An Australian raspy cricket established in New Zealand, Pterapotrechus salomonoides (Orthoptera, Gryllacrididae), with notes on ecology and first description of the male
Danilo Hegg
The Australian genus Pterapotrechus Karny, 1937 (Orthoptera, Gryllacrididae) currently includes three species: Pterapotrechus beta (Griffini, 1909) and P. longicornis (Tepper, 1892) from Australia’s Northern Territory, and P. salomonoides (Karny, 1929) from Southern Queensland. All three species were described from one adult female only, with the male being unknown in each case. None of the three species has been revised since their original descriptions. When a winged raspy cricket was first detected in New Zealand in 1990, it was attributed to the genus Pterapotrechus as an undescribed species. In this paper, the species P. salomonoides is identified based on the original description and on the examination of the holotype. The species is redescribed in detail, and the male is described for the first time. Comparison of morphology and DNA from fresh specimens collected at the type locality confirm that P. salomonoides is the species established in New Zealand. The expansion of the species’ geographic range in New Zealand, aspects of its ecology, and possible impact on native ecosystems are discussed. Pterapotrechus beta is synonymized with P. longicornis after comparison of the holotypes.
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