Diversification of New Zealand weta (Orthoptera: Ensifera: Anostostomatidae) and their relationships in Australasia

Diversification of New Zealand weta (Orthoptera: Ensifera: Anostostomatidae) and their relationships in Australasia.

New Zealand taxa from the Orthopteran family Anostostomatidae have been shown to consist of three broad groups, Hemiandrus (ground weta), Anisoura/Motuweta (tusked weta) and Hemideina-Deinacrida (tree-giant weta). The family is also present in Australia and New Caledonia, the nearest large land masses to New Zealand. All genera are endemic to their respective countries except Hemiandrus that oc...

Mark-recapture study of mountain stone weta Hemideina maori (Orthoptera: Anostostomatidae) on rock tor ‘islands’

little is known about survival, longevity, dispersal, and social organisation of tree weta in the wild (Trewick and Morgan-Richards, 1995). Their relatively large size for an insect allows tree weta to be easily tagged. This, plus their flightlessness, potentially makes them ideal species for mark-recapture studies. The mountain stone weta, Hemideina maori (Pictet and Saussure), is unusual for ...

Distribution and conservation status of ground weta, Hemiandrus species (Orthoptera: Anostostomatidae)

Positive selection and comparative molecular evolution of reproductive proteins from New Zealand tree weta (Orthoptera, Hemideina)

Animal reproductive proteins, especially those in the seminal fluid, have been shown to have higher levels of divergence than non-reproductive proteins and are often evolving adaptively. Seminal fluid proteins have been implicated in the formation of reproductive barriers between diverging lineages, and hence represent interesting candidates underlying speciation. RNA-seq was used to generate t...

Does melanism influence the diet of the mountain stone weta <I>Hemideina maori</I> (Orthoptera: Anostostomatidae)?

Melanic and non-melanic mountain stone weta Hemideina maori (Orthoptera: Anostostomatidae) from the Rock and Pillar Range exhibit differential rates of melanotic encapsulation, a response to the presence of pathogens within the body. Because pathogens normally enter the body via food contamination, we hypothesised that dietary differences between the colour morphs might exist. We used faecal pe...