Parellipsidion


Parellipsidion is a genus of cockroaches endemic to New Zealand. There are three species within the genus Parellipsidion.
All species of Parellipsidion cockroach are small and brown body but the top of head and face are pale.

Ecology

These cockroaches are nocturnal species. The low elevation species live in the forest and hide during the day under bark. The mountain species hides under rocks and in tussock grass above the tree line. Nymphs of Parellipsidion are caught by the wasp Tachysphex nigerrimus  and put in eggs chambers to feed their larvae.

Taxonomy & etymology

The genus and two species were described by Peter Johns in 1966. The genus name derives from Ellipsidion and males of Parellipsidion are identified by their right style much reduced compared to the left. The species P. ''latipenne was first described as Phyllodromia latipennis in 1865 by the Swiss scientist Brunner von Wattenwyl. The genus name is considered neuter so the neuter ending is applied to the species name, hence Parellipsidion latipenne''.