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Pharmacus
Genus of orthopteran insects From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Pharmacus is a genus of cave wētā in the family Rhaphidophoridae, endemic to New Zealand. All species are alpine adapted and found at high elevations in the South Island.[1] They live among rocks on high mountain ridges, often well above glaciers and vegetation.[2] Pharmacus has a geographical range that extends from Nelson south to central Otago and Fiordland.[2] They are small insects with a body length of approximately 14-20mm.[3] In this genus, females are larger than males.[3] All species exhibit dark brown to black pigmentation of the body and legs.[2] They have a dense clothing of setae and a serrated ovipositor.[3][2] When active they are lively jumpers.[3] For example, Pharmacus montanus is known as the Mount Cook flea because of its habit of leaping out of rock crevices on to mountain climbers.[4]
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Taxonomy
The genus Pharmacus was first described by Pictet and de Saussure in 1893 as a monotypic taxon.[1] Pharmacus montanus was thought to be the only species in this genus.[1] However, three species were added to the genus by Richards in 1972.[1] These were Pharmacus brewsterensis (now moved to another genus), P. chapmanae and P. dumbletoni (both synonyms).[1] Six new species and three new subspecies have been recently added in 2022 by Hegg, Morgan-Richards and Trewick.[1] The six new species are Pharmacus concinnus, P. cristatus, P. notabilis, P. perfidus, P. senex, P. vallestris.[1] Three new subspecies of Pharmacus cochleatus have been described and are known as P. cochleatus rawhiti, P. cochleatus fiordensis, P. cochleatus nauclerus.[1]
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Morphology
Pharmacus montanus: body length = 14mm, ovipositor = 9.9mm, foreleg = 18.7mm, mid leg = 18.7mm, hind leg = 28.6mm.[3]
Diet
Little is known about the diet of these alpine insects.[5] Pharmacus are mainly herbivorous[6] and have been observed feeding on rock lichen.[1] However, they probably prey on small invertebrates.[1] Pharmacus may also feed on the rich red algal growth that coats snow-fields during the summer season.[1]
Distribution
Pharmacus are alpine specialists and are found throughout the mountain ranges of New Zealand's South Island.[1] They are only found above the tree line and into the nival zone.[1] They have been sighted at 1300m above sea level or higher.[1] On Mt Cook P. montanus has been recorded at 3400 m asl.[6] Different species of Pharmacus have varied distributions throughout the South Island.[1] Pharmacus montanus and Pharmacus cochleatus are the two most widespread species, occupying the length of the Southern Alps from Fiordland to Kahurangi National Park.[1]
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Species
- Pharmacus cochleatus (Karny, 1935)
- Pharmacus concinnus Hegg, Morgan-Richards &Trewick 2022
- Pharmacus cristatus Hegg, Morgan-Richards &Trewick 2022
- Pharmacus montanus Pictet & Saussure, 1891
- Pharmacus notabilis Hegg, Morgan-Richards &Trewick 2022
- Pharmacus perfidus Hegg, Morgan-Richards &Trewick 2022
- Pharmacus senex Hegg, Morgan-Richards &Trewick 2022
- Pharmacus vallestris Hegg, Morgan-Richards &Trewick 2022
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References
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