Weta
| Weta | ||||||||||
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| Systematics | ||||||||||
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||
| Anostostomatidae | ||||||||||
| Saussure , 1859 |
The Weta (Anostostomatidae) are a majority on the southern hemisphere widespread family of Ensifera . Most species are native to Australia and New Zealand, for example Deinacrida mahoenui , others are found in New Caledonia, New Guinea, South Africa, Madagascar and Latin America. Their taxonomic classification is still largely unclear. The name Weta comes from Wetapunga , which means "god of ugly things" in the Maori language . The family is known from fossil finds dating back a long way.
features
The largest species occur in New Zealand: Individual members of this family can grow to around 90 mm. The Deinacrida heteracantha reaches a body mass of up to 71 grams. This makes it not only the heaviest long-feeler insect, but also one of the heaviest insects.
Other species can be found in South Africa , such as the species Libanasidus vittatus .
Systematics
The family Anostostomatidae is assigned an extinct subfamily as well as numerous recent tribe, subfamilies and genera.
- Family Anostostomatidae Saussure, 1859 (synonyms: Henicidae Karny, Mimnermidae Wattenwyl )
- Subfamily Anabropsinae Rentz & Weissman, 1973
- Tribus Anabropsini Rentz & Weissman, 1973
- Tribe Brachyporini Gorochov, 2001
- Brevipenna Shi & Bian, 2016
- Subfamily Anostostomatinae Saussure, 1859 (synonyms: Henicinae Karny 1928, Mimnerminae Brunner von Wattenwyl 1888, Anostostomatini Saussure 1859, Anostostomii Saussure 1859, Henicini Karny 1928, Mimnermi Wattenwyl 1888)
- Anostostoma Gray, 1837
- Bochus Péringuey, 1916
- Borborothis Wattenwyl, 1888
- Carcinopsis Wattenwyl, 1888
- Gryllotaurus Karny, 1929
- Henicus Gray, 1837
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Libanasidus Péringuey, 1916
- Libanasidus vittatus Kirby, 1899
- Motuweta Johns, 1997
- Nasidius Stål, 1876
- Onosandridus Péringuey, 1916
- Onosandrus Stål, 1878
- Spizaphilus Kirby, 1906
- Subfamily Cratomelinae Wattenwyl, 1888 (synonyms: Cratomeli, Cratomelini)
- Cratomelus Blanchard, 1851
- Subfamily Deinacridinae Karny, 1932
- Deinacrida White, 1842
- Hemideina Walker, 1869
- Subfamily Euclydesinae † Martins-Neto, 2007
- Euclydes † Martins-Neto, 2007
- Subfamily Leiomelinae Gorochov, 2001
- Leiomelus Ander, 1936
- Subfamily Lutosinae Gorochov, 1988 (Synonym: Lutosini)
- Apotetamenus Wattenwyl, 1888
- Hydrolutos Issa & Jaffe, 1999
- Libanasa Walker, 1869
- Licodia Walker, 1869
- Lutosa Walker, 1869
- Neolutosa Gorochov, 2001
- Papuaistus Griffini, 1911
- Tribus Glaphyrosomatini Rentz & Weissman, 1973 (Synonym: Glaphyrosomini)
- Cnemotettix Caudell, 1916
- Glaphyrosoma Wattenwyl, 1888
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Aistus Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1888
- Aistus gracilis Wattenwyl, 1888
- Aistus rouxi Griffini, 1914
- Aistus sarasini Griffini, 1914
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Anisoura Ander, 1932
- Anisoura nicobarica Ander, 1932
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Coccinellomima Karny, 1932
- Coccinellomima shelfordi Karny, 1932
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Dolichochaeta Philippi, 1863
- Dolichochaeta longicornis Philippi, 1863
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Gryllacropsis Wattenwyl, 1888
- Gryllacropsis magniceps Walker, 1870
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Hemiandrus Ander, 1938 (Synonym: Zealandosandrus Salmon 1950)
- Hemiandrus anomalus Salmon, 1950
- Hemiandrus bilobatus Ander, 1938
- Hemiandrus brucei Taylor Smith, Trewick & Morgan-Richards, 2016
- Hemiandrus electra Taylor Smith, Morgan-Richards & Trewick, 2013
- Hemiandrus fiordensis Salmon, 1950
- Hemiandrus focalis Hutton, 1896
- Hemiandrus lanceolatus Walker, 1869
- Hemiandrus luna Taylor Smith, Trewick & Morgan-Richards, 2016
- Hemiandrus maculifrons Walker, 1869
- Hemiandrus maia Taylor Smith, Morgan-Richards & Trewick, 2013
- Hemiandrus monstrosus Salmon, 1950
- Hemiandrus nitaweta Jewell, 2007
- Hemiandrus nox Taylor Smith, Trewick & Morgan-Richards, 2016
- Hemiandrus pallitarsis Walker, 1871
- Hemiandrus similis Ander, 1938
- Hemiandrus subantarcticus Salmon, 1950
- Hemiandrus superba Jewell, 2007
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Hypocophoides Karny, 1930
- Hypocophoides biforaminatus Griffini, 1914
- Hypocophoides indicus Bolívar, 1900
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Hypocophus Wattenwyl, 1888 (Synonym: Onogyne Karny 1932)
- Hypocophus bispinosus Chopard, 1952
- Hypocophus fortior Wattenwyl, 1888
- Hypocophus humilis Wattenwyl, 1888
- Hypocophus longicalcar Karny, 1932
- Hypocophus minusculus Chopard, 1958
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Leponosandrus Gorochov, 2001
- Leponosandrus lepismoides Walker, 1871
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Transaevum Johns, 1997
- Transaevum laudatum Johns, 1997
- Subfamily Anabropsinae Rentz & Weissman, 1973
Way of life
The individual species feed mainly predatory. They often show complex social behavior. Males mostly have various modifications of the head, which are used in fights with rivals. In addition to the most common form of communication, sound transmission over the air, various methods are used in some species to transmit vibrations over the ground.
The development of the animals usually takes a relatively long time. It can take up to 18 months before the larvae hatch from the eggs. In the one to three year development phase that follows, seven to ten larval stages are experienced. Adult animals can live for more than a year.
Weta as namesake
Filmmakers Peter Jackson and Richard Taylor deliberately gave the company for special effects Weta Workshop the namesake. She became known for her work on Jackson's film adaptation of the novel Lord of the Rings .
literature
- Elizabeth Pennisi: Saving the 'god of ugly things': New Zealand battles to bring back its rodent-sized insects. In: Science . 2017, doi : 10.1126 / science.aan6940 .
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b P. M. Johns: The Gondwanaland Weta: Family Anostostomatidae (formerly in Stenopelmatidae, Henicidae or Mimnermidae): Nomenclatural Problems, World Checklist, New Genera and Species. Journal of Orthoptera Research, Nov 6, 1997, pp. 125-138.
- ^ Corinne Watts, Ian Stringer, Greg Sherley, George Gibbs, Chris Green: History of weta (Orthoptera: Anostostomatidae) translocation in New Zealand: lessons learned, islands as sanctuaries and the future. Journal of Insect Conservation, 2008 12, pp. 359-370.
- ↑ Michael Hutchins, Arthur V. Evans, Rosser W. Garrison, Neil Schlager: Grzimek's Animal Life Encyclopedia , 2nd edition. Volume 3, Insects. Farmington Hills, MI: Gale Group, 2003, ISBN 0-7876-5779-4 .
- ↑ Family Anostostomatidae. In: Orthoptera.speciesfile.org. Retrieved May 15, 2017 .
- ↑ ( page no longer available , search in web archives )
Web links
- Family Anostostomatidae. In: Orthoptera.speciesfile.org. Retrieved May 15, 2017 .