Reinstatement of the New Zealand cave wētā genus Miotopus Hutton (Orthoptera: Rhaphidophoridae) and description of a new species

  • Josephine L. Fitness Ecology Group, Massey University, Private Bag 11-222, Palmerston North 4442
  • Mary Morgan-Richards Ecology Group, Massey University, Private Bag 11-222, Palmerston North 4442
  • Danilo Hegg 135 Blacks Road, Dunedin 9010
  • Steven A. Trewick Ecology Group, Massey University, Private Bag 11-222, Palmerston North 4442
Keywords: cave wētā, cave cricket, Miotopus, Pleioplectron, Rhaphidophoridae

Abstract

Comparison of morphological and genetic data from New Zealand forest cave wētā suggests we should recognise the genus Miotopus proposed by Hutton (1898). A new species within this genus is described (Miotopus richardsi sp. nov.). Both Miotopus diversus (Hutton, 1898) and Miotopus richardsi sp. nov. are common in native forests and widespread in New Zealand. Here we provide their known distributions and key traits

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Published
2018-10-18
How to Cite
Fitness, J. L., Morgan-Richards, M., Hegg, D., & Trewick, S. A. (2018). Reinstatement of the New Zealand cave wētā genus Miotopus Hutton (Orthoptera: Rhaphidophoridae) and description of a new species. European Journal of Taxonomy, (468). https://doi.org/10.5852/ejt.2018.468