Austroperlidae is a family of stoneflies in the order Plecoptera. There are about 10 genera and 15 described species in Austroperlidae across southern land masses Australia, New Zealand, and South America.[1][2]Austroperlidae species are unique among stoneflies in having aposematic (warning) colouration.[3] For instance, the New Zealand black stonefly Austroperla is a forest dwelling shredder that is toxic to predators due to its production of hydrogen cyanide.[4] The warning colouration of this species is mimicked by several lineages of the unrelated non-toxic New Zealand stonefly Zelandoperla.[5]
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DeWalt, R.E.; Maehr, M.D.; Neu-Becker, U.; Stueber, G. (2019). "family Austroperlidae Tillyard, 1921". Plecoptera species file online, Version 5.0. Retrieved 2019-05-23.
^Foster, Brodie; McCulloch, Graham; Waters, Jonathan (2021). "Evidence for aposematism in a southern hemisphere stonefly family (Plecoptera: Austroperlidae)". Austral Entomology. 60: 267-275. doi:10.1111/aen.12529.
^McLellan, Ian (1997). "Austroperla cyrene Newman (Plecoptera: Austroperlidae)". Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand. 27: 271–278. doi:10.1080/03014223.1997.9517538.
Stewart, Kenneth W.; Stark, Bill P. (1988). Nymphs of North American stonefly genera (Plecoptera). Entomological Society of America. ISBN978-0929398556.
