Praecantrix silvatica lutea

Hegg, Danilo, Morgan-Richards, Mary & Trewick, Steven A., 2024, Revision of the New Zealand cave wētā genus Isoplectron Hutton (Orthoptera: Rhaphidophoridae), with synonymy of Petrotettix Richards and Setascutum Richards, and the description of a new genus, European Journal of Taxonomy 971, pp. 1-75 : 60-61

Praecantrix silvatica lutea gen., sp. et subsp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:31C70239-046B-4818-8497-BD3359457C25

Figs 1C–D , 3 , 9 , 10B , 12K , 13J , 16G–I , 19G–I , 23F

Diagnosis

Praecantrix silvatica lutea gen., sp. et subsp. nov. is very similar to the sister subspecies Praecantrix s. silvatica , from which it is only differentiated by the overall lighter coloration of the dorsum, and by the shorter, strongly recurved ovipositor. The two subspecies are allopatric.

Etymology

The Latin adjective ‘ lūtĕus ’ means ‘yellow’ or ‘orange’, after the predominant colour on the insect’s dorsum.

Material examined (see also Supp. file 1: Table S11)

Holotype

NEW ZEALAND • ♂, adult; Southland (SL), McLean Falls, Catlins Forest ; 46.57093° S, 169.34823° E; 60 m a.s.l.; 4 Aug. 2017; D. Hegg leg.; on tree trunk in native forest; night search + insect net; NMNZ AI.071902.

Paratype

NEW ZEALAND • 1 ♀, adult; Dunedin (DN), Ōpoho, Dunedin; 45.85440° S, 170.53380° E; 130 m a.s.l.; 18 Jun. 2022; D. Hegg leg.; on tree trunk; night search + insect net; GenBank: PP155081; NMNZ AI.071903 .

Other material

NEW ZEALAND – Stewart Island (SI) • 1 ♀; Rakeahua River estuary; 46.97496° S, 167.90398° E; 0 m a.s.l.; 10 Mar. 2021; J. Tweed leg.; underneath rotting log; photograph only; iNaturalist 73903375 . – Fiordland (FD) • 1 ♂; Surprise Bay, Lake Manapouri ; 45.55036° S, 167.56380° E; 180 m a.s.l.; 18 Nov. 2017; D. Hegg leg.; on tree trunk in native forest; night search + insect net; GenBank: PP155078; MPN CW3782 • 1 ♂; same data as for preceding; MPN CW4944 • 1 ♀; Dock Bay, Lake Te Anau ; 45.43580° S, 167.67849° E; 240 m a.s.l.; Jan. 2014; T. Jewell leg.; on tree trunk in native forest; GenBank: PP155080; MPN CW2599 . – Southland (SL) • 1 nymph; same data as for holotype; GenBank: PP155090; MPN CW3784 • 1 ♂; same data as for holotype; MPN CW3901 • 1 ♀; same data as for holotype; MPN CW4946 • 1 ♀; McLennan Range, Catlins Forest ; 46.48570° S, 169.16642° E; 400 m a.s.l.; 1 Dec. 2018; D. Hegg leg.; on tree trunk in native forest; night search + insect net; MPN CW4951 . – Dunedin (DN) • 1 ♀; Sullivans Dam, Dunedin ; 45.80771° S, 170.52375° E; 300 m a.s.l.; 15 Aug. 2019; D. Hegg leg.; on tree trunk in native forest; night search + insect net; MPN CW4451 • 1 ♀; Staircase Hut track, Waianakarua ; 45.28210° S, 170.69724° E; 420 m a.s.l.; 3 Sep. 2016; D. Hegg leg.; on tree trunk in native forest; night search + insect net; GenBank: PP155079; MPN CW3158 • 1 ♀; same data as for preceding; MPN CW3160 . – South Canterbury (SC) • 1 ♂; Otaio Gorge ; 44.52335° S, 170.92860° E; 230 m a.s.l.; 18 Mar. 2018; D. Hegg leg.; on tree trunk in native forest; night search + insect net; MPN CW4931 • 1 ♂; Claremont Bush Reserve ; 44.41214° S, 171.08438° E; 150 m a.s.l.; 21 Sep. 2018; D. Hegg leg.; on tree trunk in native forest; night search + insect net; MPN CW4950 • 1 ♂; Peel Forest ; 43.89657° S, 171.23457° E; 460 m a.s.l.; 3 Oct. 2020; D. Hegg leg.; on tree trunk in native forest; night search + insect net; MPN CW4968 • 1 ♀; same data as for preceding; MPN CW4969 . – Kaikōura (KA) • 1 ♀; Hinau Walk, Kaikōura ; 42.35082° S, 173.56802° E; 200 m a.s.l.; 22 Oct. 2016; D. Hegg leg.; on tree trunk in native forest; photograph only; iNaturalist 4438856 . – Wellington (WN) • 1 ♀; Butterfly Creek, Eastbourne ; 41.298° S, 174.905° E; 100 m a.s.l.; Apr. 2006; M. Morgan-Richards and S. Trewick leg.; MPN CW366 .

Description

MEASUREMENTS. See Table 1. Sexual dimorphism in body length, with females being slightly larger than males.

HEAD. Same as in P. s. silvatica .

THORAX. Pronotum, mesonotum and metanotum glabrous and shiny, dark on the sides, red-orange in the middle ( Fig. 12K ). Crisp line delimitating the dark upper parts from the white sternites.

LEGS. Same as in P. s. silvatica , but with the number of dorsal linear spines on the hind tibiae varying between 11 and 16 on each side.

ABDOMEN. All tergites glabrous and shiny, dark on the sides, red-orange in the middle ( Fig. 12K ). Sternites pale.

MALE TERMINALIA. Same as in P. s. silvatica (see Fig. 16 G-I).

FEMALE TERMINALIA. Subgenital plate square, with two rounded lobes on the distal corners, covered with sparse hair at the apex ( Fig. 19G ). Ovipositor approximately 50% of body length; strongly recurved upwards from the base to the apex; lower valve with 6 to 7 teeth below at the apex; dorsal surface of upper valve heavily serrated with strong teeth in distal third ( Fig. 19H–I ).

Distribution and habitat

Exclusively a forest insect, common and widespread in the southern and eastern regions of New Zealand’s South Island, mainly near the coast; also found on Stewart Island / Rakiura and in the Wellington Region in North Island ( Fig. 10B ).

Figures

Fig. 1. Comparison of rhaphidophorid terminalia in nymphs and adults. A–B. Isoplectron pallidum (Richards, 1972) comb. nov., ♂. Crown Range Road, Central Otago. A. Nymph, final instar (MPN CW5561). B. Adult (MPN CW5601). C–D. Praecantrix silvatica gen. et sp. nov., ♀. Catlins Forest, Southland. C. Nymph, final instar (MPN CW4951). D. Adult (MPN CW4946). Scale bars: 500 μm.

Fig. 3. A. Phylogenetic relationships of six genera of New Zealand Rhaphidophoridae Walker, 1869 inferred from whole mitochondrial genome sequences using Maximum Likelihood approach and 1000 bootstraps. B. Map of New Zealand, showing locations of specimens of Isoplectron Hutton, 1896 and Praecantrix gen. nov. used in phylogenetic analyses (Figs 6–7). Colours correspond to different genera: red = Isoplectron; green = Praecantrix. 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. 9. Gene tree for the two morphologically identified species of Praecantrix gen. nov. using Maximum Likelihood analysis of ~850 bp of mtDNA (COI) from 22 specimens. Node support labels are the result of 1000 ML bootstrap replicates.

Fig. 10. Known distribution of cave wētā in the genera Isoplectron Hutton, 1896 and Praecantrix gen. nov. A–C. All of New Zealand. A. Isoplectron armatum Hutton, 1896. Solid shapes indicate material collected as part of this study; empty circles indicate additional locations of material examined by Hutton (1896). Shapes represent different subspecies: circle = Isoplectron armatum armatum Hutton, 1896; diamond = Isoplectron armatum aciculatum Karny, 1937. B. Praecantrix silvatica gen. et sp. nov. Shapes represent different subspecies: dark green square = Praecantrix silvatica silvatica gen., sp. et subsp. nov.; light green diamond = Praecantrix silvatica lutea gen., sp. et subsp. nov. D. Map of North Island. E–J. Map of South Island. F. Isoplectron serratum (Richards, 1972) comb. nov. Solid shapes indicate material collected as part of this study; empty diamonds indicate additional locations of material examined by Richards (1972). Scale bars: 200 km.

Fig. 12. Dorsal view of cave wētā in the genera Isoplectron Hutton, 1896 and Praecantrix gen. nov. A–I. Isoplectron. A. I. armatum armatum Hutton, 1896, adult ♂. Parsons Bush, Lake Ōhau (MPN CW5123). B. I. armatum aciculatum Karny, 1937, adult ♀. Ohakune (MPN CW5644). C. I. bicolor sp. nov., adult ♂. Mt Arthur Tablelands (MPN CW3760). D. I. serratum (Richards, 1972) comb. nov., adult ♂. The Gap, Torlesse Range (MPN CW3182). E. I. maculatum sp. nov., holotype, adult ♂. Middle Mt Peel, South Canterbury (NMNZ AI.071892). F. I. ferratum sp. nov., holotype, adult ♂. Cave Brook, Gouland Downs (NMNZ AI.071896). G. I. virgatum sp. nov., adult ♀. Cave Brook, Gouland Downs (MPN CW3794). H. I parallelum sp. nov., adult ♀. Ahumairangi Town Belt, Wellington (MPN CW5598). I. I. pallidum (Richards, 1972) comb. nov., adult ♂. Mt Kyeburn, Danseys Pass (MPN CW3456). J–L. Praecantrix. J. P. silvatica silvatica gen., sp. et subsp. nov., adult ♂. Mt Arthur Hut (MPN CW5390). K. P. silvatica lutea gen., sp. et subsp. nov., adult ♂. Peel Forest (MPN CW4968). L. P. saxicola gen et sp. nov., holotype, adult ♂. Mt Wakefield (NMNZ AI.071904). Scale bar: 10 mm.

Fig. 13. Left hind tibia of cave wētā in the genera Isoplectron Hutton, 1896 and Praecantrix gen. nov., adult ♂, dorsal view. A–I. Isoplectron. A. I. armatum armatum Hutton, 1896. Parsons Bush, Lake Ōhau (MPN CW5123). B. I. armatum aciculatum Karny, 1937. Ohakune (MPN CW 5646). C. I. bicolor sp. nov., holotype. Cave Brook, Gouland Downs (NMNZ AI.071889). D. I. pallidum (Richards, 1972) comb. nov. Duffers Saddle, Old Woman Range (MPN CW5385). E. I. serratum (Richards, 1972) comb. nov. The Gap,Torlesse Range (MPN CW3182).F. I. maculatumsp. nov., holotype. Middle Mt Peel, South Canterbury (NMNZ AI.071892). G. I. virgatum sp. nov. Cave Brook, Gouland Downs (MPN CW3776). H. I. ferratum sp. nov., holotype. Cave Brook, Gouland Downs (NMNZ AI.071896). I. I. parallelum sp. nov. Ahumairangi Town Belt, Wellington (MPN CW5569). J–K. Praecantrix J. P. silvatica lutea gen., sp. et subsp. nov. McLean Falls, Catlins Forest (MPN CW3901). K. P. saxicola gen et sp. nov., holotype. Mt Wakefield (NMNZ AI.071904). Scale bar: 5 mm.

Fig. 16. Adult male terminalia of cave wētā in the genera Isoplectron Hutton, 1896 and Praecantrix gen. nov. Left column: dorsal view; central column: ventral view (subgenital plate); right column: lateral view. A–C. Isoplectron parallelum sp. nov., holotype. Ahumairangi Town Belt, Wellington (NMNZ AI.071898). D–F. Praecantrix silvatica silvatica gen., sp. et subsp. nov. D, F. Holotype. Mt Arthur Tablelands, Kahurangi NP (NMNZ AI.071900). E. Richmond Saddle, Marlborough (MPN CW4136). G–I. Praecantrix silvatica lutea gen., sp. et subsp. nov., holotype. McLean Falls, Catlins Forest (NMNZ AI.071902). J–L. Praecantrix saxicola gen. et sp. nov., holotype. Mt Wakefield, Aoraki / Mt Cook NP (NMNZ AI.071904). Scale bars: 1 mm.

Fig. 19. Adult female terminalia of cave wētā in the genera Isoplectron Hutton, 1896 and Praecantrix gen.nov.Leftcolumn:subgenitalplate; centraland right columns:ovipositor.A–C. Isoplectronparallelum sp. nov., paratype. Ahumairangi Town Belt, Wellington (NMNZ AI.071899). D–F. Praecantrix silvatica silvatica gen., sp. et subsp. nov. D. Paratype. Smoothwater Bay, South Westland (NMNZ AI.071901). E–F. Aspiring Hut, Mt Aspiring NP (MPN CW3518). G–I. Praecantrix silvatica lutea gen., sp. et subsp. nov. G. Paratype. Ōpoho, Dunedin (NMNZ AI.071903). H–I. McLean Falls, Catlins (MPN CW4946). J–L. Praecantrix saxicola gen.et sp. nov., paratype. Mt St Bathans, Central Otago (NMNZ AI.071905). Scale bars: 1 mm.

Fig. 23. Live Isoplectron Hutton, 1896 and Praecantrix gen. nov. in their natural habitats. A. Isoplectron virgatum sp. nov., adult ♀ on Astelia Banks & Sol. ex R.Br. leaf. Bob’s Hut, Matakitaki River. B. Isoplectron ferratum sp. nov. in black beech Fuscospora solandri (Hook.f.) Heenan & Smissen tree canopy. Cave Brook, Gouland Downs, Kahurangi NP.C. Isoplectron parallelum sp. nov., adult ♀ on flax Phormium tenax J.R.Forst. & G.Forst. flower. Wellington. D. Praecantrix saxicola sp. nov., adult ♀. Mt St Bathans, Central Otago. E. Praecantrix silvatica silvatica gen., sp. et subsp. nov. adult ♀. Mt Arthur Tablelands, Kahurangi NP. F. Praecantrix silvatica lutea gen., sp. et subsp. nov. adult ♀. Hinau Track, Kaikōura.