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 
| |
| 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
editThe 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
edit- ^ a b Angeloni, Alice (2020-08-26). "New species of 'lightning' Weta discovered in Marlborough Sounds". Stuff. Retrieved 2023-09-12.
- ^ 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.