemble fangs, readily differentiating it from both M. cavernicola and M. montanus ( Figs 2 View Fig , 9e View Fig ).

Etymology

Named after Zubat, a bat Pokémon from the video game franchise of the same name. The two spiked lobes on the female subgenital plate are reminiscent of the pair of long fangs on Zubat’s upper jaw. Like many Rhaphidophoridae, Zubat is also found in cave and forest habitats. The species name ‘ zubat ’ is not a Latin or latinised word and we therefore treat it as indeclinable in compliance with ICZN Article 31.2.3 (ICZN 1999).

Type material

Holotype

AUSTRALIA – Tasmania • ♂; Southwest National Park, Forest Hills, Cave 2; 43.333° S, 146.53° E; 360 m a.s.l.; 15 Feb. 2012; S.M. Eberhard and R. Eberhard leg.; GenBank: PV368134 ( COI); TMAG F073188 View Materials ; TMAG. GoogleMaps

Paratypes

AUSTRALIA – Tasmania • 1 ♀; same data as for holotype; TMAG F156354 View Materials ; TMAG GoogleMaps • 1 ♀; same data as for holotype; ANIC 14-008975 About ANIC ; ANIC GoogleMaps .

Other material examined

AUSTRALIA – Tasmania • 1 spec.; same data as for holotype; molecular data only; GenBank: MH171951 View Materials ( 12S rRNA); SARFMEE 12:0965; SARFMEE GoogleMaps .

Description

MEASUREMENTS. ♂ holotype body length 16.5 mm. ♀ body length 15–16 mm, ovipositor 9–9.5 mm. Hind tibia 24 mm; sexual dimorphism in leg lengths or armature unknown as hind legs were broken from specimens prior to examination.

HEAD. Light brown and mottled with mid to dark brown patterning on vertex and frons. Fastigium divided into two tubercles with a pale ocelliform spot on either side. Medial ocellus present.

BODY. Generally mid brown mottled with pale brown and ochreous patches, particularly prominent on thoracic nota. Thoracic nota and abdominal sternites with row of pale brown flecks at distal margin. A thin medial line running down thoracic nota, not visible beyond metanotum.

LEGS. Ochreous brown with pale brown striations and patches concentrated proximally. Fore and middle legs as in generic diagnosis above, with ventral surface of tibiae bearing two rows, one prolateral and other retrolateral of 4–5 linear spines each. Length of hind femur unarmed prolaterally but with 0–3 ventral linear spines retrolaterally. Hind tibia with 38–48 dorsal linear spines prolaterally and 32–47 retrolaterally; sexual dimorphism in tibial armature unknown as hind legs were separated from specimens prior to examination. First segment of hind tarsus with 3–4 dorsal linear spines prolaterally and 2–4 retrolaterally. Second tarsal segment with 2–3 dorsal linear spines prolaterally and 1–2 retrolaterally.

MALE TERMINALIA. Suranal plate mid to dark brown and densely setose at distal margin. Proximal margin of suranal plate broadly triangular. Distal margin of suranal plate rounded, weakly notched medially; suranal plate curved ventrally, bearing four wide, convex projections on underside, one pair on either side of distomedial notch. Each pair of projections separated by depression bearing black, dentate fringe of tubercles. Sternite 9 with styles; proximomedially lacking setae and with pale, V-shaped ridge; distal margin curved dorsally, subgenital plate originating underneath. Subgenital plate pale, without setae, and rounded.

FEMALE TERMINALIA. Suranal plate mid brown, sparsely setose at distal margin only. Proximal margin of suranal plate resembling three wide, rounded lobes. Plate laterally convex, distal margin rounded to weakly notched medially. Subgenital plate, without setae and concave proximolaterally, becoming convex towards distal margin. Distolateral corners rounded and sclerotised, appearing orange. Distal margin split into two spiked lobes which are also sclerotised and separated by wide, rounded notch; lobes measure approximately fifth of length of plate. Basivalvulae present, bulbous, positioned laterally. Ovipositor light reddish brown. Ventral valve of ovipositor bearing 5 small, weakly produced teeth decreasing in size towards apex; each tooth often paired with process resembling sclerotised tubercle on corresponding lateral surface.

Distribution

Recorded from a single dolomite cave in the Forest Hills karst at 360 m a.s.l., Southwest National Park, southwest Tasmania ( Fig. 1b View Fig ).

Remarks

Micropathus zubat Beasley-Hall sp. nov. was referred to as Micropathus “sp. nov. 1” in the phylogeny of Beasley-Hall et al. (2025). The species is the first cave-dwelling invertebrate recorded and described from the extremely remote and inaccessible Forest Hills karst in southwest Tasmania. The karst system comprises a stream sinking into a cave in the base of a large, enclosed depression in dense rainforest. While the true extent of this species’ range may be difficult to ascertain, this distribution currently classifies M. zubat as an ultra-short range endemic – that is, occupying a range of < 100 km 2 ( Guzik et al. 2019), and therefore sampling of nearby karsts such as Cracroft, Mount Bobs, and Vanishing Falls is warranted to better delineate its range.