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Species of orthopteran insect From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Hemiandrus focalis is a species of ground wētā endemic to New Zealand. This flightless Orthoptera lives in the mountains of the South Island, New Zealand.[2] This species can be distinguished from other ground wētā by their three superior retrolateral spines on their mid tibia and females have relatively long ovipositors.[3] This omnivorous ground wētā species is listed as "not threatened" by the New Zealand Department of Conservation.[4]
| Hemiandrus focalis | |
|---|---|
| |
| Adult female near Bannockburn, South Island, New Zealand | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Orthoptera |
| Suborder: | Ensifera |
| Family: | Anostostomatidae |
| Genus: | Hemiandrus |
| Species: | H. focalis |
| Binomial name | |
| Hemiandrus focalis (Hutton, 1896) | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
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Hemiandrus focalis was formally placed in the genus Zealandosandrus by Salmon in 1950.[5] The genus Zealandosandrus was formed to separate species with the distinct traits of long ovipositors and the absence of a modified 6th abdominal sternite in female wētā.[6] However, this genus is now regarded as synonymous with Hemiandrus[2], as some ground wētā species have intermediate length ovipositers[2][3] and Hemiandrus focalis has weakly developed paramedian lobes on the female 6th sternite.[7]
This species can be distinguished from other ground wētā by their three superior retrolateral spines on their mid tibia and females have relatively long ovipositors.[3] Ovipositor length vary in different ground wētā species. Hemiandrus focalis is one of about ten Hemiandrus species with females possessing long ovipositors.[2][8][9] The tarsus of H. focalis is also described as bare with only a few erect setae.
All species within the genus Hemiandrus are nocturnal.[2] Individuals of H. focalis are found during the day in soil burrows in native forest or in burrows of stony silts in open habitat.[2] The habitat of Hemiandrus focalis extends into high elevation in the alpine zone above the tree line.[8] This species are distributed across the mountains of New Zealand's South Island and also found present on Codfish Island.[2]
Hemiandrus focalis is one of the Hemiandrus species that has an omnivorous diet.[2] Omnivorous ground wētā such as H. maia are found to consume fruits, seeds and other invertebrates.[8]
Hemiandrus focalis lay their eggs in the ground similar to the suborder Ensifera.[6] The long ovipositors in the females suggest that they do not have maternal care.[6] This species may take three years to reach maturity.[7]
Nuptial gifting occurs in Hemiandrus species where the male attaches a spermatophylax with the sperm ampulla onto the female when mating.[6] Although the mating process of the H. focalis has not be recorded specifically, Hemiandrus species with long ovipositors have been recorded to have a spermatophylax attached to the sperm ampulla.[10]
This species is classified as "not threatened" by the New Zealand Department of Conservation in 2014. Ground wētā are important as they are part of the diet of native kiwi[11] They are also eaten by introduced mammals in New Zealand such as hedgehogs[12] and stoats.[13]
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