| Abstract: | Recent investigations in lava tubes on Savai'i, Western Samoa, have revealed the existence of a new cave-dwelling meenoplid species, Suva oloimoa sp. nov., from the deep cave zone. Troglomorphies displayed by S. oloimoa sp. nov. include reduction of ocelli, compound eyes, pigmentation and, to a lesser degree, of tegmina and wings. Due to these features and to its ecology, the species is regarded as an obligate cavernicole (troglobite). This is the first record of a troglobitic meenoplid in the Pacific. |
