''Neonetus'' is a genus of cave

wētā Wētā (also spelt weta) is the common name for a group of about 100 insect species in the families Anostostomatidae and Rhaphidophoridae endemic to New Zealand. They are giant flightless crickets, and some are among the heaviest insects in ...

in the

family Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...

Rhaphidophoridae The orthopteran family Rhaphidophoridae of the suborder Ensifera has a worldwide distribution. Common names for these insects include cave wētā, cave crickets, camelback crickets, camel crickets, Hogan bugs, spider crickets (sometimes shorten ...

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found else ...

to New Zealand. All described species are small; when adult, individuals are only about 1 cm long. ''Neonetus variegatus'' and ''N. huttoni'' are common in native and exotic forests but because they are small and nocturnal, they are often overlooked.

Taxonomy

The genus ''Neonetus'' was established by Brunner von Wattenwyl in 1888.

Biology

''Neonetus'' are active at night when they are vulnerable to becoming food for rats and kiwi.

Distribution

Current observational data suggests that ''Neonetus'' is restricted to the North Island of

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

Species

* '' Neonetus huttoni'' Chopard, 1923 * '' Neonetus pilosus'' (Hutton, 1904) * '' Talitropsis/Neonetus poduroides'' (Walker, 1869) * '' Neonetus variegatus'' Brunner, 1888

References

Peripatus
{{DEFAULTSORT:Neonetus Ensifera genera Cave weta