Parectoneura Roth 1990

Parectoneura Roth Parectoneura Roth, 1990: 652. Type species: Parectoneura bivittata Roth original designation. Parectoneura was described by Roth for a single species, Parectoneura bivittata, of tiny cockroach that superficially resembles Ectoneura Shelford 1907 based on the presence of pronotal bands that continue along the full length of the tegmina (Figs 2A, B). In addition, P. bivittata was said to have Type B 2 spinal arrangement on the anterior margin of the ventral surface of the fore femur. In Ectoneura the ventral surface of the fore femur is essentially unarmed. The “apical triangle” of the hind wing is “curled or rolled” at rest (Fig. 2B). This peculiarity is not restricted to Parectoneura. Several other genera from Australia as well as other continents have this odd characteristic. Interestingly, our new species only shows the slightest trace of having the apical margin of the hind wings curled. There is a gland on the male’s seventh abdominal tergite indicated by a sparse patch of elongate hairs in both Parectoneura species (Fig. 3F). The type species, P. bivittata Roth, was stated by Roth as having an “almost symmetrical male subgenital plate bearing a single minute style”. P. queenslandica Rentz & Su, sp. nov. males have a distinctly asymmetrical male subgenital plate with a pair of minute styles (Fig. 3E). Roth (1990; 661) discussed the subfamilial placement of Parectoneura and its relatives. He noted two characters that help to place the genus in its proper subfamily as follows. If the placement of the genital hook is on the righthand side and the females rotate the ootheca on oviposition, the taxon is in the Pseudophyllodromiinae. But if only one of these attributes is known, then the taxon can be left in the Blattellinae until both of these attributes is known. In the new species, P. queenslandica Rentz & Su, sp. nov., the rotation of the ootheca is unknown. Therefore, we place this taxon tentatively in the Blattellinae until the issue is resolved. Generic redescription. Sexes similar (Figs 3A, H). Tegmina and wings fully developed in both sexes, although not surpassing the tip of the abdomen in females; tegmina with distinctive venation, the branches of the median and cubitus veins longitudinal (Figs 2B, 3C, K). Hind wing at rest fold along the plical area and distinctly rolled and curled in a tight spiral in P. bivittata and only faintly rolled in P. queenslandica Rentz & Su, sp. nov.; discoidal vein straight, unbranched, median and cubitus veins curved (Fig. 2B), former simple, latter with a complete branch. Ventral surface of fore femur on anterior margin with 3 large spines followed by a series of much smaller spines (Fig. 3I); tarsal claws symmetrical. Ventral margin of middle and hind femora armed with some large spines. Male seventh abdominal tergite feebly specialised; subgenital plate (Fig. 3E) sub-symmetrical, with a pair of minute styles (P. bivittata) or usually one major style.