Pharmacus notabilis Hegg & Morgan-Richards & Trewick 2022, sp. nov.

Pharmacus notabilis sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: C181B24B-F2EC-4E23-87C8-C795AA133604

Figs 1–2, 6, 8H, 9E, 10J–L, 12J–L, 15C, 16D, 18D

Diagnosis

A mid-sized cave wētā found in the low alpine regions of The Remarkables and Hector Mountains, east of Lake Wakatipu, at elevations between 1200 m and 1600 m. Body colour is chequered turquois/ grey and eye colour is blue/grey. A prolateral apical spine on the fore femur is always present in males, occasionally in females.

The sympatric Pharmacus cochleatus rawhiti subsp. nov. is mainly found at higher elevations and is easily differentiated by its brown tergites and reddish legs and antennae.Two other species of Rhaphidophoridae share the habitat with P. notabilis sp. 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

‘ Nŏtābĭlis ’ is Latin for ‘remarkable’, after the location where the species was first discovered, The Remarkables near Queenstown. Pharmacus notabilis means ‘remarkable sorcerer’.

Material examined (see also Supp. file 1: Table S7)

Holotype NEW ZEALAND • ♂, adult; Central Otago (CO), Remarkables Ski-field Access Road; 45.02651° S, 168.79748° E; 1220 m a.s.l.; 12 May 2017; D. Hegg leg.; under boulders in road escarpment; night search + insect net; NMNZ AI.052296 (prev. MPN CW3528).

Paratype NEW ZEALAND • 1 ♀, adult; Central Otago (CO), Two Mile Hut, Hector Mountains; 45.17392° S, 168.80270° E; 1460 m a.s.l.; 26 Apr. 2019; D. Hegg leg.; on large boulders; night search + insect net; NMNZ AI.052297 (prev. MPN CW4394).

Other material

NEW ZEALAND – Central Otago (CO) • 2 ♂♂; Remarkables North ridge; 45.0413° S, 168.7977° E; 1600 m a.s.l.; Jan. 2013; T. Jewell leg.; in cracks in rock bluffs; GenBank: OM293682, OM293683; MPN CW2587, CW2589 • 1 ♂, 5 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceding; MPN CW2588, CW2590 to CW2594 • 1 ♀; same collection data as for holotype; GenBank: OM293701; MPN CW3509 • 3 ♂♂, 3 ♀♀, 5 nymphs; same collection data as for holotype; MPN CW3510 to CW3513, CW3524 to CW3527, CW3529 to CW3531 • 1 ♂; same collection data as for paratype; GenBank: OM293716; MPN CW4391 • 2 ♂♂, 1 nymph; same collection data as for paratype; MPN CW4392, CW4393, CW4500.

Description

MEASUREMENTS. See Table 1.

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

THORAX. As per generic description.

LEGS. The hind tibiae are approx. 10% Shorter than the body in females, equally long as body in males. Fore femora always armed at the apex with one prolateral spine in males, occasionally also in females. 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 eight); the second hind tarsus segment is only rarely armed with dorsal linear spines.

ABDOMEN. Tergites glabrous or sparsely tomentose (Fig. 8H), coloured chequered brown in nymphs, chequered turquois/grey in adults (Fig. 15C). A thin, pale median line along the whole length of the insect is generally present.

MALE TERMINALIA. Subgenital plate unmistakeable, elongated, the vertex of the spoon acuminate, shallow when seen from the side (Fig. 10J–L).

FEMALE TERMINALIA. Subgenital plate small, narrow at the base and widening at the vertex, bilobed, the two rounded, narrow lobes very hairy (Fig. 12J). Ovipositor relatively short, on average 60% of body length, gently curving upwards; lower valve with 5 to 7 teeth below at the apex (Fig. 12K–L).