Novotettix Explained

Novotettix is a monotypic genus of cave cricket/wētā in the family Rhaphidophoridae^[1] endemic to south-east Australia.

Taxonomy

The genus Novotettix was first described by Aola M. Richards in 1966.^[2] The genus is closely related to the Tasmanian genus Micropathus.

Morphology

Novotettix naracootensis is adapted to living in caves. It is wingless^[3] and can reach up to in length. It lacks auditory tympanal organs and does not make noise with its hind legs.^[4] It is brown in colour, making it inconspicuous in dark caves.^[5] Additionally, it has long antennae that extend up to five times the length of the body.^[6]

This genus exhibits sexual dimorphism, with females being larger than males. However, males have longer antennae than females.

Diet

Novotettix naracootensis is an opportunistic feeder, foraging on a variety of vegetation, fungi and invertebrates, as well as on vertebrate carcasses. It has also been observed exhibiting cannibalism, with adults consuming both juveniles and deceased individuals.

Distribution

This genus is restricted to low-elevation limestone caves in the south-east of Southern Australia in the region of Naracoorte.^[7] Populations can co-occur with bats but numbers are lower where forest has been removed around cave entrances and/or where there is high human activity.

Behaviour

Novotettix is a nocturnal subtroglophile.^[8] It exhibits a bimodal locomotor rhythm,^[9] being most active around one hour after sunset. During the evening these cave crickets move down from the roof and walls of the caves to feed on the floor and at the cave entrance. Eggs are laid in the roof of the cave.

Notes and References

1. Richards . A. M. . 1966 . The Rhaphidophoridae (Orthoptera) of Australia: A New Genus from South Australia . Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales . 91 . 2 . 109–111.
2. Simms . R. . Lawrence . R. . 1995 . Research on the Camel Cricket NOVOTETTIX naracoortensis (Richards) (ORTHOPTERA: RHAPHIDOPHORIDAE) in the Naracoorte Karst System . Proceedings of the 20th Conference of the ASF . 39–48.
3. Book: Grant, E. A. . An illustrated guide to some New Zealand insect families . Manaaki Whenua Press . 1999 . 0-478-09326-8 . 36–37.
4. Web site: Williams . P. . 2007 . Cave wētā . Te Ara Encyclopedia of New Zealand.
5. Richards . A. M. . 1968 . The Cavernicolous Status of Some Species of Macropathinae (Orthoptera: Rhaphidophoridae) . Australian Journal of Entomology . 7 . 2 . 87–89. 10.1111/j.1440-6055.1968.tb00710.x .
6. Book: Crowe, A. . Which New Zealand Insect? . Penguin Books . 2002 . 978-0-14-100636-9 . 96–99.
7. Beasley-Hall . P. G. . Tierney . S. M. . Weinstein . P. . Austin . A. D. . 2018 . A revised phylogeny of marcopathine cave crickets (Orthoptera: Rhaphidophoridae) uncovers a paraphyletic Australian fauna . Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution . 126 . 153–161. 10.1016/j.ympev.2018.04.024 . 29678644 . 2018MolPE.126..153B . 5021183 .
8. Book: Taylor, S. J. . Encyclopedia of Caves . Academic Press . 2019 . 978-0-12-814124-3 . 3rd . 779–783.
9. Richards . A. M. . 1965 . The effect of weather on Rhaphidophoridae in New Zealand and Australia . Annales de spéléologie . 20 . 3 . 391–400.