Pharmacus cristatus, Hegg & Morgan-Richards & Trewick, 2022

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 : 35-38

Pharmacus cristatus sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:B9EEEC40-AB6E-4184-89BF-B78E086B4F6B

Figs 1–2 , 6 , 8F , 9D , 10G–I , 12G–I , 14F , 17D , 18C

Diagnosis

A mid-sized cave wētā found in the alpine regions of northern Fiordland and South Westland, at elevations greater than 1000 m. Body colour is chequered pale/brown, with variegated legs and brown antennae. A prolateral apical spine is always present on both fore and mid femora.

The species is sympatric with P. cochleatus nauclerus subsp. nov. in the Skippers Range (South Westland) and with P. cochleatus fiordensis subsp. nov. in Fiordland. Across its whole distribution range, it is also sympatric with Notoplectron brewsterense comb. nov. It is differentiated from all of these taxa by the presence of prolateral apical spines on fore and mid femora.

Etymology

‘ Cristātus ’ is Latin for ‘tufted’. Named after the prominent hair tufts on the vertex of the male subgenital plate ( Fig. 10G–H ).

Material examined (see also Supp. file 1: Table S6)

Holotype NEW ZEALAND • ♂, adult; Westland (WD), Skippers Range High Point; 44.43914° S, 168.16515° E; 1520 m a.s.l.; 3 Feb. 2019; D. Hegg leg.; on rock bluffs; night search; NMNZ AI.052292 (prev. MPN CW4561).

Paratype NEW ZEALAND • 1 ♀, adult; same collection data as for holotype; NMNZ AI.052293 (prev. MPN CW4486) .

Other material

NEW ZEALAND – Fiordland (FD) • 2 ♂♂; Homer Saddle, Darran Mountains ; 44.760° S, 167.983° E; 1200 m a.s.l.; Jan. 2014; T. Jewell leg.; in dry cracks in rock bluff; hand collected, in daylight; GenBank: OM293684 , OM293685 ; MPN CW2607 , CW2610 • 1 ♀, 1 nymph; same collection data as for preceding; MPN CW2608 , CW2609 • 1 nymph; Gertrude Saddle, Darran Mountains ; 44.74521° S, 168.01649° E; 1300 m a.s.l.; 25 Mar. 2017; D. Hegg leg.; on rock bluffs; night search; GenBank: OM293698 ; MPN CW3415A • 2 ♂♂, 2 nymphs; same collection data as for preceding; MPN CW3398 , CW3399 , CW3414 , CW3415B • 1 ♂; Mistake Creek, Earl Mountains ; 44.85123° S, 168.02471° E; 1000 m a.s.l.; 21Apr. 2017; D. Hegg leg.; under boulder; night search; GenBank: OM293700 ; MPN CW3431 . – Westland (WD) • 1 ♀; same collection data as for holotype; GenBank: OM293723 ; MPN CW4485 • 1 ♂, 1 ♀, 2 nymphs; same collection data as for holotype; MPN CW4365 , CW4376 , CW4484 , CW4562 • 1 ♂; Skippers Range ; 44.46821° S, 168.10095° E; 1200 m a.s.l.; 6 Feb. 2019; D. Hegg leg.; on rock bluffs; night search; GenBank: OM293725 ; MPN CW4563 • 1 nymph; Skippers Range ; 44.50459° S, 168.12086° E; 1400 m a.s.l.; 7 Feb. 2019; D. Hegg leg.; on rock bluffs; night search; GenBank: OM293712 ; MPN CW4364 .

Description

MEASUREMENTS. See Table 1.

HEAD. As per generic description. Eyes grey/brown. Antennae brown.

THORAX. As per generic description.

LEGS. Relative to the body, longer than in any other Pharmacus species. The hind tibiae are on average 15% to 20% (max. 45%) longer than the body in both males and females. Fore and mid femora always armed at the apex with a prolateral spine, in addition to the retrolateral apical spine on the mid femur. The first hind tarsus segment is armed with a variable number of dorsal linear spines.

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 pale/brown ( Fig. 8F ).

MALE TERMINALIA. Subgenital plate similar to P. cochleatus , but shorter and bent upwards. Moderately hairy underneath, with two characteristic hair tufts on the spoon’s vertex, both dorsal and ventral ( Fig. 10G–I ).

FEMALE TERMINALIA. Very similar to P. cochleatus . Subgenital plate bilobed, the two rounded lobes short, broad, and asymmetrical, with a wide gap in between; very hairy ( Fig. 12G ). Ovipositor on average 70% of body length, only very gently curving upwards; lower valve with 5 to 9 strong teeth below at the apex ( Fig. 12H–I ).

Figures

Fig. 1. A. Genetic relationships of cave wētā support monophyly of the genus Pharmacus Pictet & de Saussure, 1893. Gene tree from mtDNA sequences (~1500 bp of COI) using Maximum Likelihood with 1000 bootstraps and Macropathus filifer Walker, 1869 to root the tree. B. Map of South Island of New Zealand, showing locations of Pharmacus specimens used in phylogenetic analyses (Figs 1A, 2). Colours correspond to different species. Two letter codes indicate the New Zealand entomological regions (Crosby et al. 1998). These codes are reported in the Material examined section for each species.

Fig. 2. Gene tree for the eight morphologically identified species of Pharmacus Pictet & de Saussure, 1893 using Maximum Likelihood analysis of ~850 bp of mtDNA (COI) from 60 specimens ofPharmacus.

Fig. 6. Known distribution of cave wētā in the genus Pharmacus Pictet & de Saussure, 1893 in the south of the South Island, New Zealand.

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. 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. 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. 14. Live Pharmacus Pictet & de Saussure, 1893 in their natural environments. A–B. Pharmacus montanus Pictet& de Saussure, 1893.A.Adult ♂, with dark coloration typicalof high elevationspecimens. Mt Annette, Sealy Range, Mt Cook, 2200 m a.s.l. (MPN CW3302). B. Adult ♂, with coloration typical of low elevation specimens. Mueller Hut Track, Sealy Range, Mt Cook, 1500 m a.s.l. C–D. Pharmacus cochleatus cochleatus (Karny, 1935) comb. nov. C. Adult ♀, with yellow / black chequered coloration that is most typical for the species, parasitized by red mites (Order Trombidiformes). Luna Basin, Major Peak, Wakatipu, 1470 m a.s.l. D. Adult ♂, with dark coloration typical of high elevation specimens. Mt Edgar Thomson, Ben Ōhau Range, 2350 m a.s.l. (MPN CW3278). E. Pharmacus cochleatus rawhiti subsp. nov. Adult ♂, Blue Lake Creek, Garvie Mountains, 1280 m a.s.l. F. Pharmacus cristatus sp. nov. Adult ♀, Skippers Range High Point, South Westland, 1520 m a.s.l.

Fig. 17. Habitat of Pharmacus Pictet & de Saussure, 1893. A. Mount Dick, Eyre Mountains. a. Rock bluffs at 1550 m a.s.l., collection locality of Pharmacus concinnus sp. nov. (MPN CW4472–4475, CW4501–4504, CW4592, CW4593). B. Dunstan, Dunstan Mountains. b. Rock tors at 1670 m a.s.l. collection locality of P. senex sp. nov. (MPN CW4381–4385, CW4402–4405, CW4506–4509). C. Spence Peak, Takitimu Mountains. c. North ridge, 1450 m a.s.l., collection locality of P. perfidus sp. nov. (NMNZ AI.052300, AI.052301; MPN CW4487, CW4489, CW4490, CW4494–4496, CW4498, CW4499, CW4553–4555). D. Skippers Range High Point, South Westland. d–e. Scree and rock bluffs around lake, 1600 m a.s.l., collection locality of P. cochleatus nauclerus subsp. nov. (NMNZ AI.052289, MPN CW4363) and of P. cristatus sp. nov. (NMNZ AI.052292, AI.052293; MPN CW4365, CW4376, CW4484, CW4485, CW4562).

Fig. 18. Map of South Island, New Zealand, showing the known distribution of cave wētā in the genus Pharmacus Pictet & de Saussure, 1893. A–B. Solid shapes indicate material collected as part of this study; empty circles indicate additional locations of material examined by Richards (1972). B. Shapes represent different subspecies: dark blue circle = Pharmacus cochleatus cochleatus; light blue circle = Pharmacus cochleatus nauclerus subsp. nov.; diamond = Pharmacus cochleatus fiordensis subsp. nov.; triangle = Pharmacus cochleatus rawhiti subsp. nov.