Australian Biological Resources Study

Australian Faunal Directory

<i>Phaconeura froggatti</i> Kirkaldy, type species of <i>Phaconeura</i>.

Phaconeura froggatti Kirkaldy, type species of Phaconeura.

Museums

Regional Maps

Genus Phaconeura Kirkaldy, 1906


Compiler and date details

11 April 2011 - Murray J. Fletcher

 

Introduction

This genus is well represented in Australia with six cavernicolous species in Queensland and Western Australia and six above-ground species. The cavernicolous species show a range of adaptation to underground life, at least four species being obligate troglobites (Fennah 1973; Hoch 1990, 1993). These species feed on roots of plants which penetrate into the cave systems. Elsewhere, cavernicolous Meenoplidae are known from Western Samoa (one species of Suva Kirkaldy) and the Canary Islands (one species of Meenoplus Fieber) (Hoch 1993).

 

Distribution

States

New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, Western Australia


IBRA and IMCRA regions (map not available)

IBRA

Wet Tropics (WT) ; NSW, Qld, Vic, WA: Carnarvon (CAR), Einasleigh Uplands (EIU), Murray Darling Depression (MDD), Sydney Basin (SB), South East Coastal Plain (SCP), South Eastern Queensland (SEQ), Wet Tropics (WT) ; WA: Swan Coastal Plain (SWA)

Diagnosis

The epigean species of the two Australian genera are easily distinguished by the front of the head. In Nisia there is no median carina although a vague indication of one may be discernible at the very base. In Phaconeura, there is a distinct median carina throughout most of the length of the frons. This feature, however, is not reliable for cave-adapted species which may have this carina obsolescent although whether this is due to cave-adaptation is unclear. At present, there are no known cavernicolous species of Nisia.

 

ID Keys

Woodward 1957: 58–59
http://www1.dpi.nsw.gov.au/keys/fulgor/meenoplidae/meen0.htm

 

History of changes

Note that this list may be incomplete for dates prior to September 2013.
Published As part of group Action Date Action Type Compiler(s)
15-Apr-2011 15-Apr-2011 MODIFIED
12-Feb-2010 (import)