{"id":3915,"date":"2025-07-04T16:40:02","date_gmt":"2025-07-04T16:40:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.horg.com\/horg\/?page_id=3915"},"modified":"2025-07-04T23:00:44","modified_gmt":"2025-07-04T23:00:44","slug":"ampelomedon-otautahi","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.horg.com\/horg\/?page_id=3915","title":{"rendered":"Ampelomedon otautahi"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/td>\n\"\"<\/a><\/td>\n\"\"<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Ampelomedon otautahi<\/h1>\n
\n
\"\"<\/a>\u201cGrapevine-guardian from Christchurch\u201d<\/div>\n
\n
Kingdom<\/dt>\n
Microsynthera<\/dd>\n
Phylum<\/dt>\n
Plasticae<\/dd>\n
Class<\/dt>\n
Occlupanida<\/dd>\n
Order<\/dt>\n
Orthogonidectes?<\/dd>\n
Family<\/dt>\n
Unduladentidae?<\/dd>\n
Genus<\/dt>\n
Ampelomedon otautahi<\/em><\/dd>\n
Species<\/dt>\n
A. otautahi<\/em><\/dd>\n
External morphology<\/dt>\n<\/dl>\n

Raised riffles on both sides.\u00a0 19.7 mm x 22.5 mm.<\/p>\n

\n

Found outdoors in New Zealand above fields of grapevines, perched in large numbers on bird-netting. Specimen has distinctive raised ridges on dorsal and ventral sides, giving this occlupanid a uniquely dimensional aspect. Its life cycle is said to be rather brief, unlike the near-immortality of most occlupanids. After a single season, many A. otautahi<\/em> drop to the ground. Once there, they are thought to slowly decompose in damp conditions, but this has not yet been directly observed. The tough integument is thought to be a form of resin, and it is therefore filed under Phylum Plasticae. The non-fibrous nature of its body certainly precludes any connection to the Occlupanopsida. A new order of Rhetinomorpha<\/strong> has been proposed, but is still up for debate amongst synthetic taxonomists. Even its Family is in question, as the uniformly wavy dential processes bear a close relation to the gular furrows of the Corrugatidae. Scholars wishing to document this species would be advised to take any classification notes in erasable graphite, and anticipate future taxonomic revisions. Species discovered and submitted by microsyntheric artisan S. Nottingham.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Ampelomedon otautahi \u201cGrapevine-guardian from Christchurch\u201d Kingdom Microsynthera Phylum Plasticae Class Occlupanida Order Orthogonidectes? Family Unduladentidae? Genus Ampelomedon otautahi Species A. otautahi External morphology Raised riffles on both sides.\u00a0 19.7 mm x 22.5 mm. Found outdoors in New Zealand above fields of grapevines, perched in large numbers on bird-netting. Specimen has distinctive raised ridges on dorsal […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3918,"parent":3921,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-3915","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t