Deto aucklandiae is a species of seashore dwelling woodlouse from the Detonidae family.Schmalfuss, H. (2003). World catalog of terrestrial isopods (Isopoda: Oniscidea). Stuttgarter Beiträge zur Naturkunde. Serie A, 654: 1-341., available online at http://www-alt.naturkundemuseum-bw.de/stuttgart/pdf/a_pdf/A654.pdf D. aucklandiae is endemic to a few subantarctic islands in New Zealand.
Taxonomy Deto aucklandiae was first described in 1879 as Actaecia aucklandiae.Thomson, G. M. (1879). New Zealand Crustacea, with descriptions of new species. Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 11: 230-248, pl. 10. In 1906, D. aucklandiae was described again as Deto magnifica and Deto robusta.Budde-Lund, G. (1906) Die Landisopoden der deutschen Suedpolar- Expedition 1901-1903. Mit Diagnosen verwandter Arten. Deutsche Südpolar-Expedition 1901-1903, Berlin (G. Reimer) 9(2):69-92. A. aucklandiae was then moved to the Deto genus in 2003 and D. magnifica and D. robusta were recognized as synonyms.
Description Deto aucklandiae are a large, sexually dimorphic species, with males reaching 20-24mm in length and females reaching 12-19mm in length. Males have large, thick antennae and a dorsal surface that is covered in spine like tubercles. Females have more slender antennae than the males and can also be distinguished by a slight groove present in segments 2, 3 and 4.
Distribution Deto aucklandiae occurs in the coastal zone of subantarctic islands in New Zealand.Minor, M., Meyer V., Robertson A., Taiti, S. (2016). Deto aucklandiae (Thomson, 1879) factsheet. In: NZ Slaters: A Guide and Identification Key to New Zealand Terrestrial Isopoda (updated 31-Jan-2017), http://nzslaters.massey.ac.nz (accessed 27-June-2019) They are known to occur on Auckland Island, Campbell Island and Snares Island.
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