pallidoplectron
 

 

 

Pallidoplectron sp. male ©Steve Trewick

 

1cm scale bar

Pallidoplectron are small to medium sized tokoriro that tend to have relatively long legs (i.e. high leg to body length ratio). This is most apparent in adults, and males in particular have very long hind legs, but less so in juveniles and females (of at least some species). One species is comparitively well known because it occupies large caves in the Waitomo (North Island) area, along with another cave dwelling species Pachyrhamma waitomoensis. Other described species are reported from cave systems, but recent collecting shows that this genus also exists among the forest fauna of North Island, at least.

Pallidoplectron turneri Richards 1958
Body length:  Up to 18 mm. Av.16 mm.      Ovipositor: 0.8 x body length = 9.8mm. Antennae: 8.7 – 9.2 x body length = 140 -147 mm. “all segments thickly clothed with golden setae”
Leg: body ratio
Fore:  2.2 : 1    =  35 mm.
Mid:   2 : 1      =  32 mm.
Hind: 3.4 : 1    =   54 mm.
Locality: Waitomo Caves near Te Kuiti.
Pallidoplectron turneri penetrates deeper into the caves than Pachyrhamma waitomoensis that is found in the same cave system. Eggs are laid in deep mud low down on the cave wall in the Grotto of Waitomo Caves.

 

Pallidoplectron peniculosum Richards, 1960
Body length: Male:   15 mm. Female: 16 mm          
Ovipositor: 0.7 x body length =11.2 mm.
Antennae:      7 x body length = 105 mm.                 96 mm.
Leg: body ratio
Fore:        1.6 : 1             = 24 mm.           25.6 mm.        
Mid:         1.6 : 1             = 24 mm.           25.6 mm.
Hind:        2.8 : 1             = 42 mm.          44.8 mm.
Locality:  Waipu caves (limestone), south west of Whangarei
Notes: “Pallidoplectron peniculosum resembles P. turneri Richards, but differs from it in; greater number of linear spines on hind femora, shape of Suranal plate of male, shape of subgenital plate of male”

 

Pallidoplectron subterraneum Richards, 1965
Locality:  Matira, west of Huntley: Pine Bluff Cave, Gaskell's Drum Cave. Onewhero: Keals Cave,

 

References:

  • Reference:     Richards. A.M. 1958. Revision of the  Rhaphidophoridae (Orthoptera) of New Zealand. Part III The Genera Pachyrhamma Brunner and Pallidoplectron n.g. Tranactions of the Royal Society of New Zealand 85: 695-706.
  • Richards. A.M. 1961. The Life History of some species of Rhaphidophoridae (Orthoptera).  Transactions of the Royal Society of New Zealand 1: 121-137
  • Richards A.M. 1960.  Revision of the Rhaphidophoridae (Orthoptera) of N.Z. Part VII The Rhaphidophoridae of the Waipu Caves. Transactions of the Royal Society of New Zealand. 88: 259 - 264
  • Richards A.M. 1965. Revision of the Rhaphidophoridae (Orthoptera) of New Zealand Part 12 - A new species of Pallidoplectron Richards. Transactions of the Royal Society of New Zealand, Zoology 7:135-139