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 Author Hegg, Danilo 34DFC18A-F53D-417F-85FC-EF514F6D2EFD 135 Blacks Road, Opoho, Dunedin 9010, New Zealand. danilo_hegg@hotmail.com Author Morgan-Richards, Mary 48F2FB1A-4C03-477C-8564-5417F9739AE1 Wildlife & Ecology Group, Massey University, Private Bag 11 - 222, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand. M.Morgan-Richards@massey.ac.nz Author Trewick, Steven A. 7A378EE1-BADB-459D-9BAA-7059A675F683 Wildlife & Ecology Group, Massey University, Private Bag 11 - 222, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand. s.trewick@massey.ac.nz text European Journal of Taxonomy 2022 2022-04-04 808 1 1 58 http://dx.doi.org/10.5852/ejt.2022.808.1721 journal article 54975 10.5852/ejt.2022.808.1721 3eba97d9-c3b4-4437-8922-d01358c276bb 2118-9773 6419368 7898E29D-1F57-4DC2-AB70-8532234CA118 Pharmacus cochleatus cochleatus ( Karny, 1935 ) comb. nov. Figs 1–2 , 5–6 , 8D , 9B , 10D–E , 12D–F , 14C–D , 16A–C , 18B Isoplectron cochleatum Karny, 1935: 383–385 , fig. 44. Pharmacus chapmanae Richards, 1972: 158–160 , fig. 2. Syn. nov. Pharmacus chapmanae – Chinn & Chinn 2020: 361–389 . Pharmacus brewsterensis – Chinn & Chinn 2020 : fig. 4d. Diagnosis A mid-sized cave wētā found in the Southern Alps from Aoraki/Mt Cook south to the Dart River and east into Central Otago , at elevations greater than 1200 m . Body colour varies from chequered yellow/black to all black. Dorsal surfaces may be covered in fine tomentum, giving the insect a matt appearance, or glabrous, giving the insect a shiny appearance. The latter trait is more common at the northern end of the species’ distribution range. At the northern end of its distribution range, P. cochleatus cochleatus overlaps with P. montanus and can easily be confused with the latter, especially at the higher elevations, where both insects are entirely black. The most reliable trait to differentiate the two species is the presence of dorsal spines on the first hind tarsus segment in P. cochleatus . Across much of its range, P. cochleatus cochleatus overlaps with either Notoplectron brewsterense comb. nov. or with Talitropsis chopardi (Karny, 1937) east of the Main Divide of the Southern Alps. Both of the latter two species have lighter colour, shorter legs with fewer spines on the hind tibiae and no dorsal spines on the first hind tarsus segment. Etymology ‘ Cŏchlĕăr ’ is Latin for ‘spoon’. ‘ Cochleatus ’ means ‘equipped with a spoon’ – after the shape of the male subgenital plate. Material examined (see also Supp. file 1: Table S2 and Fig. S4 ) Holotype NEW ZEALAND • ♂ , adult; locality unknown; 1876; H. Filhol leg.; MNHN EO-ENSIF4926 . Paratype NEW ZEALAND • 1 ♂ , adult; same collection data as for holotype; MNHN EO-ENSIF4928 . Other material NEW ZEALAND – Otago Lakes / Westland (OL/WD) • 1 ♂ , holotype of Pharmacus chapmanae ; Bevan Col , Matukituki Valley ; 44.393° S , 168.689° E ; 1850 m a.s.l. ; Dec. 1958 ; M.A. Chapman leg.; OMNZ IV7927 (prev. OMNZ A70:6) • 1 ♀ , allotype of Pharmacus chapmanae ; same collection data as for preceding; OMNZ IV7924 (prev. OMNZ A70:8) • 1 ♂ ; Bevan Col , Matukituki Valley ; 44.39424° S , 168.68760° E ; 1850 m a.s.l. ; 29 Jan. 2021 ; D. Hegg leg.; rock bluffs ; night search + insect net ; GenBank: OM293736 ; MPN CW5179 • 1 ♂ , 1 ♀ ; same collection data as for preceding; MPN CW5178 , CW5180 . – Westland (WD) • 1 ♀ ; Topheavy , Mt Brewster , Haast Pass ; 44.06548° S , 169.42843° E ; 2000 m a.s.l. ; 18 Feb. 2017 ; D. Hegg leg.; on rocky ridge above glacier ; night search ; GenBank: OM293694 ; MPN CW3322 • 2 ♂♂ , 5 ♀♀ ; same collection data as for preceding; MPN CW3277 , CW3279 to CW3282 , CW3324 , CW3325 . – Otago Lakes (OL) • 1 ♀ ; Luna Basin , Major Peak , Wakatipu ; 44.92490° S , 168.47476° E ; 1470 m a.s.l. ; 9 Apr. 2016 ; D. Hegg leg.; on large rocks in alpine basin ; night search ; GenBank: OM293686 ; MPN CW2985 • 3 ♂♂ , 1 ♀ ; same collection data as for preceding; MPN CW2979 , CW2981 , CW2999 , CW3000 • 1 nymph ; Coronet Peak , Queenstown ; 44.91774° S , 168.73423° E ; 1540 m a.s.l. ; 18 Jan. 2019 ; D. Hegg leg.; on rock formations ; night search + insect net ; GenBank: OM293709 ; MPN CW4288 • 5 ♂♂ , 3 ♀♀ ; same collection data as for preceding; MPN CW4414 to CW4418 , CW4432 to CW4434 • 1 ♀ ; Lochnagar , Richardson Mountains ; 44.59627° S , 168.56400° E ; 2080 m a.s.l. ; 21 Sep. 2019 ; D. Hegg leg.; on rocks on side of snow couloir ; casual find while climbing ; GenBank: OM293726 ; MPN CW4590 • 1 ♂ ; Sentinel Peak , Lake Hāwea ; 44.41029° S , 169.24003° E ; 1580 m a.s.l. ; 5 Dec. 2020 ; D. Hegg leg.; on rocky ridge ; night search + insect net ; GenBank: OM293731 ; MPN CW5134 • 2 ♂♂ , 2 nymphs ; same collection data as for preceding; MPN CW5132 , CW5133 , CW5135 , CW5136 • 2 ♂♂ ; Earnslaw Burn ; 44.67482° S , 168.39371° E ; 1280 m a.s.l. ; 13 Nov. 2020 ; D. Hegg leg.; on rocky ridge and cliffs ; night search + insect net ; GenBank: OM293733 , OM293734 ; MPN CW5149 , CW5150 • 1 ♂ , 1 ♀ , 2 nymphs ; same collection data as for preceding; MPN CW5151 to CW5154 • 1 ♀ ; Roys Peak , Wānaka ; 44.69477° S , 169.04644° E ; 1500 m a.s.l. ; 19 Nov. 2020 ; D. Hegg leg.; rock bluffs ; night search + insect net ; GenBank: OM293732 ; MPN CW5137 • 5 ♂♂ , 2 ♀♀ , 2 nymphs ; same collection data as for preceding; MPN CW5138 to CW5144 , CW5147 , CW5148 • 1 ♀ , 1 nymph ; below Bevan Col , Matukituki Valley ; 44.39546° S , 168.68503° E ; 1750 m a.s.l. ; 29 Jan. 2021 ; D. Hegg leg.; rock slabs ; casual find while climbing ; MPN CW5181 , CW5182 • 1 nymph ; Turret Head , Earnslaw Burn ; 44.65757° S , 168.37977° E ; 2300 m a.s.l. ; 2 Feb. 2021 ; D. Hegg leg.; rocky ridge ; casual find while climbing ; GenBank: OM293735 ; MPN CW5176 • 1 nymph ; same collection data as for preceding; MPN CW5175 • 3 ♂♂ , 1 ♀ , 1 nymph ; Turret Head , Earnslaw Burn ; 44.65681° S , 168.38646° E ; 2100 m a.s.l. ; 2 Feb. 2020 ; D. Hegg leg.; rock bluffs ; night search + insect net ; MPN CW5244 to CW5247 , CW5177 • 1 ♂ , 2 ♀♀ , 5 nymphs ; Albertburn Saddle , East Matukituki ; 44.39752° S , 168.87310° E ; 1600 m a.s.l. ; 5 Feb. 2021 ; D. Hegg leg.; rock bluffs ; night search + insect net ; MPN CW5170 to CW5174 , CW5238 to CW5240 • 2 ♂♂ , 1 ♀ ; East Matukituki / Albertburn divide ; 44.36994° S , 168.8887° E ; 1830 m a.s.l. ; 6 Feb. 2021 ; D. Hegg leg.; rock bluffs ; night search + insect net ; MPN CW5241 to CW5243 • 2 ♀♀ ; French Ridge , West Matukituki ; 44.42520° S , 168.69874° E ; 1800 m a.s.l. ; 20 Feb. 2021 ; D. Hegg leg.; rocky ridge ; night search + insect net ; MPN CW5207 , CW5208 . – Central Otago (CO) • 1 ♂ ; Mt Pisa , Pisa Range ; 44.88278° S , 169.19500° E ; 1650 m a.s.l. ; 27 Feb. 2018 ; D. Hegg leg.; on tor; night search + insect net ; GenBank: OM293705 ; MPN CW3831 • 4 ♂♂ , 5 ♀♀ , 2 nymphs ; same collection data as for preceding; MPN CW3795 to CW3797 , CW3828 to CW3830 , CW3847 to CW3851 . – Mackenzie (MK) • 1 ♀ ; Dasler Pinnacles , Naumann Range ; 43.95237° S , 169.86241° E ; 1800 m a.s.l. ; 14 Jan. 2017 ; D. Hegg leg.; on rock bluffs ; night search ; GenBank: OM293691 ; MPN CW3284 • 3 ♂♂ ; same collection data as for preceding; MPN CW3283 , CW3285 , CW3296 • 1 ♂ ; Mt Edgar Thomson , Ben Ōhau Range ; 43.78252° S , 170.05561° E ; 2350 m a.s.l. ; 28 Jan. 2017 ; D. Hegg leg.; on mixed rock and snow ridge ; casual find while climbing ; GenBank: OM293690 ; MPN CW3278 . 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. Description MEASUREMENTS. See Table 1. HEAD. As per generic description. Eyes dark. Specimens living above the permanent snowline are entirely black. This includes all head parts that are usually pale otherwise, e.g., maxillary palps and antennae. THORAX. As per generic description. LEGS. Notably shorter than in P. montanus . The hind tibiae are approx. 10% shorter than the body in both males and females. Fore femora always unarmed at the apex. Mid femora armed with one retrolateral spine at the apex; prolateral apical spine absent. The first hind tarsus segment is armed with a variable number of linear spines above (up to nine); the second hind tarsus segment is only rarely armed with dorsal linear spines. The first tarsal segment on all six legs is pale at times, but not always; the insect can be entirely black ( Fig. 14D ). ABDOMEN. Tergites tomentose or glabrous; the latter trait appears to be more common in the northern half of the range. 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 yellow/black or light grey-brown/black at the lower elevations ( Fig. 14C ), transitioning to mostly black ( Fig. 8D ) or all black ( Fig. 14D ) at the higher elevations, especially above the permanent snow-line. MALE TERMINALIA. Subgenital plate an isosceles triangle with very rounded corners and a spoon on the vertex; keeled and mostly glabrous, with some sparse hair near the edges; shallow when seen from the side. In a dorsal view, only the spoon is visible, protruding beyond the paraprocts; these are covered in short, dense bristles ( Fig. 10D–F ). FEMALE TERMINALIA. Subgenital plate bilobed, the two rounded lobes short, broad, and asymmetrical, with a wide gap in between; very hairy ( Fig. 12D ). 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. 12E–F ).