September 1, 2016
Three new species of ground wētā
and mating calls have been identified by Massey University researchers.
Research by doctoral student
Briar Taylor-Smith and her supervisors Professor Steven Trewick and Associate
Professor Mary Morgan-Richard of the Massey Ecology Group have reported three
new ground wētā species in the New Zealand Journal of Zoology.
Two new species of
ground wētā, which were previously classified as Hemiandrus maculifrons, have
now been named Hemiandrus luna and Hemiandru brucei. A third species, related
to the other two, has been named Hemiandrus nox.
Hemiandrus luna and Hemiandrus
nox were named after Roman goddesses and Hemiandru brucei (Bruce's wētā) is
named for Taylor-Smith's grandfather and mentor.
Ground wētā are found in native
forest throughout the North and South Islands, as well as on numerous offshore
islands. Most species of ground wētā have restricted ranges but the three new
species are found on both main islands.
Professor Trewick of the
Institute of Agriculture and Environment says many species of wētā are abundant
in New Zealand forests and other habitats, but a lot of these have yet to be
described.
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