Rothisilphini, Djernæs & Murienne, 2022

Djernaes, Marie & Murienne, Jerome, 2022, Phylogeny of Blattoidea (Dictyoptera: Blattodea) with a revised classification of Blattidae, Arthropod Systematics & amp; Phylogeny 80, pp. 209-228 : 209

4.6.5.3. Rothisilphini trib. nov.

Type-genus.

Rothisilpha Grandcolas, 1997.

Diagnosis.

12S: occurrence of an ATTAATT motive immediately prior to the position of primer SR-N-14594 ( Kambhampati and Smith 1995), a primer often used as the reverse 12S primer in molecular studies of cockroaches. COI barcode fragment: position 578 is a C and position 580 is a T or C.

In all our analyses we found a strongly supported clade (pp = 100, bs 90-100) consisting of a number of genera endemic to New Caledonia: Rothisilpha , Punctulonicus , Pellucidionicus , Pallidionicus and Angustonicus ; all described by Grandcolas (1997). This is consistent with the results of Legendre et al. (2015) and Evangelista et al. (2018), although Punctulonicus and Pellucidionicus were not included in these studies. Previously described species included in these New Caledonian genera were formerly placed in Polyzosteriinae ( Princis 1966, in Melanozosteria ). Grandcolas (1997) placed the New Caledonian genera in Tryonicinae sensu Grandcolas (1997) together with Methana , Drymaplaneta , Scabina , Temnelytra (see section 4.6.5.2.), Lauraesilpha and Tryonicus (see section 4.4.). Beccaloni (2014) and Djernæs (2018) returned the New Caledonian genera to Polyzosteriinae based on suggestions by Murienne (2009) and Legendre et al’s. (2015) results.

Our results as well as those of Legendre et al. (2015) and Evangelista et al. (2018) support placing Rothisilpha , Punctulonicus , Pellucidionicus , Pallidionicus and Angustonicus as a monophyletic group within Polyzosteriinae . Our analyses placed this group as sister to Polyzosteriini consistent with Evangelista et al. (2018), while Legendre et al. (2015) placed it as sister to Methanini . As this group of New Caledonian genera cannot be clearly placed within any of the existing subgroups of Polyzosteriinae , we classify it as a separate tribe, Rothisilphini .

In addition to Rothisilphini , nine native species of Blattidae are found in New Caledonia, currently placed in the genera Celatoblatta , Maoriblatta , Melanozosteria , Platyzosteria and Polyzosteria , all of the species endemic, except the two Melanozosteria ( Beccaloni 2014). These species most likely all belong in Polyzosteriinae , although Princis (1971, 1974) placed four of these species in Blattinae , in the genera Celatoblatta and Maoriblatta . However, in this paper we have assigned these genera to Polyzosteriinae (see sections 4.6.5.1., 4.6.5.2., and 4.6.5.4.). Furthermore, prior to Princis’ placement of these species, they were placed in genera now included in Polyzosteriinae [ Polyzosteria , Platyzosteria and Cutilia (as junior synonym of Melanozosteria )]. Of these additional New Caledonian blattids, this study included the widespread Melanozosteria nitida and Melanozosteria soror , firmly placed in Polyzosteriini . Whether the remaining seven species should be included in Rothisilphini , or represent additional dispersal(s) from Australia (or possibly New Zealand if Princis’ placement of four species in Celatoblatta and Maoriblatta is correct), will have to await further studies.