''Occultastella'' is a monotypic genus of tokoriro (cave

wētā Wētā (also spelled weta in English) is the common name for a group of about 100 insect species in the families Anostostomatidae and Rhaphidophoridae endemism, endemic to New Zealand. They are giant wingless insect, flightless cricket (insect ...

) in the

family Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...

Rhaphidophoridae The orthopteran family Rhaphidophoridae of the suborder Ensifera has a worldwide distribution. Common names for these insects include cave crickets, camel crickets, spider crickets (sometimes shortened to "criders" or "sprickets"), and sand trea ...

. The sole member of this genus, ''Occultastella morgana'', was described in 2024, and is endemic to

New Zealand New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...

Etymology

The genus name is based on two Latin words, occulta (hidden), referencing the secretive nature of the genus, and

stella Stella or STELLA may refer to: Art, entertainment, and media Films * ''Stella'' (1921 film), directed by Edwin J. Collins * ''Stella'' (1943 film), with Zully Moreno * ''Stella'' (1950 film), with Ann Sheridan and Victor Mature * ''Stella'' (1955 ...

(star), referencing the pale, flame-shaped markings on the head of ''Occultastella morgana''. The species epithet ''morgana'' is a reference to New Zealand researcher

Mary Morgan-Richards Mary Morgan-Richards is a New Zealand biologist, and as of 2019 is a full professor at Massey University. Academic career In 1995, Morgan-Richard's completed a PhD thesis titled '' 'Weta Karyotypes: the Systematic Significance of Their Variatio ...

, who has made significant contributions to the understanding of New Zealand tokoriro (cave wētā).

Taxonomy and morphology

The genus ''Occultastella'' and species ''Occultastella morgana'' were described by Steven A. Trewick in 2024. ''Occultastella'' is sister to the Rhaphidophoridae species endemic to the

Snares Islands The Snares Islands (; officially Snares Islands / Tini Heke), known colloquially as The Snares, is a group of uninhabited islands lying about south of New Zealand's South Island and to the south-southwest of Stewart Island / Rakiura. The Snar ...

('' Insulanoplectron spinosum''). These nocturnal crickets are wingless and silent. ''Occultastella morgana'' is approximately in length, with its antennae being longer than its body. ''Occultastella morgana'' is typically dark brown to black in colour. The head of the species has a distinctive cream/white candle flame marking on each side of the midline of the pronotum.

Distribution

''Occultastella morgana'' was originally found in the coal seam soils of the Denniston Plateau in the

West Coast Region The West Coast () is a region of New Zealand on the west coast of the South Island. It is administered by the West Coast Regional Council, and is known co-officially as Te Tai Poutini. It comprises the territorial authorities of Buller Distri ...

of the South Island of New Zealand, during a

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organised in 2012 by

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to highlight the threat to the Plateau by the Escarpment Mine Project. It can also be found in the northwestern South Island, including

Kahurangi National Park Kahurangi National Park is a national park in the northwest of the South Island of New Zealand. It is the second largest of the thirteen national parks of New Zealand. It was gazetted in 1996 and covers , ranging from the Buller River near Murc ...

and the Westport area. Trewick was surprised to find a new genus on the Denniston Plateau, due to the history of coal mining and its effects on the local ecosystem.

References

{{Taxonbar, from1=Q128095906, from2=Q127688487 Ensifera genera Cave wētā Insects described in 2024 Endemic insects of New Zealand Monotypic Orthoptera genera Rhaphidophoridae