Deinacrida talpa

Deinacrida talpa
Conservation status
Nationally Critical (NZ TCS) [1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Orthoptera
Suborder:	Ensifera
Family:	Anostostomatidae
Genus:	Deinacrida
Species:	D. talpa
Binomial name
Deinacrida talpa Gibbs, 1999

Deinacrida talpa, the giant mole weta, is a species of insect in the family Anostostomatidae. It is endemic to New Zealand. ^[2] Although the species is similar to closely related species, its key distinguishing factor is their ability to live in burrows dug by the weta. ^[3] The Department of Conservation assessed its status as "Threatened: Nationally Critical". ^[4]

References

1. Trewick, Steven A.; Johns, P. M.; Hitchmough, Rod A.; Rolfe, Jeremy; Stringer, Ian (2016). Conservation status of New Zealand Orthoptera, 2014. New Zealand Threat Classification Series. Wellington, N.Z: Department of Conservation.
2. "New Zealand Invertebrates - Rod Morris". www.rodmorris.co.nz. Retrieved 2019-03-09.
3. Gibbs, G. W. 1999. Four new species of giant weta,Deinacrida(Orthoptera: Anostostomatidae: aaaDeinacridinae) from New Zealand. Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand 29:307–324.
4. "Conservation status of Orthoptera (wētā, crickets and grasshoppers) in Aotearoa New Zealand, 2022 / Steve Trewick, Danilo Hegg, Mary Morgan-Richards, Tara Murray, Corinne Watts, Peter Johns and Pascale Michel". ndhadeliver.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 2025-08-17.