Science & Nature (251)

Fauna of New Zealand 62 : Trechini

ISBN: 9780478347159

Author: J Ian Townsend    Publisher: Manaaki Whenua Press

Trechini beetles



Trechini are small- to medium-sized ground beetles that require high humidity. Almost half the known New Zealand trech...


Trechini beetles



Trechini are small- to medium-sized ground beetles that require high humidity. Almost half the known New Zealand trechine species are found in caves, which provide an environment close to 100% humidity, and these are highly modified for an underground life. Insects that are restricted to caves have had an interesting history as they have had to cope with major geological changes to the landscape over the last few million years. Surface-dwelling species also require high humidity and are usually found along streamsides or in beach gravel below the high water mark.



There are about 2500 species in the tribe Trechini worldwide. Currently there are 33 species of trechines known from New Zealand, all of which are endemic except one. Amongst New Zealand’s relatively few species are some lineages that are apparently not present in Australia, Tasmania, or South America, giving rise to some interesting biogeographic questions.



Although the number of New Zealand’s trechine species is small on a world scale, they are a special part of our biota because they are one of our most diverse groups of cave insects, they occupy unusual habitats, and they show extreme adaptations to the hostile environments in which they live.



In this Fauna New Zealand Carabidae of the tribe Trechini are revised and relationships to the world fauna are discussed. Their survival during changing geological episodes is discussed.


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Pages: 101


Publication Date: 04-03-2014


$49.50
How to put Nature into our Neighbourhoods

ISBN: 9780478093971

Author: Maria Ignatieva    Publisher: Manaaki Whenua Press

Low Impact Urban Design and Development (LIUDD) is a sustainable living concept. Urban sustainability and health are achieved through effective management of st...


Low Impact Urban Design and Development (LIUDD) is a sustainable living concept. Urban sustainability and health are achieved through effective management of stormwater, waste, energy, transport and ecosystem services. The greening of cities by planting ecologically with local species is also a vital part of the overall well-being of ecosystems and citizens. Biodiversity or nature heritage contributes to enduring sense of place or identity - a key element of nationhood.



This manual is for the town dweller, developer, landscape designer and planner - and provides practical applications from nearly a decade of LIUDD research across New Zealand. It summarises and links to information regarding the physical and built environment, but its focal point is nature heritage and overcoming attrition and critical loss.


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Pages: 52


Publication Date: 04-03-2014


$34.99
Fauna of New Zealand 59 : Erotylinae

ISBN: 9780478093919

Author: Paul Skelly    Publisher: Manaaki Whenua Press

Erotylinae are also known commonly as the ‘pleasing fungus beetles’ for their often striking colours, though these do not occur in New Zealand species. The ...


Erotylinae are also known commonly as the ‘pleasing fungus beetles’ for their often striking colours, though these do not occur in New Zealand species. The 8 New Zealand erotyline species comprise a relatively small group, considering that nearby Australia has 50 species.



Erotylinae are represented in New Zealand by two genera, one of which is endemic. Various authors have described erotyline species, or created lists for them, but none has attempted to evaluate these taxa and update their taxonomy.



In Fauna of New Zealand 47, Rich Leschen restructured the family Erotylidae to include the family Languriidae, and examined the status of the higher taxa based on a cladistic analysis of adult characters. He also reviewed the New Zealand species that would have been included in the former family Languriidae. The purpose of this paper is to complement Leschen’s review of New Zealand’s Erotylidae by covering the species of subfamily Erotylinae.



In this Fauna, the fungus-feeding Erotylinae fauna of New Zealand are revised and a key to the adults and illustrations of key characters for all species are presented.


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Pages: 60


Publication Date: 04-03-2014


$30.00
Fauna of New Zealand 58 : Alysiinae

ISBN: 9780478093902

Author: Jocelyn Berry    Publisher: Manaaki Whenua Press

Alysiines are small braconid wasps that occur throughout the world. The subfamily is quite distinctive, and can be recognised by their large, outwardly-directed...


Alysiines are small braconid wasps that occur throughout the world. The subfamily is quite distinctive, and can be recognised by their large, outwardly-directed and non-over-lapping mandibles, which they use to escape from the puparium (cocoon) of their host.



All alysiines are endoparasitoids (internal parasitoids) of flies. The adult female lays her eggs into the egg or larva of the host fly, and her progeny emerge from the host puparium. Alysiines can play an important role in the regulation of pest insects, and one species has been deliberately introduced for the biological control of blowflies.



Twenty-one species of alysiines are recorded. Of these, 13 are new species and four are described species from other countries that have not previously been recorded from New Zealand. About three-quarters of the species are endemic, that is, known from nowhere else in the world.



Each species treatment includes a full synonymy or reference to a full synonymy, a regional bibliography, a diagnosis, list of material examined, collection localities, list of known hosts and bionomics. Appendices include host-parasitoid and parasitoid-host lists for New Zealand records, maps of collection localities, and details of all non-type material examined in this study


Publication Date: 04-03-2014


$45.00
Fauna of New Zealand 56 : Tyrophagus

ISBN: 9780478093865

Author: Qing-Hai Fan    Publisher: Manaaki Whenua Press

The genus Tyrophagus comprises a group of primarily fungivorous mites, including the mould mites, commonly found in stored food products and decaying organic ma...


The genus Tyrophagus comprises a group of primarily fungivorous mites, including the mould mites, commonly found in stored food products and decaying organic matter. They are also associates of various insects, or inhabitants of vertebrate nests. They are the most abundant and economically important mites inhabiting stored food and products. Some Tyrophagus species are also facultatively phytophagous and can cause economic damage to plants, including both ornamental flowers and vegetables grown in greenhouses.



Tyrophagus belongs to the supraorder Acariformes, order Astigmata, family Acaridae. Currently, it comprises about 35 species and is worldwide in distribution. In this contribution species of the genus Tyrophagus present in New Zealand are comprehensively revised, along with species found in Australia and other Oceanian countries. Ten species, including two new species, are described and illustrated from New Zealand.



Identification keys to adult males and females are given, along with taxonomic references, hosts/habitats and distribution data of each species. This will help identification and facilitate requests for rapid quarantine decisions from trading partners.


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Pages: 291


Publication Date: 04-03-2014


$80.00
Fauna of New Zealand 55 : Criconematina

ISBN: 9780478093810

Author: W M Wouts    Publisher: Manaaki Whenua Press

Criconematina nematodes



Criconematina are nematodes, or unsegmented roundworms, belonging to the group Tylenchida. Tylenchids are plant...


Criconematina nematodes



Criconematina are nematodes, or unsegmented roundworms, belonging to the group Tylenchida. Tylenchids are plant parasitic nematodes with a hardened mouth piece which they use to puncture plant cells, and many tylenchids cause damage to agricultural crops. This is especially true in monocultures where their population numbers can build up to high levels when favoured crops are replanted in quick succession.



Criconematina are microscopic and transparent nematodes, generally feeding on tree roots. Their damage is restricted to commercial orchards planted with infested plant material or replanted in infested soil. In their native habitat they generally cause no damage.



There are 68 species of criconematids known to be present in New Zealand, and 47 of these are endemic. This fauna covers all 68 species, 16 of which are new to science, and includes detailed descriptions for the female of each species, including morphometrics and illustrations, supplemented by SEM micrographs of morphological details. Details of males and juveniles are given if available.



A diagnosis is presented to distinguish each species from other New Zealand species. Locations and plant species associations of each species are indicated and the significance of each species as a taxonomic unit is commented upon. Lists of nematode species present at various localities and associated with individual plant species are given in appendices, and keys to all taxa covered are provided.


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Pages: 232


Publication Date: 04-03-2014


$65.00
Fauna of New Zealand 53 : Harpalini

ISBN: 9780478093698

Author: A Larochelle    Publisher: Manaaki Whenua Press

Harpaline ground beetles



The tribe Harpalini belongs to the subfamily Harpalinae which contains over 19 000 taxa worldwide, distributed...


Harpaline ground beetles



The tribe Harpalini belongs to the subfamily Harpalinae which contains over 19 000 taxa worldwide, distributed in all biogeographic regions. Compared with larger or warmer regions of the world, the New Zealand fauna is relatively small, but NZ is a biodiversity ‘hot-spot’, with 42 out of 57 recorded species and 11 out of 20 recorded genera found nowhere else in the world.



Harpaline ground beetles are potentially useful as bioindicators and biocontrol agents, and make an attractive study group for biologists investigating evolutionary and ecological hypotheses. They are taxonomically diverse, generally abundant in the field,and demonstrate ecological preferences and a flexible set of responses to environmental factors. In addition their populations may be reliably sampled with relative ease. Over 50% of native species are known from 10 populations or fewer. All but one of these very special species are new to science and all are of potential conservation concern.



This faunal review is intended for a wide audience, and provides an inventory of New Zealand taxa, concise treatment of their taxonomy, identification keys, illustrations and maps, and a summary of all available information on species distribution, ecology, biology and dispersal power. As such it provides a solid foundation for studies of other types, and baseline information for systematists, identifiers, ecologists, and biosecurity and conservation managers.


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Pages: 160


Publication Date: 04-03-2014


$55.00
Fauna of New Zealand 50 : Heteroptera

ISBN: 9780478093582

Author: M-C Larivière    Publisher: Manaaki Whenua Press

There may be around 37 000 described species of Heteroptera or true bugs worldwide, and possibly another 25 000 species remaining to be described. The New Zeala...


There may be around 37 000 described species of Heteroptera or true bugs worldwide, and possibly another 25 000 species remaining to be described. The New Zealand fauna, currently comprising 29 families, 136 genera, and 305 species, may be relatively small compared with larger regions, but New Zealand is a biodiversity “hot spot” for true bugs, as 82% of its known species do not occur anywhere else in the world.



The New Zealand fauna of Heteroptera is mostly terrestrial, with about 20 species belonging to aquatic and semi aquatic families. It is relatively easy to recognise true bugs on the basis of three main characteristics, but they may be more difficult to identify at a species level. In addition, information on New Zealand true bugs accumulated over the last 150 years is not easily accessible, and until now no up-to-date catalogue has been published since 1977.



With this new catalogue the authors aim to provide specialist as well as non-specialist readers with a detailed overview of all available knowledge on the taxonomy, distribution, biology, and dispersal of New Zealand Heteroptera. The format of the catalogue has been developed with the interests of systematists and other biologists in mind to allow easy informational retrieval, comparison between genera and species, and synthesis of data.


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Pages: 330


Publication Date: 04-03-2014


$89.00
Fauna of New Zealand 64 : Pisauridae

ISBN: 9780478347227

Author: C Vink    Publisher: Manaaki Whenua Press

Nurseryweb spiders



Four closely related species of Pisauridae (nurseryweb spiders) are found in New Zealand; three on the mainland and ...


Nurseryweb spiders



Four closely related species of Pisauridae (nurseryweb spiders) are found in New Zealand; three on the mainland and one on the Chatham Islands. All species are endemic to New Zealand and are likely to be related to Australian species. The most common species is Dolomedes minor, found throughout New Zealand in scrubland, grassland, swamps and marshes. Dolomedes aquaticus is found in open riverbeds and stony lakeshores throughout the South Island and in the southern half of the North Island. A new species of Dolomedes is found in shaded riverbeds throughout the mainland. The Chatham Island species, Dolomedes schauinslandi, is nationally endangered due to its restricted range.



In this Fauna the genus Dolomedes and all New Zealand species are described, with information on synonymy, type data, material examined, and geographical distribution. Habitus images of adults, illustrations of important structural features, and distribution maps are provided. A key to adults is given. A molecular phylogenetic analysis examining the relationships of New Zealand species in the genus is presented.


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Pages: 60


Publication Date: 04-03-2014


$37.50
Fauna of New Zealand 65 : Izatha

ISBN: 9780478347241

Author: Robert Hoare    Publisher: Manaaki Whenua Press

Lichen Tuft Moths



The genus Izatha only occurs in New Zealand. It is one of our special and diverse groups of endemic moths, with 40 sp...


Lichen Tuft Moths



The genus Izatha only occurs in New Zealand. It is one of our special and diverse groups of endemic moths, with 40 species now recognized. Most of them are beautifully camouflaged when resting on the trunks of our forest trees so that they resemble bark or lichen, and they have been popularly named ‘lichen tuft moths’ as a result. Some Izatha species are apparently rare and may be in need of special conservation.



Caterpillars of Izatha almost all tunnel in dead wood, where they probably digest the fungal element; others appear to feed on bracket fungi or lichens. Izatha species thus play an essential role as decomposers, responsible for recycling the nutrients in New Zealand’s forests and shrublands.



Despite their interesting form and ecological significance, the study of these moths has been neglected and 15 new species are described in this volume, which represents an increase of 60% over the 25 previously known.



This Fauna covers the classification, distribution, ecology and biology of Izatha. It includes information about new species, keys, sexual selection and sexual antagonism. The adults of all species are described and illustrated in colour.


Pages: 201


Publication Date: 04-03-2014


$75.00
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