Zoology Publications from Victoria University of Wellington—Nos. 66 and 67

Metaphorura bipartita Handschin, 1921 — Metaphorura boerneri Bagnall, 1936 — Figs. 43-57

Metaphorura bipartita Handschin, 1921
Metaphorura boerneri Bagnall, 1936
Figs. 43-57
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The type and several paratypes of Bagnall's M. boerneri together with M. W. Davies' specimens identified by Bagnall as M. bipartita Handschin and some specimens labelled by Bagnall as M. denisii, but never published as such, were examined. All of these, I am satisfied, are the same species and must be known as M. bipartita Handschin. The accompanying illustrations are drawn from these specimens as set out in the legend to the figures. Bagnall separates his boerneri from bipartita primarily on the presence of pseudocelli on Th I but, though Handschin did not observe these, they have been recorded by others, notably Stach (1954, p.211). This description by Stach is very full but I would add the further notes that in Bagnall's material Ant IV has six-eight stout curved sense rods and a small apical knob (Fig. 43). The SO Ant III sits behind a high cone-like integumentary fold with a papilla at each end (Fig. 45 and 51). Behind the cone-like fold is a further low fold in which are two small sense clubs flanked on each side by a large, inwardly curved, stout sense rod (Figs. 57 and 49).

There is always a third papilla to one side (Figs. 45 and 51) and a third, stout, curved sense rod on the opposite surface of the antennal segment (Fig. 43). The SO proper has four guard setae (Fig. 57). PAO with 20-25 "U" shaped vesicles (Figs. 46 and 55) situated in a deep furrow and hence difficult to see. The vesicles appear to change in shape as focus of the microscope reaches deeper into this groove (Fig. 54).

The papillae of the annal spines are not always distinct but are generally recognisable by the smaller size of the cuticular granules as compared with those dorsally on Abd VI.