Synopsis of the subfamily Carventinae in New Zealand (Heteroptera: Aradidae)
Author
Larivière, Marie-Claude
New Zealand Arthropod Collection, Manaaki Private Bag 92170, Auckland 1142
Author
Larochelle, André
Manaaki Whenua-Landcare Research 1142, New Zealand
text
Insecta Mundi
2022
2022-10-28
2022
961
1
54
journal article
54558
10.5281/zenodo.7399305
9a0e69ab-6923-450d-bc0c-fc2e9edfc0ff
1942-1354
7399305
CAF794A0-89C7-498F-84D0-940FDDB648F3
Genus
Tuataraptera
Larivière and Larochelle
,
new genus
Fig. 22
,
30
,
43
,
70–71
,
87
Type
species.
Neocarventus uncus
Kirman, 1989
, by present designation.
Description
(incrustation removed). Apterous. Body subovate to subrectangular, moderately narrowed anteriorly; length about
3.2 mm
(male),
3.9 mm
(female).
Head.
Eyes rather small in relation to head, granulate. Postocular tubercles rounded-subquadrate to rounded-subtriangular, slightly produced laterally. Rostrum arising from a closed atrium.
Thorax.
Pro-, meso-, and metanotum separated by moderately deep sutures.
Pronotum.
Double-ring collar distinctly set off from anterior margin,with lateral tubercles and posteriorly produced subtriangular plate. Disc bearing two moderately large, rather flat, subtriangular plates, one on each side of a narrow subparallel sulcus. Lateral portions with a curved submarginal ridge distant from lateral margin (close to lateral margin in
Neocarventus
).
Mesonotum.
Disc bearing a large laterally winged plate (larger and slenderer than in
Neocarventus
) with a V-shaped backward projection reaching posterior margin of metanotum and two curved, nearly hook-shaped anterolateral projections covering much of lateral portions; apex of V-shaped projection flanked by coarse granules.
Metanotum
. Disc largely covered by mesonotal projection. Posterolateral angles strongly elevated and produced, forming long, sinuate, acutely tipped spines reaching anterior third to middle of first visible connexival segment (male), slightly thickened, unproduced (not forming subtriangular lobes as in
Neocarventus
; female).
Legs.
Coxal lobes rugose. Trochanters and femora demarcated from each other. Femora granulate, about as long as tibiae. Protibiae with fine ventral spines and apical comb.
Abdomen.
Dmtg I–II separated from metanotum by a distinct suture; narrowly fused medially, with a longitudinal carina; separated from each other laterally for most of their width; lateral portions with a large, oblong-subrectangular, laterally attenuate, transverse plate along anterior margin in front of a similarly sized subrectangular plate next to a smaller, anteriorly curved, subquadrate to subtriangular plate behind a submarginal pit.
Tergal plate
(dmtg III–VI) superficially unfused, with shallow sulci delimiting three large subtriangular plates and apodemal markings (tergal plate completely fused in
Neocarventus
). Dmtg III with a pair of short longitudinal sulci near middle of anterior margin, flanked by two apodemal spots (anterior longitudinal sulci absent in
Neocarventus
). Dmtg IV–VI with a few granules on each side of a distinct, irregularly shaped plate carrying scent gland openings; plate made of two subtriangular areas with long anterolateral projections (larger granulate areas present on each side of a subrectangular plate in
Neocarventus
). Scent gland openings (or scars thereof) three in number, first moderately developed, displaced posteriorly on dmtg IV, second very small, third evanescent.
Connexivum.
Dorsal laterotergites (dltg) with a pair of more or less distinct, rounded, smooth apodemal spots, posterior one larger. Dltg II–III fused, subtriangular, extending forward to or slightly beyond posterolateral angles of metanotum; IV–VI subquadrate; VII subrectangular. Spiracles II–IV ventral (not visible from above), V–VII lateral (visible from above).
Pattern of apodemal markings
2:1:1 (dorsal); 2:2:1 (ventral).
Male genitalia.
Pygophore trilobate (
Fig. 22
, posterodorsal view); dorsal lobes below carinate margin, nearly elliptical in shape, moderately convex and produced backward, briefly touching each other ventrally along their inner margin; ventral lobe slightly convex medially, slightly produced; dorsal opening narrow; paramere heads partially visible as lamellate setose structures; posterior rim with a long, anteriorly directed, subtriangular projection on each side of median suture. Paratergites VIII (
Fig. 30
, outer lateral view) with an apically subtriangular, broadly explanate, hookshaped head; spiracle nearly apical.
Remarks.
The name of this new genus is derived from the Maori noun
tuatara
, the
New Zealand
endemic spiny back reptile with an ancient lineage going back to the dinosaurs, and
aptera
, from the Greek apteros, wingless.
Tuataraptera
is a highly distinctive monotypic genus restricted to
Northland
(ND), the northernmost region of the North Island. The genus
Tuataraptera
is uniquely characterized among
New Zealand
genera by the presence of two very long, robust metanotal spines in the male. Other noticeable differences from
Neocarventus
, its closest morphological relative, are highlighted in the generic description. The configuration of the male pygophore and shape of paratergites VIII offer some similarities with
Neocarventus
and to a lesser extent with
Modicarventus
. The flatness of the thoracic plates and divisions of the tergal plates resemble the situation in
Modicarventus
.