Polyzosteria cockroaches in Tasmania (Blattodea: Blattidae: Polyzosteriinae) represent a new, endemic species, with allopatric alpine and coastal sub-populations
Author
Henry, Shasta C.
0000-0002-1001-3433
University of Tasmania, Discipline of Geography and Spatial Science, Churchill Ave, Sandy Bay TAS 7005. Shasta. Henry @ utas. edu. au; https: // orcid. org / 0000 - 0002 - 1001 - 3433
enry@utas.edu.au
Author
Cameron, Stephen L.
0000-0002-6694-4130
610 Purdue Mall, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA. cameros @ purdue. edu; https: // orcid. org / 0000 - 0002 - 6694 - 4130
cameros@purdue.edu
Author
Smolenski, Adam
University of Tasmania, Central Science Laboratories, Churchill Ave, Sandy Bay TAS 7005.
Author
Mcquillan, Peter
0000-0002-1001-3433
University of Tasmania, Discipline of Geography and Spatial Science, Churchill Ave, Sandy Bay TAS 7005. Shasta. Henry @ utas. edu. au; https: // orcid. org / 0000 - 0002 - 1001 - 3433 & University of Tasmania, Discipline of Geography and Spatial Science, Churchill Ave, Sandy Bay TAS 7005. p. b. mcquillan @ utas. edu. au; https: // orcid. org / 0000 - 0001 - 6334 - 372 X
enry@utas.edu.au
text
Zootaxa
2021
2021-02-09
4926
3
384
400
journal article
8170
10.11646/zootaxa.4926.3.4
72fbd015-d727-4e48-b8e1-54496db6c932
1175-5326
4529361
3AF255EA-2C21-4DCD-AD73-B8CC6CFED3BE
Polyzosteria yingina
sp. nov.
Henry (2020)
Zoobank name link
(
Figure 4–6
)
Diagnosis.
Medium-sized, oval, convex, apterous; macroscopically smooth and uniformly coloured above excepting a non-metallic orange margin to the cerci. Upper surfaces dull metallic bronze but sometimes dark and matt. Ventral surface shining bronze and reddish brown with pale coxal border and process’.
Description. Measurements (mm). Length, Pronotum Length/Width, Width, Hind Tibiae.
♂(n=20) L 21.4–30.3;
PL 6.8
–
8.9
;
PW 10
–
16.5
; W 16.5–19.1; HT 9.1–10.1;
♀
(n=25) L 26.9–36.5;
PL 7.3
–
9.1
;
PW 14.6
–
17
; W 18.2–21.5; HT 9.5–11.1.
Exoskeleton is microscopically pitted throughout, pits with minute translucent scales above (
Figure 3E
) and hairs below; scales are very loosely attached so wear and tear may explain their absence on many specimens. Vertex almost hidden from above, shining bronze. Ocelli indistinguishable. Vertex broadly flat, frons domed between concave antennal pits. Antennae are dark, bases brownish red, segments minutely haired with a ring of setae around the widest part. Clypeus and labrum are dark, each with a pale distal border. Labrum is deeply lobed around the notch. Palps are dark and densely haired (
Figure 4B, D
). Dorsal surface colour is dull metallic bronze, sometimes with green highlights though can also be entirely dark and matt, always excepting the rim of the cerci which are bright orange and matt (
Fig 5D
). Texture is microscopically pitted and finely, unevenly nodular. These high points (and overlaps of tergites) are often smoother and shinier. Peripheral edges of dorsal segments are rolled and smooth. Paired, large and smooth stigmatic dots are obvious on each thoracic and abdominal segment, excepting T1,T8,T9 and T10 (
Figure 4A, C
). A small, brush-like structure on the medial anterior margin of T1, usually obscured by the metanotum, has been observed in living males (
Richards and Spencer 2019
). This ‘hair tuft’ is presumed to be involved in evaporation of pheromone secretions (
Mackerras 1965
). Tergite T8, T9 and T10 are bounded by the projected angles of T7 and T10 also by the flattened, oblanceolate cerci. This species is sexually dimorphic. In males T10 is roughly oblong though slightly concave with slightly acute distal angles (
Figure 4A
,
3D
). In the female, T10 is half-oval and convex with a peaked midline (
Figure 4C
), adapted for clamping the ootheca (
Rentz 2014
,
Richards and Spencer 2019
). Legs; tibiae, tops of tarsi and coxae-proximally are shining bronze; coxa-distally, the trochanter and femur are shining reddish brown. Coxal border and processes pale and femora with pale knee. Tibiae flat, biseriately spined with a fringe of hairs on the proximal edge. Tarsal claws light brown with dark tips. All spines yellow with dark points. Underside of thoracic segments shining bronze to greenish-blue. Anterior sternites are shiny metallic bronze, posterior sternites are shining red-brown; this colour transition beginning around the middle of S5. Smooth, stigmatic dots apparent from S2–S7. The opening of the scent gland is indicated by the rounded, sclerotised edge protruding onto S7 medially. Underside of cerci are bright orange and banded with tiny hairs (
Figure 4B, D
). In males S9 bears paired anal styles in notches, protruding one third of their length past the posterior margin (
Figure 5C
). The subgenital lamina of the female (S7) is large and sculptural, plateaued medially, coming to a produced point where its posterior part is modified into the bivalvular hypogynum (
Figure 4D
) characteristic of the family (
Mackerras 1965
).
The male genitalia conform to the general plan of
P. limbata
described by
Mackerras (1965)
. Male genitalia are most similar to
P. viridissima
, but differentiated by the process of R2 (R2b) having a more strongly defined hooked apex (
Figure 5B
).
Material Examined.
*asterisk indicates where latitude and longitude (and altitude) have been calculated from coordinates on labels. Otherwise estimated according to place names on labels.
Holotype
(
Figure 6A, B
).
AUSTRALIA
• 1♂, (Size mm: L 23,
PL 7.4
x
PW 14.8
, W 18.7, HT 9.2); Tasmania,
Lake Augusta
: dunes,
Central Plateau
*
41°52'12.60"S
;
146°30'45.75"E
;
1164m
asl
;
06 Feb. 2018
;
Grove, S.J.
leg;
Photographed
alive before hand-collection; DNA (table 1); https://www.flickr.com/photos/simongrovetmag/39415278624;
TMAG
:
F57626
Photographed
paratypes
(
Fig 4
. A–D).
AUSTRALIA
• 1♂ (Size mm:L 28.6,
PL 7.8
x
PW 14.7
, W 17.11, HT 10);
Tasmania
,
Carter Lakes
,
Central Plateau
*
41°51'41.82"S
;
146°31'36.62"E
;
1156m
asl
;
16–17 Feb. 2019
;
C. Spencer
and
K.Richards
leg; lake shore mass stranding;
TMAG
:F13361
AUSTRALIA
•
1♀
, (Size mm:L 34,
PL 8
x
PW 15.4
, W 18.02, HT 10);
Tasmania
,
Carter Lakes
,
Central Plateau
*
41°51'41.82"S
;
146°31'36.62"E
;
1156m
asl
;
16–17 Feb. 2019
;
C. Spencer
and
K.Richards
leg; lake shore mass stranding;
TMAG
:F13354
Genital dissection
paratype
(
Fig 5
. A–D):
AUSTRALIA
• 1♂, (Size mm:L 30.3,
PL 7.8
x
PW 15
, W 17.2, HT 9.8);
Tasmania
,
Lake Botsford
,
Central Plateau
*
41°52'44.05''S
;
146°30'30.33''E
;
1153m
asl
;
30 Dec. 2016
; Among low alpine herbage. Genitalia dissected. DNA (table 1);
QVM
:2018:12:0916.