Parectoneura queenslandica Rentz & Su, 2025

Parectoneura queenslandica Rentz & Su , sp. nov.

Figs 3A–L View FIG : Table 1: Map 1

Type material. Holotype male. Label. 1. “ 16049 ’45.24”S 145027 ’ 50.76E (GE) QLD. 8.5 km NW Mulligan Hwy on Hodzic Rd 380 m 17 JUNE 2024 DCF Rentz. Stop 7”. 2. “ ANIC database #9-006317” . Holotype in Australian National Insect Collection, Canberra. Paratypes. Same date as for holotype, 3 males, 1 female. Same locality, 23 June, 2024, 11 males, 4 females, (DCF Rentz, Stop 9, ANIC). 16046.208 ’ S 146023.137 ’ E Southedge-Lakes Rd (the “Toll” Rd) 4.9 km NW Lake Mitchell , 27 July 2018 (DCF Rentz, Stop 21, 1 male, ANIC) .

Differential diagnosis. Parectoneura queenslandica Rentz & Su , sp. nov. can be distinguished from its congener by the different markings on the head (compare Figs 2A View FIG , 3A View FIG ). There are 3 prominent spines on the ventral surface of the fore femur followed by a few smaller setae ( Fig. 3I View FIG ). Males with distinctive genitalia, the median phallomere protrudes from the tip of the abdomen when at rest ( Fig. 3D View FIG ) and 2 styles on the male subgenital plate, the left style minute ( Fig. 3E View FIG ). Females with tegmina not surpassing apex of abdomen ( Fig. 3A View FIG ).

Description. Male. Overall colour as in Figs 3A, B View FIG . Head with scape and pedicel light to dark brown, flagellum of antenna uniformly dark brown to black ( Fig. 3B View FIG ); occiput dark brown this continuous onto frons nearly to labrum, with distinctive ventral margin ( Fig. 3B View FIG ); frons ( Figs 3B, H View FIG ); eye dark brown to black. Pronotum with disk with anterior margin straight to weakly convex, posterior margin feebly convex ( Figs 3B, J View FIG ). Legs, including coxae, uniformly light straw brown, spines slightly darker; fore femur with 2 spines followed by a series of evenly spaced setae, type A 2 or near ( Fig. 3I View FIG ); claws symmetrical, arolium prominent. Tegmina and wings. Tegmina with prominent stripes, a single prominent vein and a series of diagonal veins along anterior margin ( Figs 3C, K View FIG ). Wing colourless, translucent, with apical margin only faintly “rolled”; subcostal region with 4 or more quadrate cells ( Fig. 3C View FIG ). Abdomen with glandular opening indicated by an irregular pattern of long hairs ( Fig. 3F View FIG ); tenth tergite not produced, margin weakly undulating; subgenital plate with apical margin feebly produced, bearing 2 styles, the left minute and often “missing” or absent; concealed genitalia with median phallomere protruding in life and protruding as a “spear” on preserved specimens ( Fig. 3D View FIG ); paraprocts quadrate, left internal paraproct with prominent spine on internal dorsal margin, right paraproct lacking spine; hook-like phallomere ( Fig. 3F View FIG ). Cercus rather stout, hirsute, uniformly coloured, not annulate ( Fig. 3F View FIG ).

Female. Very similar to male. Tegmina only slightly shorter than those of male ( Figs 3A, H View FIG ). Colour and pattern identical to male. Tip of abdomen with tenth tergite apically narrowly divided; subgenital plate scoop-shaped, unmodified. Ootheca. Several oothecae were deposited by captive females. The ootheca were loosely placed in dried weedy branches ( Fig. 3L View FIG ). For reasons unknown hatching did not occur.

Distribution. Known from few localities on the Tablelands north of Mareeba, Qld. (Map 1).

Etymology. Named with reference to the species being the eastern ( Queensland) representative of Parectoneura . MAP 1 Known distribution of three species. S Carbrunneria cattana sp. nov. z Cattaniaria tripartita sp. nov. T Parectoneura queenslandica sp. nov.

Remarks. This little cockroach was discovered by happenstance. It occurs in dry mixed woodland in weedy vegetation under eucalypts, casuarinas and acacias. Many cockroaches were found by sweeping understorey vegetation after dark with a sweeping net. At first the small roaches were thought to be nymphs of some other species ( Fig. 3G View FIG ). But careful examination proved that there were adults of a small species along with the nymphs. They seemed to be restricted to native grasses that were green and under cover of large trees. Several days later we returned to the area in late afternoon and vigorous sweeping did not yield a single cockroach. However, after dark the area was replete with the roaches. The roaches spend the daylight hours on or near the ground, in leaf litter, emerging after dark to feed and seek mates and oviposit.

Captive adult specimens lived for a surprisingly long time in jars provided with wet cotton and the Orthopteran Food Mix ( Henderson et al. 2008). For example, two adult individuals collected as adults on 23 June 2024 died on 6 October and 10 October 2024 respectively.