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A. Pleioplectron auratum sp. nov., adult ♂, Whites Beach, Rarangi.
B. P. gubernator sp. nov., two adult ♂♂, Three Pointer, Gouland Downs, Heaphy Track.
C. P. caudatum sp. nov., adult ♂, Blowfly Hut, Moeraki River, South Westland.
D. P. flavicorne sp. nov., sub-adult ♀, Blowfly Hut, Moeraki River, South Westland.
E–F. P. crystallae sp. nov. E. Adult ♂, Cave Brook, Gouland Downs, Kahurangi NP. F. Adult ♀ feeding on Racomitrium Brid. moss, Salisbury Lodge, Mt Arthur, Kahurangi NP.
Hegg, Morgan-Richards & Trewick, 2019
DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2019.577
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Abstract
The genus Pleioplectron was first described by Hutton (1896) and included six New Zealand species. This genus has since had three species moved, one each to the genera Pachyrhamma Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1888, Miotopus Hutton, 1898 and Novoplectron Richards, 1958. Here we clarify the status and appearance of Pleioplectron simplex Hutton, 1896 (incl. P. pectinatum Hutton, 1896 syn. nov.) and P. hudsoni Hutton, 1896, as well as P. thomsoni (Chopard, 1923) comb. nov., which is transferred from the genus Weta Chopard, 1923. The genus Weta is newly synonymised with Pleioplectron. We also describe seven new species of Pleioplectron from South Island, New Zealand: P. auratum sp. nov., P. caudatum sp. nov, P. crystallae sp. nov., P. flavicorne sp. nov., P. gubernator sp. nov., P. rodmorrisi sp. nov and P. triquetrum sp. nov. We base these descriptions on morphology using fresh specimens of both male and female adults, and provide support for each with DNA sequence variation (mtDNA, partial COI).
Keywords: Cave wētā; Pleioplectron; Rhaphidophoridae; systematics; New Zealand
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| Fig. 14. Live Pleioplectron Hutton, 1896 in their natural environments. A–B. P. simplex Hutton, 1896, Hinewai Reserve, Banks Peninsula. A. Adult ♀ feeding on a small native snail Flammulina zebra (Le Guillou, 1842). B. Adult ♂. The different colouration is due to individual variation, not sexual dimorphism. C–D. P. thomsoni (Chopard, 1923) comb. nov. C. Adult ♂ in natural cave, Trotters Gorge, Otago. D. Adult ♀ in mining tunnel in Bannockburn, Central Otago, where a population of nearly white colour exists. E. P. hudsoni Hutton, 1896, adult ♀, Otaki Forks, Tararua Forest. F. P. triquetrum sp. nov., ♂, Hinau Track, Kaikōura. |
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| Fig. 15. Live Pleioplectron Hutton, 1896 in their natural environments. A. P. auratum sp. nov., adult ♂, Whites Beach, Rarangi. B. P. gubernator sp. nov., two adult ♂♂, Three Pointer, Gouland Downs, Heaphy Track. C. P. caudatum sp. nov., adult ♂, Blowfly Hut, Moeraki River, South Westland. D. P. flavicorne sp. nov., sub-adult ♀, Blowfly Hut, Moeraki River, South Westland. E–F. P. crystallae sp. nov. E. Adult ♂, Cave Brook, Gouland Downs, Kahurangi NP. F. Adult ♀ feeding on Racomitrium Brid. moss, Salisbury Lodge, Mt Arthur, Kahurangi NP. |
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| Fig. 18. Known distribution of cave wētā in the genus Pleioplectron Hutton, 1896. A. North Island, New Zealand, showing the distribution of P. hudsoni. B–J. South Island, New Zealand, showing the distribution of the remaining nine species. |
Danilo Hegg, Mary Morgan-Richards and Steven A. Trewick. 2019. Diversity and Distribution of Pleioplectron Hutton Cave Wētā (Orthoptera: Rhaphidophoridae: Macropathinae), with the Synonymy of Weta Chopard and the Description of Seven New Species. European Journal of Taxonomy. 577;1–46. DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2019.577
