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Oiophysa fuscata, n.sp.
Fig. 2

Form and size very similar to O. ablusa. Head stramineous-brown, with median ridge, rather coarsely punctate towards the eyes; impunctate at middle; anterior membrane very narrow, about one-third as long as rest of head, bi-arcuate, not deeply notched at middle, shortly ciliate along front margin, without large areolae but finely areolate along hind margin; hind portion becoming subcylindrical laterally, slightly reflexed and directed anterio-laterally so as to leave a little open space between it and the front margins of paranota.

Pronotum largely dark fuscous, with disc raised, sparsely punctate and longitudinally ridged, impressed on each side of disc, the sides and behind very coarsely punctate, almost reticulate in appearance behind, the hind margin roundly excavated; paranota moderately wide, a little narrower in front, with outer margins widely rounded, the areolae irregularly arranged and mostly divided into areolets. Seutellum a little wider than long, punctate, dark fuscous, stramineous at apex.

Tegmina testaceous, the veins stramineous, stout, raised, with short cilia along sides; convex on disc, slightly darker, the areolae large, more or less hyaline; explanate margin wide basally, there with one large long areolae within and three or four smaller areolae along margin; then beyond base moderately wide, uniseriate, slightly reflexed with transverse veins dark fuscous, the darker colour of veins spreading a little into the areolae. Venter dark fuscous. Rostrum brown, extending on first venter.

Length, 3.00 mm.; width, 1.65 mm.

Type (female; sub-brachypterous), Mount Arthur tableland, taken on lichens inside of cave, 20th February, 1948. Coll. J. T. Salmon.

This species is very closely related to O. ablusa, n.sp., but easily separated by fuscous colour marking, narrower paranota, and narrower frontal membrane of head. There is also a little open space between eyes and paranota. The tegmina are narrowed apically as in ablusa, and only slightly longer than abdomen. The hind portion of the pronotum is much more corsely punctate than in ablusa.

This is the first record of a peloridiid living on moss and lichens inside a cave. The colour markings make O. fuscata a rather striking species. It is also interesting to note that four of the nine known species of peloridiids of the world were described from New Zealand. Closer collections in other southern regions will undoubtedly reveal several more new species.

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