Pharmacus cochleatus rawhiti subsp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: BE259438-D4DD-467F-BE72-27526E2D6B53

Figs 1–2, 6, 8E, 9C, 10F, 14E, 16D, 18B

Diagnosis

A mid-sized cave wētā found in the mountains either side of Lake Wakatipu and south of the Greenstone and Kawarau Rivers, at elevations greater than 1300 m. Body colour is chequered light brown/dark brown, with reddish legs and antennae. A prolateral apical spine is often present on the fore femur, and occasionally on the mid femur also. Hind legs longer than in P. cochleatus cochleatus .

The sympatric Pharmacus notabilis sp. nov. is mainly found at lower elevations and is easily identified by its turquoise/grey tergites, as well as its unique male terminalia. Two other species of Rhaphidophoridae share the habitat with P. cochleatus rawhiti subsp. nov., these are Talitropsis chopardi and Macropathus sp. . The former has shorter legs and fewer, larger spines on the hind tibiae, and unarmed hind tarsi; the latter has uniform brown colour and much longer legs, which give the insect a very slender appearance.

Etymology

‘ Rāwhiti ’ is Te Reo for ‘eastern’ – this subspecies inhabits mountain ranges east of the Southern Alps.

Unaware of the fact that it belongs to the same species as his ‘black tumbling cave wētā’, Crowe (2002) refers to this insect as ‘Remarkables cave wētā’. We discourage the use of this common name, since there are at least four species of cave wētā found in The Remarkables, including two species of Pharmacus . The range of Pharmacus cochleatus rawhiti subsp. nov. extends well beyond The Remarkables, as far south as the Garvie and Umbrella Mountains, and west to the Livingstone Mountains.

Material examined (see also Supp. file 1: Table S5)

Holotype NEW ZEALAND • ♂, adult; Central Otago (CO), Mt Tūwhakarōria, Hector Mountains; 45.12771° S, 168.82939° E; 2000 m a.s.l.; 25 Apr. 2019; D. Hegg leg.; on large boulder; night search + insect net; NMNZ AI.052290 (prev. MPN CW4429).

Paratype NEW ZEALAND • 1 ♀, adult; Central Otago (CO), James Peak, Hector Mountains; 45.26417° S, 168.81555° E; 1600 m a.s.l.; 17 Feb. 2018; D. Hegg leg.; in cracks in rock tor; night search + insect net; NMNZ AI.052291 (prev. MPN CW3833) .

Other material

NEW ZEALAND – Central Otago (CO) • 2 ♂♂; same collection data as for paratype; GenBank: OM293704, OM293706; MPN CW3769, CW3838 • 2 ♂♂, 3 ♀♀, 1 nymph; same collection data as for paratype; MPN CW3770, CW3832, CW3834 to CW3837 • 1 ♀; Gem Lake, Umbrella Mountains; 45.57097° S, 169.10525° E; 1300 m a.s.l.; 13 Apr. 2019; D. Hegg leg.; in boulder field; night search + insect net; GenBank OM293720; MPN CW4465 • 5 ♂♂, 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding; MPN CW4466 to CW4471 • 1 ♀; Blue Lake Creek, Garvie Mountains; 45.46778° S, 168.95290° E; 1280 m a.s.l.; 21 Apr. 2019; D. Hegg leg.; on rock tors; night search + insect net; GenBank: OM293719; MPN CW4425 • 6 ♂♂, 3 ♀♀, 3 nymphs; same collection data as for preceding; MPN CW4424, CW4426, CW4427, CW4458 to CW4464, CW4510, CW4511 • 1 ♀; same collection data as for holotype; GenBank: OM293717; MPN CW4395 • 3 ♂♂, 1 ♀; same collection data as for holotype; MPN CW4396, CW4428, CW4430, CW4431 • 2 ♂♂, 1 ♀; Lake Alta, The Remarkables; 45.06176° S, 168.81096° E; 1820 m a.s.l.; 26 Mar. 2021; D. Hegg leg.; on large boulder; night search + insect net; MPN CW5219 to CW5221. – Otago Lakes (OL) • 1 nymph; Cerberus, Livingstone Mountains; 45.28570° S, 168.14069° E; 1460 m a.s.l.; 26 Jun. 2020; D. Hegg leg.; on rocky outcrop; night search; GenBank: OM293730; MPN CW4895 • 1 ♀; Mt Turnbull, Thomson Mountains; 45.13566° S, 168.32134° E; 1600 m a.s.l.; 15 Jan. 2021; D. Hegg leg.; on rock bluffs; night search + insect net; GenBank: OM293737; MPN CW5193 • 8 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceding; MPN CW5184 to CW5192, CW5194 .

Description

MEASUREMENTS. See Table 1.

HEAD. As per generic description. Eyes grey/green. Antennae red-brown.

THORAX. As per generic description.

LEGS. Longer than in P. cochleatus cochleatus; approx. same length as in P. montanus . The hind tibiae are on average 5% longer than body in females and 20% longer than body in males. Fore femora often armed with one prolateral spine at the apex. Mid femora always armed with one retrolateral spine and occasionally with one prolateral spine at the apex. The first hind tarsus segment is armed with a variable number of dorsal linear spines above.

ABDOMEN. Tergites sparsely tomentose. A thin, pale median line along the whole length of the insect may or may not be present. The colour of the tergites is mostly chequered light/dark red-brown or brown (Fig. 8E). Nymphs may be uniform brown.

MALE TERMINALIA. Same as in P. cochleatus cochleatus .

FEMALE TERMINALIA. Same as in P. cochleatus cochleatus . Ovipositor only marginally shorter.