Neduba extincta

Neduba extincta
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Orthoptera
Family: Tettigoniidae
Genus: Neduba
Species: N. extincta
Binomial name
Neduba extincta
Rentz, 1977

Neduba extincta, commonly known as the Antioch Dunes shieldback katydid, is an extinct species of katydid (family Tettigoniidae) that was endemic to California, United States. It was not discovered until after its extinction.[1]

==Description== paresh The Antioch Dunes shield-back katydid is an Orthoptera within the Tettigoniidae family (katydids or long-horned grasshoppers). It is considered large for the katydid species. Like all orthopterans, the Antioch Dunes shieldback katydid has powerful hind legs used for jumping, primarily to evade or confuse predators. Both the fore and hind legs are covered in small spines. The pronotum covers only the first tergite of the abdominal region. Connected at the base of the head, the pronotum lifts slightly off the body, hence the shield-back. The abdomen has 10 tergites or sections. They are a light brown color, with black mottling on the legs and antennae.[2]

Discovery

There are no defined sources on when the initial specimen was found. Neduba extincta was captured but never fully discovered. In the 1960s, Dave Rentz found one of the new species in a specimen drawer however it was not described or detailed. It was unique to Rentz because of the morphology of its genitalia and the size of the specimen. In his research, he traveled to The Antioch Sand Dunes in California, USA where the specimen was originally picked. Rentz found no other living creatures of the species. It took several years of researching until finally describing the species as Neduba extincta. The Sand Dunes of Antioch, the original ecology of the Antioch Dunes shield-back katydid, shared a common border with the Mojave Desert. It is said that in prehistorical times climate alterations forced the dunes from the Mohave, and thus isolated species living on the dunes. For this reason, a dune dweller’s survival is contingent on the uninterrupted ecology of the dunes. As the development of the Western United States began, the dune dwellers such as Neduba extincta suffered in population and in this specific case were driven to extinction. The species' full discovery came unfortunately after the time of its extinction.[3][4]

Location

The Antioch Dunes shield-back katydid was found in Antioch, California. It is described from the Antioch Sand Dunes, which formerly occupied a considerable acreage along the Sacramento-San Joaquin Rivers. The Sacramento-San Joaquin Rivers is now a small highly disturbed area under the threat of complete destruction.[5][6]

Behavior

Their diet included flowers, leaves, small insects, and fungi.[7][8]

Extinction

The extinction of the Antioch Dunes shield-back katydid was due to the industrialization of California.[9] When humans started moving into California, Neduba extincta were driven to the Antioch Dunes where they resided until their extinction,[9] recorded to have been in 1996.[10] There were approximately eight different species of insects that were endemic to the Antioch Dunes, three of which are now extinct. The other five are on the list of endangered species.[11]

See also

References

  1. "Neduba extincta". Biodiversity.mongabay.com. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  2. Rentz, D.C.F (1977). "A new and apparently extinct katydid from Antioch sand dunes". Entomological News. 88: 241–245.
  3. Modern Insect Extinctions, the Neglected Majority (By Robert R. Dunn)
  4. Insect Extinctions and Insect Survival (by Michael J. Samways)
  5. "Extinct shieldback : Neduba extincta" (PDF). Entnemdept.ufl.edu. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  6. Piotr. "Extinct Shieldback (Neduba extincta). "Singing Insects of North America. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 September 2003.
  7. "Dune Insects". Sardis & Stamm. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  8. "CASTYPE12987_L." Sardis Stamm. N.p., 1 May 2013. Web.
  9. 1 2 "Column: Wild Neighbors: Antioch Dunes — Rare Insects of an Inland Island". Xerces.org. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  10. "Neduba extincta". Biodiversity.mongabay.com. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  11. "Modern Insect Extinctions, the Neglected Majority". Conservation Biology. 19: 1030–1036. doi:10.1111/j.1523-1739.2005.00078.x. Retrieved 25 October 2014.

Sources

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