New Zealand Invertebrates

11005-12014 Caversham peripatus (Peripatoides 'Dunedin') moulting skin. Caversham *

DSC_6611 Katydid (Caedicia simplex) normally bright green, this 'red' nymph is on raspberry leaves, where it was able to live undisturbed among the bright red raspberry fruits. This genetic mutation causes an absence of the normal green pigment and the excessive production of pink pigment on rare occasions. Yellow' individuals are also sometimes seen. Tutukaka Coast, Northland *

11005-40711 Helms forest ringlet butterfly (Dodonidia helmsii) male on Umbrella fern (Sticherus sp). Mount Ruapehu *

11005-26901 Mole cricket (Triamescaptor aotea) female in underground nursery tending her young. Wairarapa *

11005-57005 Native colletid bee (Leioproctus pango) in flight over mistletoe flower. Waipori Gorge *

11005-27819 Wellington tree weta (Hemideina crassidens) a modified pencil case nailed to a tree, serves as a weta 'nest box' in a Wellington garden *

IMG_0080 Superb giant landsnail (Powelliphanta superba prouseorum) is our largest giant landsnail, its shell may grow up to 90 mm across and 40 mm high. A fist sized adult snail can weigh over 90g, but unfortunately old individuals like this are now rare, because possums, and at lower altitudes pigs and rats, have largely wiped them out. These massive snails are confined to the forests inland of Kahurangi Point in North west Nelson, where aerial control of possums may be this snail's only hope for survival *

11005-41802 Red admiral butterfly (Vanessa gonerilla gonerilla) on Ribbonwood flowers (Hoheria sexstylosa) in an urban backyard. Otago Peninsula *

DSC_8492 Albatross feather-chewing louse (Harrisoniella hopkinsi) among the worlds largest lice, this male is 9mm long. There are usually fewer than half a dozen adult specimens found on any single host bird - typically other species of feather lice may number in the hundreds. This species is mostly found under the wings of large albatrosses; the louse is shaped to lie along the shaft of the wing feathers of Royal and Wandering albatross species. Feather lice radiated in response to the evolution of feathers - probably on the early therapod dinosaurs. Albatross and their dependant lice co-evolved between 40 and 50 million years ago making this a very old relationship indeed. Taiaroa Head, Otago Peninsula *

11005-35102 Meadow spittle bug (Philaenus spumarius) froth covered nymph. Otago Peninsula *

11005-31004 Kaikoura giant weta (Deinacrida parva) female eating moss. Upper Kowhai Stream, Seaward Kaikoura Range *

DSC_3138 Gordian worm ( Nematomorpha) adult climbing on mountain flax flower after torrential rain. Often found in damp areas, such as watering troughs, swimming pools, streams, puddles, and cisterns. The adult worms are free-living, but the larvae are parasitic on orthopterans, such as ground weta. Otago Peninsula *

11005-11001 Land planarians (Artioposthia subquadrangulata) and the larger (Arthurdendyus testaceus) in beech forest, Hawdon Valley *

DSC_9517 Granulated land planarian (Artioposthia subquadrangulata) in beech forest, Cobb Saddle. The Artioposthia subquandrangulata complex comprises a number of genera. The unusual surface granulation of some of these species, has not been described in other New Zealand flatworms *

DSC_8037 Land planarian (Artioposthia polyadoides) 'digesting' a Hook-tip fern looper moth (Sarisa muriferata), on hounds tongue fern on an autumn night. Flatworms are acoelomates, which means they have no body cavity, and no specialized circulatory and respiratory organs. To feed, the animal extrudes a sheet-like digestive tissue through an 'opening' or pharynx, located halfway down the underside of the body. This tissue secretes a powerful enzyme which reduces its struggling victims body to a ghastly stew, and the nutrients are then absorbed. Once digestion is complete the digestive tissue is withdrawn back inside the body through the pharynx, and the animal moves on. This flatworm was originally described from Pipikaretu. The Cove, Otago Peninsula *

DSC_0493 Giant flatworm (Newzealandia graffii occidentalis) in mountain beech forest. This animal, moving across the lichen-covered forest floor at night, measured over 20cm when fully extended. This large, widespread and distinctive species has been recorded from Taranaki, Hutt Valley, northwest Nelson, and the West Coast *

DSC_0477 Giant flatworm (Newzealandia graffii occidentalis) in mountain beech forest. This animal, moving across the lichen-covered forest floor at night, measured over 20cm when fully extended. This large, widespread and distinctive species has been recorded from Taranaki, Hutt Valley, northwest Nelson, and the West Coast *

DSC_1482 Giant flatworm (Newzealandia graffii occidentalis) a predatory flatworm approaches it's prey, a Denniston giant landsnail (Powelliphanta patrickensis) - which is itself foraging for native earthworms in the moss at night. Denniston Plateau *

DSC_1507 Giant flatworm (Newzealandia graffii occidentalis) 'digesting' a Denniston giant land snail (Powelliphanta patrickensis) which it has captured at night. To feed, the flatworm extrudes a sheet-like digestive tissue through a muscular tube or pharynx, located halfway down the underside of it's own body - this it places over the opening of the snail's shell. The flatworm's digestive tissue secretes a powerful enzyme which reduces the struggling snail to a ghastly stew inside it's shell, and the snail's nutrients are then absorbed by the flatworm. Once digestion is complete the digestive tissue is withdrawn back through the tube into the flatworm's body and the animal moves on, leaving behind a slimy, empty shell. Denniston Plateau *

DSC_1509 Giant flatworm (Newzealandia graffii occidentalis) attacking a Denniston giant landsnail (Powelliphanta patrickensis) at night. To feed, the flatworm extrudes a sheet-like digestive tissue through a muscular tube or pharynx, located halfway down the underside of it's own body - this it places over the opening of the snail's shell. The flatworm's digestive tissue secretes a powerful enzyme which reduces the struggling snail to a ghastly stew inside it's shell, and the snail's nutrients are then absorbed by the flatworm. Once digestion is complete the digestive tissue is withdrawn back through the tube into the flatworm's body and the animal moves on, leaving behind a slimy, empty shell. Denniston Plateau *

DSC_8117 Giant flatworm (Newzealandia graffii occidentalis) detail of a large winter egg capsule forming within flatworm's body in autumn. Once produced, five to seven eggs will lie protected within the capsule or 'cocoon'. The eggs will over-winter within the protection of the capsule and hatch as miniature flatworms in the spring. Happy Valley, Stockton Plateau *

DSC_8116 Giant flatworm (Newzealandia, graffii, occidentalis) detail of a large winter egg capsule forming within flatworm's body in autumn. Once produced, five to seven eggs will lie protected within the capsule or 'cocoon'. The eggs will over-winter within the protection of the capsule and hatch as miniature flatworms in the spring. Happy Valley, Stockton Plateau *

DSC_8086 Giant flatworm (Newzealandia graffii occidentalis) with a freshly laid winter egg capsule produced in autumn. Five to seven eggs lie protected within the capsule or 'cocoon'. The eggs will over-winter within the protection of the capsule and hatch as miniature flatworms in the spring. Happy Valley, Stockton Plateau *

DSC_8107 Giant flatworm (Newzealandia graffii occidentalis) detail of a freshly laid winter egg capsule produced in autumn. Five to seven eggs lie protected within the capsule or 'cocoon'. The eggs will over-winter within the protection of the capsule and hatch as miniature flatworms in the spring. Happy Valley, Stockton Plateau *

DSC_8143 Giant flatworm (Newzealandia graffii occidentalis) detail of a freshly laid second winter egg capsule beside an earlier one, both produced in autumn. Five to seven eggs lie protected within each capsule or 'cocoon'. The eggs will over-winter within the protection of the capsule and hatch as miniature flatworms in the spring. Happy Valley, Stockton Plateau *