Parvotettix is an extant[1] genus of cave cricket[2] from the order Orthoptera in the family Rhaphidophoridae, endemic to Tasmania, Australia.[3][1] The genus was established in 1968 by Aola Richards and contains six species she described.[4] Parvotettix is a sister group to the subfamily Macropathinae, forming a paraphyletic Australian grouping.[1]
| Parvotettix | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Orthoptera |
| Suborder: | Ensifera |
| Family: | Rhaphidophoridae |
| Subfamily: | Macropathinae |
| Tribe: | Macropathini |
| Genus: | Parvotettix Richards, 1968 |
Habitat edit
Parvotettix occupy epigean, subterranean habitats.[5] Parvotettix were initially discovered in limestone caves.[3] Various species within the genus Parvotettix inhabit environmental structures such as mine adits, large rock crevices, tree logs, caves, burrows created by other animals and within houses.[5] Parvotettix thrive in dark, moist environments in colder temperatures[5][3] at sea level.[2]
There is no threatening conservation risk associated with Parvotettix.[6] Environmental factors that increase vulnerability for Parvotettix include predation by rodents that are introduced to the area, interspecific competition, climate change impacts and illegal capture by humans.[6]
Geographical origin edit
The lineage Parvotettix is sister to all cave cricket species in the Southern Hemisphere,[1] suggesting dispersal from Tasmania around the globe.[7] None of the Macropathinae have wings so their distribution has been suggested to date to Gondwana breakup.[7][1] The six species of Parvotettix are not closely related to other Australian genera in Tasmania (e.g. Micropathus) or genera in south-eastern mainland (e.g. Novotettix).[2][1] The dispersal of Parvotettix from or to Tasmania may have been facilitated by a land bridge which connected the areas of Wilson's Promontory, Victoria and Flinders Island, Tasmania in the Pleistocene period until approximately 10,000 to 15,000 years ago.[2] Species of Parvotettix have been observed on Cape Barren Island and Flinders Island.[2] Relationships among the six Parvotettix species might be explained by geographic isolation and connection as during the Pleistocene era the Furneaux Islands and north-eastern Tasmania were joint together,[2] and 1,500 years after the linkage between Wilson's Promontory and Flinders Island, a land bridge formed joining Flinders Island and Tasmania.[2]
Morphology edit
Parvotettix are wingless,[1] have short setae covering the body surface, long thin legs with apical spines and long antennae that narrows near the tip.[8] Parvotettix have a segmented body where from segment four, the length of each segment is approximately the same whilst segments become reduced in size.[8] Maxillary palps with the third and fourth segments being of approximate length to each other.[8] They also possess coxa and a spine.[8]
Species edit
References edit
- ^ a b c d e f g Beasley-Hall, Perry G.; Tierney, Simon M.; Weinstein, Phillip; Austin, Andrew D. (September 2018). "A revised phylogeny of macropathine cave crickets (Orthoptera: Rhaphidophoridae) uncovers a paraphyletic Australian fauna". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 126: 153–161. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2018.04.024. PMID 29678644. S2CID 5021183.
- ^ a b c d e f g Richards, Aola (December 1972). "The distribution and possible origins of Tasmanian cave crickets" (PDF). In Proceedings 8th National Conference, Australian Speleological Federation: 85–87.
- ^ a b c Richards, Aola (5 December 1971). "The Rhaphidophoridae (Orthoptera) of Australia. Part 9. The distribution and possible origins of Tasmanian Rhaphidophoridae, with descriptions of two new species" (PDF). Pacific Insects. 13 (3–4): 575–587.
- ^ a b c d e f g "genus Parvotettix Richards, 1968: Orthoptera Species File". orthoptera.speciesfile.org. Retrieved 2023-08-28.
- ^ a b c Richards, Aola (20 August 1974). "The Rhaphidophoridae (Orthoptera) of Australia. Part II. New species from the Bass Strait islands and Tasmania" (PDF). Pacific Insects. 16: 245–260.
- ^ a b "Cave Cricket - Threatened Species Link". www.threatenedspecieslink.tas.gov.au. Retrieved 2023-09-01.
- ^ a b Allegrucci, Giuliana; Sbordoni, Valerio (2019). "Insights into the molecular phylogeny of Rhaphidophoridae, an ancient, worldwide lineage of Orthoptera". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 138: 126–138. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2019.05.032. ISSN 1055-7903. PMID 31132518. S2CID 167220487.
- ^ a b c d Richards, Aola (10 May 1968). "The Rhaphidophoridae (Orthoptera) of Australia, part 6: two new species from Northern Tasmania" (PDF). Pacific Insects. 10 (1): 168.