Hemiandrus sterope, the lightning wētā, is a species of Hemiandrus. It is a medium-sized ground wētā, and was discovered in the Marlborough Sounds alongside three other wētā species, published in 2020. The name 'lightning' comes from one of the Pleiades sisters.[1][2]

Hemiandrus sterope
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Orthoptera
Suborder: Ensifera
Family: Anostostomatidae
Genus: Hemiandrus
Species:
H. sterope
Binomial name
Hemiandrus sterope
Trewick, Taylor-Smith & Morgan-Richards 2020

Behaviour

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The male lightning wētā beats its abdomen against a leaf or other structures. It is believed that it is used as a form of communication by creating vibrations that other wētā can listen to.[1][2]

References

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  1. ^ a b Angeloni, Alice (2020-08-26). "New species of 'lightning' Weta discovered in Marlborough Sounds". Stuff. Retrieved 2023-09-12.
  2. ^ a b Trewick, Steven A.; Taylor-Smith, Briar; Morgan-Richards, Mary (2020-08-04). "Ecology and systematics of the wine wētā and allied species, with description of four new Hemiandrus species". New Zealand Journal of Zoology. 48 (1): 47–80. doi:10.1080/03014223.2020.1790396. ISSN 0301-4223. S2CID 225429887.