Cattaniaria Rentz & Su 2025, gen. nov.
Cattaniaria Rentz, & Su, gen. nov. Type species: Cattaniaria tripartita Rentz and Su sp nov., here designated. Cattaniaria Rentz, & Su, gen. nov. is known from a single small species from several localities in the dry woodlands and Tablelands of north Queensland (Map 1). This common, small, black cockroach (Fig. 10 Aa) resembles some species of Johnrehnia but is distinctive from that genus in that males have an asymmetrical subgenital plate with a single, tripartite style positioned in the middle (Figs 6A, 10 Ac). The cockroaches frequently are attracted to the light sheet along with the very similarly appearing Johnrehnia concisa Roth and Parasigmoidella atypicalis Roth. Careful examination of the genitalia easily reveals the respective species. Fig. 10 distinguishes the species. Differential Diagnosis. Overall colour dark brown to black (Fig. 10 Aa), frons black, the lateral ocelli large and contrasting (Fig. 6C); antenna with scape and pedicel light brown, contrasting with flagellum (Fig. 10 Aa); flagellum black, densely setose. Pronotum mostly black, lateral margins whitish; central portion with lateral angles extending to margin of disk. Male tenth tergite (Fig. 6B), bearing a tripartite style (Fig. 10 Ac). The concealed genitalia are complex (Fig. 6B). Females are robust and fully winged, capable of flight, the tegmina extending well beyond the apex of the abdomen. Both sexes are mostly black with the pronotum with a large central black blotch, the outer posterior margins of which extend to the edge of the pronotum (Fig. 10 Aa). Female abdomen with tenth tergite notched in the middle; subgenital plate feebly produced in the middle (Fig. 6D). Description. Male/female. Size small to medium for Blattellinae, form slender. Overall colour black, frons black, the antennal sockets white in fresh specimens (Fig. 6C), lateral ocelli large, light coloured; occiput black, somewhat lighter on some specimens; antenna with scape, pedicel and flagellum dark brown to black (Fig. 10 Aa), annulate. Pronotum mostly black, central area with a distinctive blotch margined by faint frosty white (Fig. 10 Ab). Legs light straw brown, hind coxa with a narrow faint dark brown stripe on outer margin. Abdomen straw brown, dorsally, ventral surface with a broad stripe on each side; cerci uniformly dark brown. Male tenth tergite (Fig. 6A), subgenital plate bearing a tripartite style (Fig. 10 Ac), concealed genitalia (Fig. 6B). Etymology. Named in apposition after the Cattana Wetlands, Smithfield, Queensland, one of several localities inhabited by the species; female gender.
Institutions
- Australian National Insect Collection (AU)
- James Cook University (AU)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
- Published
- 2025-09-23
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17323256
- Primary Topic
- Cardiovascular Function and Risk Factors
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00