Pakaka, Taylor, 2025

Pakaka new genus

Fig. 7 View FIGURE 7

http://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:BC3A6D47-7197-47E8-8B94-3FD011F2545B

Type species: Megalopsalis grimmetti Forster 1944 View in CoL .

Etymology: Gender feminine. From the Maori pakaka, a burnt orange or ochre colour, in reference to the type species’ distinctive coloration.

Description: As for the type and only included species ( Forster 1944; Taylor 2011).

Comments: Pakaka grimmetti is a distinctive species found in the west of New Zealand’s South Island ( Taylor 2011). It may be distinguished from Forsteropsalis , Mangatangi , Puwere , Shelob and Ungoliant except U. photophaga by the presence of a hypersetose apophysis on the pedipalpal patella in both sexes, being particularly large in the female. It may be distinguished from Triascutum and Ungoliant photophaga by its genital morphology, having a long glans with subparallel sides, and from Pantopsalis by its long pedipalps and long bristle groups on the penis. Pakaka grimmetti may also be distinguished from all other Enantiobuninae by its body form, with a relatively broad, somewhat flattened and truncate, opisthosoma and characteristic pale matt venter. Photographs of live specimens exhibit an orange-brown coloration that contrasts with the darker colour of many other Enantiobuninae (https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/498091-Forsteropsalis-grimmetti).

Taylor (2011) described a beta male morph for Pakaka grimmetti , using the terminology established by Painting et al. (2015). However, a specimen held in MONZ (1 male, MC. Craigieburn Valley, Craigieburn Range, snowtussock, under rock, 5 February 1973, P. M. Johns) exhibits an alpha morphology with long, slender chelicerae ( Fig. 7c View FIGURE 7 ).