Integrative taxonomic revision of the Australian cave cricket Speleotettix Chopard, 1944 (Orthoptera: Rhaphidophoridae): New species, distribution and conservation implications

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dc.contributor.authorBeasley‐Hall, P.G.
dc.contributor.authorTrewick, S.A.
dc.contributor.authorHedges, B.A.
dc.contributor.authorCooper, S.J.B.
dc.contributor.authorReed, E.H.
dc.contributor.authorAustin, A.D.
dc.date.issued2025
dc.description.abstractCave crickets, also called wētā, are an important component of subterranean realms globally, but the true diversity of the group is poorly known. Speleotettix Chopard, 1944 contains two species from southeast Australia, Speleotettix tindalei Chopard, 1944 and Speleotettix chopardi (Karny, 1935). However, the initial description of the genus was poorly characterised, and its taxonomy has remained unclear since. Here, we take an integrative molecular and morphological approach to redescribe Speleotettix and describe three new species: Speleotettix aolae Beasley-Hall, sp. nov. from Victoria and Speleotettix binoomea Beasley-Hall, sp. nov. from New South Wales, both found in limestone caves, and Speleotettix palaga Beasley-Hall, sp. nov. from mineshafts in Victoria. To provide consistency in future work on the group, we also redescribe S. tindalei and treat S. chopardi as a nomen dubium. Finally, we transfer the threatened species Cavernotettix craggiensis Richards, 1974, an island species from Tasmania’s Bass Strait, into the genus as Speleotettix craggiensis (Richards, 1974) comb. nov. In so doing, we increase the number of described rhaphidophorid species in Australia to 27 and significantly expand the distribution of Speleotettix, making it the most widespread of the Australian genera currently known. As all members of Speleotettix are short-range endemics at risk of decline, these findings have implications for their future conservation management.
dc.description.statementofresponsibilityPerry G. Beasley-Hall, Steven A. Trewick, Brock A. Hedges, Steven J. B. Cooper, Elizabeth H. Reed, Andrew D. Austin
dc.identifier.citationAustral Entomology, 2025; 64(3):e70011-e70011
dc.identifier.doi10.1111/aen.70011
dc.identifier.issn2052-174X
dc.identifier.issn2052-1758
dc.identifier.orcidCooper, S.J.B. [0000-0002-7843-8438]
dc.identifier.orcidReed, E.H. [0000-0001-6103-1861]
dc.identifier.orcidAustin, A.D. [0000-0002-9602-2276]
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/2440/147015
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherWiley
dc.rights© 2025 The Author(s). Austral Entomology published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Australian Entomological Society. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited and is not used for commercial purposes.
dc.source.urihttps://doi.org/10.1111/aen.70011
dc.subjectMacropathinae; weta
dc.titleIntegrative taxonomic revision of the Australian cave cricket Speleotettix Chopard, 1944 (Orthoptera: Rhaphidophoridae): New species, distribution and conservation implications
dc.typeJournal article
pubs.publication-statusPublished online

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