Pharmacus Pictet & de Saussure, 1893

Hegg, Danilo, Morgan-Richards, Mary & Trewick, Steven A., 2022, High alpine sorcerers: revision of the cave wētā genus Pharmacus Pictet & de Saussure (Orthoptera: Rhaphidophoridae: Macropathinae), with the description of six new species and three new subspecies, European Journal of Taxonomy 808 (1), pp. 1-58 : 19-20

Genus Pharmacus Pictet & de Saussure, 1893

Pharmacus Pictet & de Saussure, 1893: 301–302 .

Pharmacus – Hutton 1896: 238. — Richards 1972: 154–156.

Type species

Pharmacus montanus Pictet & de Saussure, 1893 .

Etymology

‘ Pharmăcus ’ is Latin for ‘sorcerer’. The noun’s gender is masculine.

Description

A genus of small to mid-sized cave wētā (adult body length 10 to 18 mm, typically around 15 mm) with a distribution limited to the high alpine regions of the South Island of New Zealand. Only found above tree-line, often above snow-line, at elevations as high as 2800 m a.s.l.

All species in the genus look similar to each other. While this makes it easy to characterise the genus, an examination of the adult male terminalia is often required for a reliable identification to the species level. A detailed description of the genus follows below; individual species descriptions focus on those traits that vary between species or that differ from the generic description.

HEAD. Oval in shape; glabrous except for maxillary palps and antennae. Frons with a pale median line and two dark stripes converging to the fastigium on either side ( Fig. 7A, C ). Eyes rounded, but with a straight inner edge facing the fastigium. Face generally mottled with dark and pale patches. Fastigium pointed and ending abruptly below; dark with pale patches on either side; divided by a deep median groove. Scapes of antennae approximately three times as long as pedicel. All parts of the antennae pale or reddish-brown and covered with fine setae, except for the rotating joints. No visible sexual dimorphism in scapes of antennae or any other head-part ( Fig. 7 ). Maxillary palps pale, of varying length, with moderately dense covering of hair.

THORAX. Colour and tomentum on pronotum variable both between and within species. A pale, thin median line is generally present, although it may be inconspicuous (see Fig. 8 ). Lateral edges of pronotum with a pronounced rim and bent upwards in all species.

LEGS. Moderately long. Hind femora generally shorter than body; hind tibiae between 30% shorter and 10% longer than body in females, between 20% shorter and 20% longer than body in males. Coxae and trochanters mottled light and dark brown. Fore and mid femora and tibiae may be uniform pale or brown, or variegated; hind legs variegated. Fore coxae with a pronounced lateral anterior spine. Fore femora without linear spines above or below, but may be armed with one prolateral spine at the apex in some species. Fore tibiae armed below, generally with two linear spines on both anterior and posterior edge in all species. Fore tibiae armed with two long spines below (one prolateral and one retrolateral) and two short spines above (one prolateral and one retrolateral) at apex. Mid femora without linear spines above or below, but always armed with one retrolateral spine at apex. A prolateral spine at the apex of the mid femur may be present in some species. Mid tibiae armed below, generally with two linear spines on both anterior and posterior edge in all species. Dorsal linear spines on the mid tibiae are rare but possible. Mid tibiae armed with two long spines below (one prolateral and one retrolateral) and two short spines above (one prolateral and one retrolateral) at apex. Hind femora may be armed with linear spines below, but never with apical spines. Hind tibiae armed with an average of 22 linear spines above, of varying length, on both anterior and posterior edges ( Fig. 9 ). The spines are fused to the shaft of the tibia and are not socketed or articulated ( Fig. 4K ). Hind tibiae with two superior subapical spines (one prolateral and one retrolateral), two superior apical spines (one prolateral and one retrolateral), two inferior apical spines (one prolateral and one retrolateral) and two inferior subapical spines (one prolateral and one retrolateral). Superior apical spines approx. 50% longer than inferior apical spines; inferior apical spines approx. 50% longer than superior subapical spines; superior subapical spines approx. 50% longer than inferior subapical spines. Hind tarsi with four segments; first and second segments with a pair of spines on distal end. First segment and occasionally second segment armed above with small, alternate dorsal spines, in all species except Pharmacus montanus . The length of the tarsus segments (ordered from first to fourth) is in a ratio of 9:3:1: 5.

ABDOMEN. Colour of tergites typically chequered, alternating pale and dark patches ( Fig. 8 ). A uniform brown colour is common in adult Pharmacus montanus and in the nymphs of several species; a uniform black colour is common in both P. montanus and P. cochleatus populations above the permanent snowline. Dorsal median line generally visible but may be thin and inconspicuous. Tomentum variable both between and within species.

MALE TERMINALIA. Cerci between 15% and 20% of body length, pointed at apex, variable in colour, clothed in setae. The distal half is often visibly thicker than the proximal half (see Figs 5A–B , 10E, K , 11E, G–H ). Styli short and stumpy, covered in sparse setae. The subgenital plate looks fairly similar in all species, broadly triangular, but enlarged in a spoon-like structure at the apex. The difference between species however is pronounced enough to provide the strongest character for species level identification (see Figs 10–11 ).

FEMALE TERMINALIA. Subgenital plate bilobed and rounded in all species. Ovipositor reddish-brown, straight or gently curved upwards at apex, terminating in a sharp point; relatively short (approximately two thirds of body length). Upper valve always smooth above; lower valve with 5 to 9 strong teeth at apex on ventral edge ( Figs 12–13 ).

Nymphs generally look the same as adults, only smaller, which makes them readily identifiable as Pharmacus .

Figures

Fig. 7. Head of Pharmacus montanus Pictet & de Saussure, 1893, Lake Anna, Mt Franklin, Arthur’s Pass. A–B. Adult ♂ (MPN CW3989) C–D. Adult ♀ (MPN CW3988). Scale bar = 2 mm.

Fig. 8. Dorsal views of adult ♂ cave wētā in the genus Pharmacus Pictet & de Saussure, 1893. Notice loss of natural pigmentation of pale body parts due to preservation in ethanol. A–B. Pharmacus montanus Pictet & de Saussure, 1893 A. Mt Annette, Sealy Range, Mt Cook (MPN CW3302). B. Lake Anna, Mt Franklin, Arthur’s Pass (MPN CW3989). C. Pharmacus senex sp. nov., Old Woman Range, Central Otago (MPN CW4387). D. Pharmacus cochleatus cochleatus (Karny, 1935) comb. nov., Topheavy, Mt Brewster, Haast Pass (MPN CW3324). E. Pharmacus cochleatus rawhiti subsp. nov., Mt Tūwhakarōria, Hector Mountains (NMNZ AI.052290). F. Pharmacus cristatus sp. nov., Skippers Range, South Westland (MPN CW4562). G. Pharmacus vallestris sp. nov., Matukituki River West Branch (MPN CW3700). H. Pharmacus notabilis sp. nov., Remarkables ski-field access road (NMNZ AI.052296). I. Pharmacus concinnus sp. nov., Eyre Peak, Eyre Mountains (MPN CW4482). J. Pharmacus perfidus sp. nov., Spence Peak, Takitimu Mountains (MPN CW4494). Scale bar = 10 mm.

Fig. 9. Left hind tibia of adult ♂ cave wētā in the genus Pharmacus Pictet & de Saussure, 1893, dorsal view. A. Pharmacus montanus Pictet & de Saussure, 1893, Lake Anna, Mt Franklin, Arthur’s Pass (MPN CW3989). B. Pharmacus cochleatus cochleatus (Karny, 1935) comb. nov., Gertrude Saddle, Darran Mountains (MPN CW3413). C. Pharmacus cochleatus rawhiti subsp. nov., Mt Tūwhakarōria, Hector Mountains (MPN CW4431). D. Pharmacus cristatus sp. nov., Skippers Range, South Westland (NMNZ AI.052292). E. Pharmacus notabilis sp. nov., Remarkables ski-field access road (NMNZ AI.052296). F. Pharmacus senex sp. nov., Obelisk, Old Man Range (NMNZ AI.052294). G. Pharmacus concinnus sp. nov., Eyre Peak, Eyre Mountains (MPN CW4480). H. Pharmacus perfidus sp. nov., Spence Peak, Takitimu Mountains (NMNZ AI.052300). I. Pharmacus vallestris sp. nov., Matukituki River West Branch (MPN CW3700). Scale bar = 5 mm.

Fig. 4. Side by side comparison of Notoplectron brewsterense (Richards, 1972) comb. nov. and of Pharmacus montanus Pictet & de Saussure, 1893. A–E, H, J. Notoplectron brewsterense (Richards, 1972) comb. nov., Mt Brewster, Haast Pass. A–C. Dorsal, ventral and lateral view of terminalia. Adult ♂ (MPN CW3307). D–E. Subgenital plate. Adult ♀. D. MPN CW3391. E. Original drawing by Aola Richards (1972): holotype (CMNZ 000267). H, J. Dorsal view of hind tibia with enlarged detail.Adult ♀ (MPN CW3391). F–G, I, K. Pharmacus montanus Pictet & de Saussure, 1893. F–G. Subgenital plate. Adult ♀. F. Mt Annette, Sealy Range (MPN CW3303). G. Original drawing by Aola Richards (1972), from unspecified material. I, K. Dorsal view of hind tibia with enlarged detail. Adult ♂. Lake Anna, Mt Franklin, Arthur’s Pass (MPN CW3989). Scale bars = 1 mm.

Fig. 5. Pharmacus cochleatus (Karny, 1935) comb. nov. A–D. Adult ♂. Dorsal view of terminalia. A. Holotype, from unknown location (MNHN EO-ENSIF4926). B. Paratype, from unknown location (MNHN EO-ENSIF4928). C. Original drawing by Aola Richards (1972): Pharmacus chapmanae Richards, 1972 holotype. Bevan Col, Matukituki Valley (OMNZ IV7927; prev. OMNZ A70:6). D. Mt Edgar Thomson, Ben Ohau Range (MPN CW3278). E–F. Adult ♀. Ventral view of terminalia (subgenital plate). E. Original drawing by Aola Richards (1972): Pharmacus chapmanae Richards, 1972 allotype. Bevan Col, Matukituki Valley (OMNZ IV7924; prev. OMNZ A70:8). F. Mt Brewster, Haast Pass (MPN CW3325). Scale bar = 2 mm. Images A and B courtesy of Marion Depraetere, MNHN, reproduced under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 licence.

Fig. 10. Adult male terminalia of cave wētā in the genus Pharmacus Pictet & de Saussure, 1893. Left column: dorsal view; central column: ventral view (subgenital plate); right column: lateral view. A–C. Pharmacus montanus Pictet & de Saussure, 1893, Mueller Hut Track, Sealy Range, Mt Cook (MPN CW3532). D–F. Pharmacus cochleatus (Karny, 1935) comb. nov. D–E. Humboldt Mountains (MPN CW3698). F. Blue Lake Creek, Garvie Mountains (MPN CW4462). G–I. Pharmacus cristatus sp. nov., Skippers Range High Point, South Westland (NMNZ AI.052292). J–L. Pharmacus notabilis sp. nov., Remarkables Ski-field access road (NMNZ AI.052296). Scale bars = 1 mm.

Fig. 11. Adult male terminalia of cave wētā in the genus Pharmacus Pictet & de Saussure, 1893. Left column: dorsal view; central column: ventral view (subgenital plate); right column: lateral view. A–C. Pharmacus senex sp. nov., The Obelisk, Old Man Range (NMNZ AI.052294). D–F. Pharmacus concinnus sp. nov., Symmetry Peaks, Eyre Mountains (NMNZ AI.052298). G–I. Pharmacus perfidus sp. nov., Spence Peak, Takitimu Mountains (NMNZ AI.052300). J–L. Pharmacus vallestris sp. nov., Matukituki River West Branch (NMNZ AI.052302). Scale bars = 1 mm.

Fig. 12. Adult female terminalia of cave wētā in the genus Pharmacus Pictet & de Saussure, 1893. Left column: subgenital plate; central and right columns: ovipositor. A–C. Pharmacus montanus Pictet & de Saussure, 1893. A. Mt Annette, Sealy Range, Mt Cook (MPN CW3303). B–C. Mt Wakefield, Mount Cook Range (MPN CW3362). D–F. Pharmacus cochleatus (Karny, 1935) comb. nov., Lochnagar, Richardson Mountains (MPN CW4590). G–I. Pharmacus cristatus sp. nov., Skippers Range High Point, South Westland (NMNZ AI.052293). J–L. Pharmacus notabilis sp. nov., Two Mile Hut, Hector Mountains (NMNZ AI.052297). Scale bars = 1 mm.

Fig. 13. Adult female terminalia of cave wētā in the genus Pharmacus Pictet & de Saussure, 1893. Left column: subgenital plate; central and right columns: ovipositor. A–C. Pharmacus senex sp. nov., Old Woman Range (NMNZ AI.052295). D–F. Pharmacus concinnus sp. nov., Symmetry Peaks, Eyre Mountains (NMNZ AI.052299). G–I. Pharmacus perfidus sp. nov., Spence Peak, Takitimu Mountains (NMNZ AI.052301). J–L. Pharmacus vallestris sp. nov., Matukituki River West Branch (NMNZ AI.052303). Scale bars = 1 mm.