Puwere, Taylor, 2025

Puwere new genus

Fig. 8a, b View FIGURE 8

http://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:A977637B-B178-4286-875D-D42828864F4A

Type species: Forsteropsalis pureora Taylor, 2013a View in CoL .

Other possible species (original combinations): Pantopsalis grayi Hogg, 1920 View in CoL , Pantopsalis wattsi Hogg, 1920 View in CoL .

Etymology: Gender masculine. From the Maori puwere (pronounced ‘poo-weh-reh’), an arachnid.

Description: As for type and only definite species ( Taylor 2013a).

Comments: Puwere pureora is a widespread species across the central North Island ( Powell et al. 2020). It may be distinguished from Pakaka , Pantopsalis , Triascutum and Ungoliant photophaga by the absence of an apophysis or hypersetose area on the pedipalpal patella, and from Forsteropsalis , Mangatangi , Shelob and Ungoliant by its genital morphology, with the penis having a relatively long, parallel-sided glans that does not narrow immediately distad of the shaft-glans junction.

Two further species are not formally included in Puwere , owing to a lack of data, but are noted here for consideration. Pantopsalis wattsi was described by Hogg (1920) on the basis of a single male specimen from Hawera in the Taranaki region, North Island. Despite a brief redescription of the holotype by Taylor (2011), who transferred it to Forsteropsalis , this species remains poorly characterised. Most significantly, no description is yet available of its genital morphology. The recent identification of male trimorphism in P. pureora by Powell et al. (2020) raises the question whether F. wattsi might represent a gamma male of that species. The primary feature currently distinguishing the two species, more developed denticulation on the prosoma of P. pureora , could represent intra-specific variation correlating with the smaller size of the F. wattsi holotype. The type localities of the two species, Pureora in the Waikato district and Hawera in the Taranaki district, are separated by only about 250 km. Specimens assigned to F. wattsi were placed in a clade with P. pureora by Giribet et al. (2021b) but their species identity should be considered uncertain. They were collected in the northern South Island and may represent a related but as yet undescribed species.

Pantopsalis grayi was also described by Hogg (1920) on the basis of a poorly preserved female specimen from Waikaremoana near Te Urewera National Park. Though this is also within the potential range of Puwere pureora , it is unlikely that the specific identity of this specimen could ever be confidently established, and P. grayi remains a nomen dubium.