Occultastella Trewick gen. nov., 2024

Trewick, Steven A., 2024, Two new genera of tokoriro (Orthoptera: Rhaphidophoridae: Macropathinae) from Aotearoa New Zealand, Zootaxa 5481 (5), pp. 531-546 : 542

Occultastella Trewick gen. nov.

( Figures 3 , 10–12 )

Diagnosis: A small, dark, delicate tokoriro with slim body and fine legs. Distinctive, contrasting, pale, flame-shaped markings on pronotum.

Etymology: Latin Occulta: concealed, in recognition of the cryptic habits of this animal that allowed it to remain undocumented. Latin stella: star, in reference to the distinctive pale, flame-shaped markings in the dorsal surface of the head. Hidden star.

Figures

FIGURE 3. New species of Macropathinae from New Zealand. a) Crux boudica sp. nov., male, Rakiura (D. Hegg). b) Crux boudica sp. nov., female, Skippers Range (D. Hegg). c) Crux heggi sp. nov., male, Paparoa Range (D. Hegg). d) Crux heggi sp. nov., female, Saxon River (D. Hegg). e) Occultastella morgana sp. nov., male, Buller River (T. Jewell). f) Occultastella morgana sp. nov., female, Cobb Valley (A. McDonald).

FIGURE 10. Occultastella morgana sp. nov. Male holotype legs. a) Fore leg and b) mid leg showing linear spines on tibiae (pink arrows) and apical spines on femora (blue arrows). c) Whole animal with disarticulated hind leg at same scale. d) Hind leg with detail of first tarsus.

FIGURE 11. Occultastella morgana sp. nov. Male holotype. Terminalia. a–c) Oblique dorsal, lateral and ventral views showing cerci, styli and modified 10th tergite. d) Ventral detail of subgenital plate (SGP) with tufted projection (green ellipse in c also).

FIGURE 12. Occultastella morgana sp. nov. Female. Whole body, lateral view of ovipositor and ventral view of last sternite and subgenital plate (SGP) (blue ellipse).