Wikipedia:WikiProject New Zealand/Critter of the Week

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About Critter of the Week

Critter of the Week is a regular Radio New Zealand broadcast in which Nicola Toki (originally of DOC, now Forest & Bird) and the host Jesse Mulligan talk about New Zealand species both endangered and neglected. It has been running since 2015, and has covered over 300 different species. "Critter" here refers to plants, animals, or fungi.

This is a planning page for volunteers and the show's hosts. Almost from the start, volunteers have been helping by creating or improving the corresponding Wikipedia article for each species to coincide with the Friday broadcast of the show, and we would like to work more closely with F&B and RNZ to suggest species, arrange openly-licensed photos, and add a link to each broadcast. For more background, see:

• Dickison, Mike (2023-06-29). "Let's talk about critters and Wikinerds". Forest and Bird. Retrieved 2023-07-02.

Team Critter

To join Team Critter, sign up to the mailing list for a weekly notification of what the next critter is and what needs doing. If you want, you can add {{User Team Critter}} to your user page. The coordinator is Mike Dickison (User:Giantflightlessbirds) (mikerove.wiki).

This user belongs to Team Critter.

Our Critter of the Week artwork is by illustrator Giselle Clarkson.

Volunteer members of Team Critter are committing to helping each week by updating the critter list, making sure there is a link from the Wikipedia article to the radio show, and improving the article if necessary. There are plenty of different jobs to do: one person could add the link to the RNZ show each week, another could look for photos in iNaturalist, and a third could write up a Taxonomy section from the scientific literature.

Occasionally Team Critter will meet via videoconference to make plans, and there is likely to be an annual Critter of the Week edit-a-thon to work on the backlog of articles. Those new to editing Wikipedia are welcome and we can hook you up with training and support, such as a Zoom Q&A or newbie tutorial. You might find resources like User:Dracophyllum's essay on how to write a NZ plant article useful.

	The Robust Grasshopper Award
	Each year someone is designated the Most Valuable Player on Team Critter, and becomes a member of the Order of the Robust Grasshopper (Brachaspis robustus) • 2022: Marshelec • 2023: Stitchbird2

Weekly tasks

Feel free to put your Wikipedia username beside a task if you feel sure you can tackle something each week. You can also use this list as a checklist to see what still needs doing to an article.

1. Commons Category • 2 min • Easy • Done by:
   1. In the External links section, we can add a link the Wikimedia Commons category for the species. First, find the species in Commons (looking at its Wikidata item—in the side menu—can speed that up). The Commons link goes just after the heading and before the link to the episode. Format:
      {{Commons category}}.
   2. If the Category in Wikimedia Commons has a different name to this article title, add it:
      {{Commons category|Petroica australis}}.
   3. If there's almost nothing else in the External links section, use * {{Commons category-inline}} to make the Commons link part of a bulleted list.
   4. See Template:Commons category for more formatting tricks
2. Importing photos from iNaturalist • 10 min • Easy (when iNaturalist2Commons is set up) • Done by:
3. NZTCS Conservation Status • 5 min • Medium • Done by:
4. Cleaning up references • 5–30 min • Medium • Done by:
5. Creating a photo gallery • 10 min • Easy • Done by:
6. Adding a Taxonomy section • 30 min • Tricky • Done by:
7. Approaching Someone to Change a Photo Licence • 30 min • Medium • Done by
8. Link to Show • 5 min (1–2 hours after the show airs) • Easy • Done by:
   1. In each Critter article we need a link to the episode on RNZ's website. You can search the site for Critter, or look at the Afternoons schedule to see if it's been posted yet. The text in the article should look like this:
      • Priocnemis monachus discussed on RNZ Critter of the Week, 3 February 2023
   2. In source view, that's:
      * ''Priocnemis monachus'' discussed on [[Radio New Zealand|RNZ]] ''[[Critter of the Week]]'', [https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/afternoons/audio/2018876335/critter-of-the-week 3 February 2023].
   3. That text goes in the "External links" section, after the References section. If there's no "External links" heading, create one (note it's in sentence case).

The critter list

How to add something to the critter list

1. Try to narrow down to a single species, even if Nic casually talks about 15 species at once (as she sometimes does).
2. Create one or two common-name redirect links (most articles use the Latin name as the title), but Google to make sure these are the common names for the NZ species and nothing else. For example, "glow-in-the-dark mushroom" just isn't specific enough. Some things don't have a common name.
3. Make a red or blue link to the Latin-named article; Google to check there isn't already an article under a different Latin name.
4. The "Class" is really just "convenient higher taxon"; it helps the show's organisers see if a critter has already been covered, and highlights groups that have been neglected when trying to select the next critter. We're currently using algae, fungi, lichens, gymnosperms, angiosperms (flowering plants), anthozoans (coral), echinoderms, arachnids, gastropoda (snails), bivalves, crustacea, insects (lots of those!), osteichthyes (bony fishes), chondrichthyes (ones with cartilage), reptilia, amphibia, aves, and mammalia. Plus a few weird ones. Lump not split if possible.
5. The "Broadcast" column links to the RNZ page for that episode. Feel free to add the date, even if the show hasn't been broadcast or gone online yet. Note: use the three-letter abbreviation for the month, so Wikipedia sorts the list correctly. Sometimes the broadcast is missing from the RNZ list of all critters: if that's so, email someone (email address TBD) to let them know there's a mistake.
6. We currently hand-enter the article quality using the template {{Icon|C}}. Some of those quality assessments are missing or out of date, both in this table and in the articles. Once a year we could have a "Critter-a-thon", go through the table and update all the ratings and links, and note what needs doing to the article.
7. The older entries on the list use a more basic show listing, so really need to be updated. Put a check mark (✓) beside the broadcast date in the table below when the article now has a link to the show (that's all it means, it doesn't mean the article's now "finished").
8. Feel free to add specific tasks or problems in the "Notes" field. New articles or substantially improved ones could be nominated for Did You Know; note "DYK" if you do, and link to the DYK listing when it appears.

Common name	Latin name	"Class"	Broadcast	Qual	Notes
			8 Nov 2024
By-the-wind sailor	Velella velella	Cnidaria	1 Nov 2024		Systematics section needs work and refs
Waitaha gecko	Woodworthia cf. brunnea	Reptilia	25 Oct 2024	—
Seaweed isopod	Paridotea ungulata	Crustacea	18 Oct 2024	—	M is sourcing better photos and video to create this
Kikipounamu	Caedicia simplex	Insecta	11 Oct 2024
Eastern rockhopper penguin	Eudyptes chrysocome filholi	Aves	4 Oct 2024
Manawatāwhi pāua	Haliotis pirimoana	Mollusca	27 Sep 2024
Prickly shark	Echinorhinus cookei	Chondrichthyes	20 Sep 2024
Black-headed jumping spider	Trite planiceps	Arachnida	13 Sep 2024
Common robber fly	Neoitamus melanopogon	Insecta	6 Sep 2024
Hidden star tokoriro	Occultastella morgana	Insecta	30 Aug 2024		Could do with some expansion and connection to Denniston bioblitz, and a better image.
New Zealand hermit crab	Pagurus novizealandiae	Crustacea	23 Aug 2024		Needs a rewrite; another student assignment
Shore skink	Oligosoma smithi	Reptilia	16 Aug 2024		Lots of "citation needed".
Globular springtail	Dicyrtoma fusca	Insecta	9 Aug 2024	—	To create
Lace lichen	Pulchrocladia retipora	Lichens	2 Aug 2024		Article recently passed Good review
Curt the fluke	Curtuteria australis	Trematoda	26 Jul 2024	—	To create. Images to clear with Robert Poulin, illustration by Franz Anthony donated
Spiny gilled mayfly	Coloburiscus humeralis	Insecta	19 Jul 2024	—	To create: 1, 2, 3. Coloburiscidae exists.
Macquarie Island cabbage	Azorella polaris	Apiaceae	12 Jul 2024✓
Grey side-gilled sea slug	Pleurobranchaea maculata	Mollusca	5 Jul 2024✓
Black-eye grasshopper	Sigaus villosus	Insecta	21 Jun 2024		Following week was Matariki holiday
Reef starfish	Stichaster australis	Asteroidea	14 Jun 2024
Smooth Stick-insect	Clitarchus hookeri	Insecta	7 Jun 2024
Leatherback sea turtle	Dermochelys coriacea	Reptilia	31 May 2024
Pūteketeke	Podiceps cristatus	Aves	24 May 2024
Pūtawa	Laetiporus portentosus	Fungi	17 May 2024✓
Forest ghost moth	Dumbletonius unimaculatus	Insecta	11 May 2024✓
Great giant scale insect	Coelostomidia zealandica	Insecta	3 May 2024✓		Freshly-created article needs work!
Common square–ended crab spider	Sidymella angularis	Arachnida	26 Apr 2024✓		Created and improved to C class
Ram's horn squid	Spirula spirula	Mollusca	19 Apr 2024✓
New Zealand sandhopper	Bellorchestia quoyana	Amphipoda	12 Apr 2024✓
Otago alpine cockroach	Celatoblatta quinquemaculata	Insecta	5 Apr 2024✓
Dabchick / Weweia	Poliocephalus rufopectus	Aves	22 Mar 2024✓		Some improvements could be made: move to New Zealand dabchick?
Ghost shrimp	Filhollianassa filholi	Crustacea	15 Mar 2024✓		Freshly-created article needs work!
Fischer's egg	Claustula fischeri	Fungi	8 Mar 2024✓		(needs expansion): NB also featured 2 Dec 2016.
Gloomy octopus	Octopus tetricus	Mollusca	1 Mar 2024✓
Black cockroach hunter wasp	Tachysphex nigerrimus	Insecta	16 Feb 2024✓		Created
New Zealand drywood termite	Kalotermes brouni	Insecta	9 Feb 2024✓
Waikaka mudfish	Neochanna diversus	Osteichthyes	2 Feb 2024✓
Superb giant land snail	Powelliphanta superba	Gastopoda	26 Jan 2024✓
Redcoat damselfly	Xanthocnemis zealandica	Insecta	22 Dec 2023✓
Kiwaia "Cloudy Bay" moth		Insecta	15 Dec 2023		This is a currently undescribed likely new species of moth. On the show, Nicola Toki described this as a mat daisy jumper or the Cloudy Bay moth. This probable new species has also been referred to as Kiwaia sp. cf. jeanae “Cloudy Bay”. This name indicates that the species is likely to fall in the genus Kiwaia and is similar in appearance to Kiwaia jeanae but is has yet to be formally or scientifically described. This probable new species likely falls within Kiwaia, a genus of moths with the common name of mat daisy jumper. There is a useful document about the Cloudy Bay moth here. [1]
Mt Arthur giant wētā	Deinacrida tibiospina	Insecta	8 Dec 2023✓
Variegated spittlebug	Carystoterpa fingens	Insecta	1 Dec 2023✓
Giant nematode	Placentonema gigantissima	Rhabditida	24 Nov 2023✓
Alexander Beetle	Megadromus antarcticus	Insecta	17 Nov 2023✓
Laughing owl	Ninox albifacies	Aves	10 Nov 2023✓
Mauve stinger	Pelagia nocticula	Cnidaria	3 Nov 2023✓
Canterbury scree cicada	Maoricicada mangu mangu	Insecta	27 Oct 2023✓		Add Buckley ref and photos
Hobbit kōwhai psillid	Psylla frodobagginsi	Insecta	20 Oct 2023✓		Brand new; needs fleshing out from the main ref and 1, 2
Vampire squid	Vampyroteuthis infernalis	Cephalopoda	13 Oct 2023✓
Vagrant Spider	Uliodon	Arachnida	6 Oct 2023✓
Golden speargrass	Aciphylla aurea	Angiosperms	29 Sep 2023✓
Fiordland skink	Oligosoma acrinasum	Reptilia	22 Sep 2023 ✓		Advance notice that we need to find a photo
Brewer's yeast	Saccharomyces cerevisiae	Fungi	15 Sep 2023✓
New Zealand fernbird	Poodytes punctatus	Aves	8 Sep 2023 ✓		Commons Category is currently named: Megalurus punctatus - apparently Commons is out of date ?
Icing sugar fungus	Beauveria bassiana	Fungi	1 Sep 2023 ✓
Manaia pygmy pipehorse	Cylix tupareomanaia	Osteichthyes	25 Aug 2023 ✓		Needs a photo. The only one in iNaturalist is copyrighted. Nothing in Commons.
Spiritopora perplexa	Spiritopora perplexa	Stenolaemata	18 Aug 2023		New article created. Species is monotypic. Only found off the coast of Piwhane Spirits Bay
Common bag moth	Liothula omnivora	Insecta	11 Aug 2023 ✓
New Zealand earthworm	Octochaetus multiporus	Opisthopora	4 Aug 2023 ✓		No images in Wikimedia Commons, but there are many in iNaturalist. Will try to sort something out.
Supplejack	Ripogonum scandens	Angiosperms	28 Jul 2023 ✓
Banks Peninsula tree wētā	Hemideina ricta	Insecta	21 Jul 2023 ✓		(Note Matariki holiday) Student project article: some of it is about this tree wētā, some about all tree wētā; needs rewriting and tightening up (and a photo)
Sea butterfly	Cavolinia tridentata	Gastropoda	7 Jul 2023 ✓
Devil's coach horse	Creophilus oculatus	Insecta	30 Jun 2023 ✓		A tiny stub! Lots to do. Nicely expanded.
Antarctic midge	Belgica antarctica	Insecta	23 Jun 2023✓
Papatua (snakeskin chiton)	Sypharochiton pelliserpentis	Chitonidae	16 Jun 2023✓		Apparently it has magnetite in its teeth, and also has an ability to work from a "home base" to which it regularly returns
Southern bladderwort	Utricularia australis	Lentibulariaceae	9 Jun 2023 ✓		Needs expansion to add that it is a carnivorous plant and describe association with peat bogs.
Hura te ao gecko	Mokopirirakau galaxias	Reptilia	2 Jun 2023 ✓
Seashore earwig	Anisolabis littorea	Insecta	26 May 2023 ✓
Banded Bounty Island spider	Pacificana cockayni	Arachnida	19 May 2023 ✓		The article has only three sentences at present. It has been previously covered by RNZ in 2014: [2]
Pacific long-tailed cuckoo	Urodynamis taitensis	Cuculiformes	12 May 2023 ✓		The prose in this article needs a good clean up.
Southern bluefin tuna	Thunnus maccoyii	Actinopterygii	5 May 2023 ✓
Ongaonga	Urtica ferox	Angiosperms	28 Apr 2023✓
Coral slime mould	Ceratiomyxa fruticulosa	Protosteliida	21 Apr 2023		The linked article is about the genus, not the species, but there is a redirect. Lots of sources in Google Scholar mention Ceratiomyxa fruticulosa so it might be possible to create a separate article. There are loads of images in Wikimedia Commons at: c:Category:Ceratiomyxa fruticulosa
	Flabellum	Hexacorallia	14 Apr 2023
Southern ant	Chelaner antarcticus	Insecta	31 Mar 2023✓	—	There are different names. There is an existing article Monomorium antarcticum for the Southern ant. Need to work out which name to use here. USE Chelaner antarcticus (see here: https://www.landcareresearch.co.nz/discover-our-research/biodiversity-biosecurity/plants-invertebrates-fungi-and-bacteria/invertebrate-systematics/ants-wasps-and-bees/ants-of-new-zealand/chelaner-antarcticus/)
Black spined weevil	Scolopterus penicillatus	Insecta	24 Mar 2023✓
Devil's Fingers	Clathrus archeri	Agaricomycetes	17 Mar 2023✓
Strap-toothed whale	Mesoplodon layardii	Cetacea	10 Mar 2023✓		Added 6 images from Te Papa collection to Commons, but yet to place into article.
Bluegill bully	Gobiomorphus hubbsi	Gobiiformes	3 Mar 2023✓
Blind vent crab	Gandalfus puia	Crustacea	24 Feb 2023✓
Ngaro huruhuru	Leioproctus fulvescens	Insecta	17 Feb 2023]✓		Some expansion happening since BotY announced, could do more
Tohu gecko	Hoplodactylus tohu	Reptilia	10 Feb 2023		Mike will be doing it as part of OU WiR (and getting photos)
Black hunting wasp	Priocnemis monachus	Insecta	3 Feb 2023 ✓
Three-lined hoverfly	Helophilus seelandicus	Insecta	27 Jan 2023 ✓
Copper beard orchid	Calochilus herbaceus	Angiosperms	23 Dec 2022 ✓		More pics, NZ context of rediscovery.
Glow-worm hunter	Forsteropsalis photophaga	Arachnida	16 Dec 2022 ✓		Species created, and Erin Powell has donated some nice photos. Could do with a check and expansion.
Pot-bellied seahorse	Hippocampus abdominalis	Osteichthyes	9 Dec 2022 ✓		A pile of references were just dumped on the page in 2008 and nothing much has been done with them. Plenty to do
Black mountain ringlet	Pernodaimon merula	Insecta	2 Dec 2022 ✓		Another student article in need of more sources!
Antarctic sea pig	Protelpidia murrayi	Echinodermata	25 Nov 2022✓	—	Photos to source from NIWA, species to create: see Elpidiidae
Water boatman	Sigara arguta	Insecta	18 Nov 2022✓		Only 1 photo! Sad article for NZ's commonest water boatman.
Scree wētā	Deinacrida connectens	Insecta	11 Nov 2022✓		A bit of cleanup, better formatting of citations, Gaultheria berry images
Bush lawyer	Rubus cissoides	Angiosperms	4 Nov 2022✓		A student article in dire need of rewriting
Kitefin shark	Dalatias licha	Chondrichthys	28 Oct 2022✓		Any other photos?
Cave dipluran	Burnjapyx sp	Insecta	21 Oct 2022✓		Undescribed species, Takaka Hill! All genus articles for family are stubs
Barrel shrimp	Phronima sedentaria	Crustacea	14 Oct 2022		Lots of articles listed, will be easy to expand
Marine caddisflies	Chathamiidae	Insecta	7 Oct 2022		Stub with no refs!
Black petrel	Procellaria parkinsoni	Aves	30 Sep 2022		Not bad, could do with expanding
Kiwi tick	Ixodes anatis	Arachnida	23 Sep 2022		Expand: see tuatara tick article for form (rescheduled from 6/09, QEII RIP)
Kōwhai moth	Uresiphita polygonalis	Insecta	16 Sep 2022
Blue-eyed triplefin	Notoclinops segmentatus	Osteichthyes	2 Sep 2022 ✓		Another one-para stub that could cite books eg Rockpool Fishes of NZ
Elephant weevil	Rhynchodes ursus	Insecta	26 Aug 2022		Let's lose the broken TERRAIN link and expand this.
Tūtae kēhua	Ileodictyon cibarium	Fungi	19 Aug 2022 ✓		Redirects for all the Māori names (w and w/o macrons)
Blue shark	Prionace glauca	Chondrichthys	12 Aug 2022 ✓
New Zealand plumose anemone	Mimetridium cryptum	Cnidaria	5 Aug 2022 ✓		Also work on bio of Betty Batham
NZ troglobitic planthopper	Confuga persephone	Insecta	29 Jul 2022 ✓		Can we get a photo ? (Found an illustration, have requested a photo—MD)
Twisted-wing insects	Strepsiptera	Insecta	22 Jul 2022		Article in good shape already.
Gregarious squat lobster	Munida gregaria	Crustacea	15 Jul 2022 ✓		Expanded 5x but still more to do
Avatar moth	Arctesthes avatar	Insecta	8 Jul 2022 ✓		Has now had a lot of improvement. Near B class? Any field photos from the Denniston bioblitz?
Hairy kelp fly	Chaetocoelopa littoralis	Insecta	1 Jul 2022 ✓		Now close to C class??. Could expand on mating behaviour and conservation status.
Resurrection lichen	Xanthoparmelia semiviridis	Lichens	17 Jun 2022 ✓		Adding content from scientific papers
Three Kings kaikōmako	Pennantia baylisiana	Angiosperms	10 Jun 2022 ✓		Still need further photos of flower/ fruits. Taxonomy and account of discovery to expand
Fish tongue isopod	Ceratothoa	Crustacea	3 Jun 2022		Several genera involved: have been asking isopod researchers for the species that is found in NZ butterfish (need to get those photos cleared for Commons). Ceratothoa does not seem to be the genus in NZ fishes.
Minute grasshopper	Sigaus minutus	Insecta	27 May 2022 ✓		Sourcing more photos from iNat.
Ragged sea hare	Bursatella leachii	Gastropoda	20 May 2022		Picked the species used as the ref image, as its photos were CC0 and added pics to Commons. Flesh out article and clean up references.
Hairworms	e.g. Parachordodes diblastus	Nematomorpha	13 May 2022	—	Hairworms already done (6 Nov 2015), so picked a common specific wētā hairworm. ref. But maybe Gordionus maori discovered 5–6 years ago in Rock & Pillar Range? ref ref ref
Common slater or common rough woodlouse	Porcellio scaber	Crustacea	6 May 2022		Mention NZ. Invertebrate iridescent virus 31 info. Link to show. Numerous common names. Slater spider.
Hoodwinker sunfish	Mola tecta	Osteichthyes	29 Apr 2022 ✓		Refs needs fixing, better comparison image
Southland green skink	Oligosoma chloronoton	Reptilia	22 April 2022		Missed this when last updating the table
Broad-cheeked gecko	Mokopirirakau "Ōkārito"	Reptilia	8 Apr 2022		Genus needs scientific research.
Shady fishing spider	Dolomedes dondalei	Arachnida	1 Apr 2022 ✓		Needs more references.
Long-snouted pipefish	Stigmatopora macropterygia	Osteichthyes	25 Mar 2022
Glow-in-the-dark mushroom	Mycena roseoflava	Fungi	18 Mar 2022
Pleasing fungus beetle	Cryptodacne rangiauria	Insecta	11 Mar 2022
Robust skink	Oligosoma alani	Reptilia	4 Mar 2022
Land planarian			25 Feb 2022
Prickly king crab	Paralomis zealandica	Crustacea	18 Feb 2022
Saltwater mosquito or naeroa	Opifex fuscus	Insecta	11 Feb 2022
Flying duck orchid	Caleana minor	Angiosperm	4 Feb 2022
Abel Tasman predatory tree-climbing snail	Rhytida oconnori	Gastropoda	28 Jan 2022		(Xmas break) Expansion and photos
Portuguese man o' war or bluebottle	Physalia physalis	Cnidaria	24 Dec 2021 ✓
Twin-sailed salp	Thetys vagina	Tunicata	17 Dec 2021		Not "twin-tailed"
Takitimu gecko	Mokopririrakau cryptozoicus	Reptilia	10 Dec 2021
Chatham Islands stag beetle	Geodorcus capito	Insecta	3 Dec 2021
Tailed forest spider	Arachnura feredayi	Arachnida	26 Nov 2021		Article updated Feb 2024
Freshwater bristle worm	Namanereis tiritae	Annelida	19 Nov 2021	—
Tea-tree fingers	Hypocreopsis amplectens	Fungi	12 Nov 2021
Murihiku walking worm	species to confirm	Onychophora	5 Nov 2021	?
Crimson jellyfish	Turritopsis rubra	Cnidaria	29 Oct 2021
Redfin bully	Gobiomorphus huttoni	Osteichthyes	22 Oct 2021		Photo of female?
Muehlenbeckia aphid	Aphis cottieri	Insecta	15 Oct 2021	—	Ref
Walking reindeer fly	Gynoplistia sp?	Insecta	8 Oct 2021	—	Need to pick species and create
New Zealand bat flea	Porribius pacificus	Insecta	1 Oct 2021 ✓
Giant wētā fungus	Cordyceps kirkii	Fungi	24 Sep 2021	—
Prickly stick insect	Acanthoxyla prasina	Insecta	17 Sep 2021		Needs expansion
Snares Island jumping wētā	Insulanoplectron spinosum	Insecta	10 Sep 2021		Monotypic. In dire need of expansion.
Giant bladder kelp	Macrocystis pyrifera	Algae	3 Sep 2021		Monotypic genus, so several articles should be merged into one
Giant ichneumonid wasp	Certonotus fractinervis	Insecta	27 Aug 2021	—	No show the week before?
Goblin shark	Mitsukurina owstoni	Chondrichthyes	13 Aug 2021
Kēkerengū	Maoriblatta novaeseelandiae	Insecta	6 Aug 2021		Could do with expansion
Giant knobbled weevil	Hadramphus stilbocarpae	Insecta	30 Jul 2021		All 4 species in this genus now created. Dracophyllum 4 August 2021
Snail sucking ground beetle	Maoripamborus fairburni	Insecta	23 July 2021
Dusky dragonfly	Antipodochlora braueri	Insecta	16 Jul 2021		Really needs expansion
Lettuce liverwort	Petalophyllum preissii	Liverworts	9 Jul 2021
Landhopper	Makawe hurleyi	Crustacea	2 Jul 2021	—	To create
Southern elephant seal	Mirounga leonina	Mammalia	25 Jun 2021
Mantis shrimp	Heterosquilla tricarinata	Crustacea	11 Jun 2021		Lots of expansion and pics needed
Greta Thunberg freshwater snail	Opacuincola gretathunbergae	Gastropoda	4 Jun 2021 ✓		Also note a species named after Gareth Farr
Spiny longhorn	Blosyropus spinosus	Insecta	28 May 2021
Southern splash-zone spider	Amaurobioides maritima	Arachnida	21 May 2021	—	None of the species in this genus have articles
Koitareke	Porzana pusilla	Aves	14 May 2021		Is it Porzana or Zapornia?
Waitakere firedot lichen	Caloplaca allanii	Lichens	7 May 2021
Blobfish	Psychrolutes microporos	Osteichthyes	30 Apr 2021		No photo!!
Moss wētā	Maotoweta virescens	Insecta	23 Apr 2021	—	Needs creation
Hawkes bay forget-me-not	Myosotis petiolata	Angiosperms	16 Apr 2021		Created 13 May 2023 by Stitchbird2 who is continuing to create pages for all southern hemisphere Myosotis
Cupola gecko	Mokopirirakau "Cupola"	Reptilia	9 Apr 2021
Glow-in-the-dark snail	Latia neritoides	Gastropoda	26 Mar 2021		Show has Latin name wrong. Needs more pics!
Fishy pouch fungus	Macrocystidia reducta	Fungi	19 Mar 2021	—	Needs creation
Sinbad skink	Oligosoma pikitanga	Reptilia	12 Mar 2021		Needs image
Pukaki lichen tuft moth	Izatha psychra	Lepidoptera	5 Mar 2021
Rowi louse	Apterygon okarito	Insecta	26 Feb 2021	—	Needs creation
Dusky galaxias	Galaxias pullus	Osteichthyes	19 Feb 2021		Needs image and expansion
Vegetable sheep	Raoulia rubra	Angiosperms	12 Feb 2021	—	Needs creating. But isn't this Raoulia eximia?
Sun orchid	Thelymitra 'Ahipara'	Angiosperms	29 Jan 2021	—	Needs creating
Kupe's grassmoth	Kupea electilis	Lepidoptera	29 Jan 2021		No photo of female: contact Brian Patrick?
Beard lichens	Usnea	Lichen	22 Jan 2021		Quite a few NZ species
Chatham I. Christmas tree	Brachyglottis huntii	Angiosperms	18 Dec 2020
Alpine shield bug	Hypsithocus hudsonae	Insecta	11 Dec 2020
Alpine tiger moth	Metacrias huttoni	Lepidoptera	4 Dec 2020
Chaffey's forget-me-not	Myosotis chaffeyorum	Angiosperms	27 Nov 2020		Page created May/June 2022 :)
Doris wellingtonensis	Doris wellingtonensis	Nudibranchia	20 Nov 2020
Tussock ringlet butterfly	Argyrophenga antipodum	Lepidoptera	13 Nov 2020
Reefton water beetle	Horelophus walkeri	Insecta	6 Nov 2020		Could do with a little more detail: named after, link to NZTC
Malfoy's wasp	Lusius malfoyi	Insecta	30 Oct 2020
Fairy lantern	Thismia rodwayi	Angiosperms	23 Oct 2020
Kakabeak mite	Aceria clianthi	Acari	16 Oct 2020
Falla's skink	Oligosoma fallai	Reptilia	9 Oct 2020
Hot pools mosquito	Culex rotoruae	Insecta	2 Oct 2020	–
Wandering anemone	Phlyctenactis tuberculosa	Cnidaria	25 Sep 2020
Karāroa mayfly	Aupouriella pohei	Insecta	18 Sep 2020	—	Needs creating
Kermadec red-crowned parakeet	Cyanoramphus novaezelandiae cyanurus	Aves	11 Sep 2020		Expand article with pics and more references to Massey research
Great spotted kiwi mite	Kiwialges haastii	Acari	4 Sep 2020		Created article and Category:Kiwialges haastii
Hidden spider orchid	Corybas cryptanthus	Angiosperms	28 Aug 2020		Images
Chatham Island snipe	Coenocorypha pusilla	Aves	21 Aug 2020		No photo and very short! Article needs moving too.
North Auckland worm	Anisochaeta gigantea	Oligochaeta	14 Aug 2020		Need expansion, pics
Mānuka chafer beetle	Pyronota festiva	Insecta	7 Aug 2020		Category:Pyronota festiva. Article long but needs work! And macrons.
Neptune's necklace	Hormosira banksii	Phaeophyceae	31 Jul 2020		Category:Hormosira banksii pics. Needs proofread!
White-faced storm petrel	Pelagodroma marina	Aves	24 Jul 2020		Category:Pelagodroma marina. Longer article!
Chatham fat-legged weta	Talitropsis megatibia	Insecta	17 Jul 2020	—	Needs creating and photos sourced
New Zealand common tiger beetle	Neocicindela tuberculata	Insecta	10 Jul 2020		Looks like a student project so needs rewriting. Some good photos in iNat.
Alpine wolf spider	Anoteropsis alpina	Arachnida	3 Jul 2020	—	Needs creating. Some CC-BY-NC pics in iNat.
New Zealand sea tulip	Pyura pachydermatina	Ascidiacea	26 Jun 2020		Category:Pyura pachydermatina created and one pic uploaded from iNat; plenty more!
New Zealand seabird tick	Ixodes auritulus	Arachnida	19 Jun 2020	—	—
North Island grasshopper	Sigaus piliferus	Insecta	12 Jun 2020	—	Category:Sigaus piliferus (added photos to category from iNat). Article to create.
Black-eyed gecko	Mokopirirakau kahutarae	Reptilia	5 Jun 2020		Category:Mokopirirakau kahutarae: just 1 photo!
Spotted black grouper	Epinephelus daemelii	Osteichthyes	29 May 2020		Category:Epinephelus daemelii
Stony corals	Scleractinia	Anthozoa	22 May 2020		Category:Scleractinia
Shortjaw kōkopu	Galaxias postvectis	Osteichthyes	15 May 2020		Category:Galaxias postvectis – need more pics
New Zealand flatworm	Arthurdendyus triangulatus	Rhabditophora	8 May 2020		Category:Arthurdendyus triangulatus
Chatham Island pigeon	Hemiphaga chathamensis	Aves	1 May 2020		Commons pics (need more)
Mason wasp	Pison spinolae	Insecta	24 Apr 2020
Yellow octopus	Enteroctopus zealandicus	Mollusca	17 Apr 2020
NZ small willowherb	Epilobium angustum	Angiosperms	3 Apr 2020	—	To create
New Zealand antlion	Weeleus acutus	Insecta	20 Mar 2020
Suter's skink	Oligosoma suteri	Reptilia	13 Mar 2020
New Zealand pea crab	Nepinnotheres novaezelandiae	Crustacea	6 Mar 2020		image
Grays River grass moth	Orocrambus fugitivellus	Insecta	28 Feb 2020
Bar-tailed godwit	Limosa lapponica	Aves	21 Feb 2020
Bryde's whale	Balaenoptera brydei	Mammalia	14 Feb 2020		Check and update taxonomy section?
Black-billed gull	Chroicocephalus bulleri	Aves	7 Feb 2020
New Zealand bull kelp	Durvillaea antarctica	Algae	31 Jan 2020		We could certainly flesh out the Māori use.
Basking shark	Cetorhinus maximus	Chondrichthyes	24 Jan 2020
New Zealand rock oyster	Saccostrea glomerata	Bivalvia	20 Dec 2019		Needs references
Ngaio weevil	Anagotus stephenensis	Insecta	13 Dec 2019
Shining cuckoo	Chrysococcyx lucidus	Aves	6 Dec 2019
Huhu beetle	Prionoplus reticularis	Insecta	29 Nov 2019
Stokell's smelt	Stokellia anisodon	Osteichthyes	22 Nov 2019
New Zealand smelt	Retropinna retropinna	Osteichthyes	22 Nov 2019		a bit of a mess—student assignment?—needs a rewrite
Koaro	Galaxias brevipinnis	Osteichthyes	15 Nov 2019
Te Ahumairangi Hill snail	Potamopyrgus oppidanus	Gastropoda	8 Nov 2019
Auckland Island rail	Lewinia muelleri	Aves	1 Nov 2019
Giant emperor daisy	Pleurophyllum speciosum	Angiosperms	25 Oct 2019
Pacific golden plover	Pluvialis fulva	Aves	18 Oct 2019
Kina	Evechinus chloroticus	Echinoida	11 Oct 2019
Clutha flathead galaxias	Galaxias 'species D'	Osteichthyes	4 Oct 2019	—
Pygmy goosefoot	Dysphania pusilla	Angiosperms	27 Sep 2019
Auckland green gecko	Naultinus elegans	Reptilia	20 Sep 2019
Gravel maggot	Smeagol	Gastropoda	13 Sep 2019
Sand scarab	Pericoptus truncatus	Insecta	6 Sep 2019
Boulder butterfly	Lycaena boldenarum	Insecta	30 Aug 2019
Black tunnelweb	Porrhothele antipodiana	Arachnida	23 Aug 2019
Northland mudfish	Neochanna heleios	Osteichthyes	16 Aug 2019
Frosted phoenix	Titanomis sisyrota	Insecta	9 Aug 2019
Cook Strait giant wētā	Deinacrida rugosa	Insecta	2 Aug 2019		More photos
Gardner's tree daisy	Olearia gardneri	Angiosperms	26 Jul 2019 ✓
Herbivorous alpine beetle	Protodendrophagus antipodes	Insecta	19 Jul 2019
Dryland sow thistle	Sonchus novae-zelandiae	Angiosperms	12 Jul 2019	—	To create
Mountain stone wētā	Hemideina maori	Insecta	5 Jul 2019
Long-legged harvestman	Pantopsalis	Arachnida	28 Jun 2019
Mohua	Mohua ochrocephala	Aves	21 Jun 2019
Maungatua stonefly	Zelandoperla maungatuaensis	Insecta	14 Jun 2019		ref
Chatham Island shag	Leucocarbo onslowi	Aves	7 Jun 2019
Helms' stag beetle	Geodorcus helmsi	Insecta	31 May 2019
Dwarf galaxias	Galaxias divergens	Osteichthyes	24 May 2019
Chatham Island tree hebe	Veronica barkeri	Angiosperms	17 May 2019	—	Create article
Limestone cress	Pachycladon exile	Angiosperms	10 May 2019		Image added, updated from stub to start Oct 2024
Banks Peninsula six-eyed spider	Periegops suterii	Arachnida	3 May 2019		Photos!
Homer grasshopper	Sigaus homerensis	Insecta	26 Apr 2019
Nelson green gecko	Naultinus stellatus	Reptilia	12 Apr 2019
Blue damselfly	Austrolestes colensonis	Insecta	5 Apr 2019
Flax weevil	Anagotus fairburni	Insecta	29 Mar 2019
Striped skink	Oligosoma striatum	Reptilia	22 Mar 2019		Photo
Pitt Island longhorn	Xylotoles costatus	Insecta	8 Mar 2019		image and more text added
Tuatara tick	Amblyomma sphenodonti	Arachnida	1 Mar 2019		Image added
Horrid stick insect	Argosarchus horridus	Insecta	22 Feb 2019		images added and expanded
New Zealand sandfly	Austrosimulium ungulatum	Insecta	15 Feb 2019
Whitaker's skink	Oligosoma whitakeri	Reptilia	8 Feb 2019		(Really needs decent photos but they're all ©)
Wetapunga	Deinacrida heteracantha	Insecta	1 Feb 2019		(needs photos, rewriting to be less generic)
Vegetable cicada	Isaria sinclairii	Fungi	25 Jan 2019		(needs more info on fungus if any; lots published on drug)
Ameletopsis mayfly	Ameleptopsis perscitus	Insecta	21 Dec 2018	—	(Needs creation and open-licensed photo sourced)
Alborn skink	Oligosoma albornense	Reptilia	14 Dec 2018		Looking OK, more skink photos would be nice
Notoreas moth	Notoreas	Insecta	7 Dec 2018		for all species (except the unnamed Taranaki one)
Chatham mudfish	Neochanna rekohua	Osteichthyes	30 Nov 2018		needs photo
Maitai Cave snail	Hadopyrgus ngataana	Gastropoda	23 Nov 2018		needs photo (Te Papa's is NC)
Pill millipede	Procyliosoma tuberculatum	Diplopoda	16 Nov 2018
Strigula lichens	Strigula	Lichen	9 Nov 2018	—	(Needs creation)
Yellow eyed penguin	Megadyptes antipodes	Aves	2 Nov 2018
Lemon tree borer parasite	Xanthocryptus novozealandicus	Insecta	26 Oct 2018
Pygmy blue whale	Balaenoptera musculus brevicauda	Mammalia	19 Oct 2018		needs expansion
Mt Augustus snail	Powelliphanta augusta	Gastropoda	12 Oct 2018		needs updating and rewriting
Banks Peninsula fork fern	Tmesipteris horomaka	Fern	5 Oct 2018		genus page needs improvement
New Zealand microsnails	Wainuia urnula	Gastropoda	28 Sep 2018		needs photos
Sphagnum porina moth	Heloxycanus patricki	Insecta	21 Sep 2018
Mt Allen buttercup	Ranunculus viridis	Angiosperms	14 Sep 2018		(needs photo of flowers and expansion)
Black coral	Antipathella fiordensis	Anthozoa	7 Sep 2018		added photos
Chatham petrel	Pterodroma axillaris	Aves	31 Aug 2018		needs photos and more info
Hamilton's frog	Leiopelma hamiltoni	Amphibia	24 Aug 2018		needs expansion and more images
Waiuatua	Euphorbia glauca	Angiosperms	17 Aug 2018		needs status update, when template fixed)
Burgan skink	Oligosoma burganae	Reptilia	10 Aug 2018		needs expansion and photo
Antipodes parakeet	Cyanoramphus unicolor	Aves	3 Aug 2018		needs expansion
New Zealand fish-guts plant	Chenopodium detestans	Angiosperms	27 Jul 2018
New Zealand glowworm	Arachnocampa luminosa	Insecta	20 Jul 2018		OK but needs a good edit
Southern right whale	Eubalaena australis	Mammalia	13 Jul 2018		could do with editing
New Zealand hagfish	Eptatretus cirrhatus	Myxini	6 Jul 2018		OK, needs cleanup
Eyelash seaweed	Dione arcuata	Algae	29 Jun 2018	—	(needs creation)
Red-billed gull	Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae	Aves	22 Jun 2018		(needs work)
New Zealand freshwater crab	Amarinus lacustris	Crustacea	15 Jun 2018		OK, added info and pic
Speargrass weevil	Lyperobius huttoni	Insecta	8 Jun 2018		Created
New Zealand falcon	Falco novaeseelandiae	Aves	1 Jun 2018		(needs expansion)
Slender button daisy	Leptinella filiformis	Angiosperms	25 May 2018		Created
Rangatira spider	Dolomedes schauinslandi	Arachnida	18 May 2018		OK, updated
White-bellied skink	Oligosoma hoparatea	Reptilia	11 May 2018
Northland green gecko	Naultinus grayii	Reptilia	4 May 2018		(Needs expansion)
Kōtuku	Ardea alba modesta	Aves	27 Apr 2018		OK, needs note on taxonomy
Giant kōkopu	Galaxias argenteus	Osteichthyes	20 Apr 2018		Improved
Shrubby tororaro	Muehlenbeckia astonii	Angiosperms	13 Apr 2018		Expanded
Pseudoscorpions	Pseudoscorpiones	Arachnida	6 Apr 2018		Pretty good
Teviot flathead galaxias	Galaxias "Teviot"	Osteichthyes	23 Mar 2018	—	(Needs creation)
Bonking grass moth	Asaphodes frivola	Insecta	16 Mar 2018		Created
Toheroa	Paphies ventricosa	Bivalvia	9 Mar 2018		(Desperately needs expansion)
Mottled petrel	Pterodroma inexpectata	Aves	2 Mar 2018		(Needs expansion)
Te Kakahu skink	Oligosoma tekakahu	Reptilia	23 Feb 2018		Expanded, refs, pic
Paua slug	Schizoglossa novoseelandica	Gastropoda	16 Feb 2018		(needs tidying up and more photos)
Prostrate tangle broom	Carmichaelia juncea	Angiosperms	9 Feb 2018		Needs images
Swamp helmet orchid	Corybas carsei	Angiosperms	2 Feb 2018		Created, sourced pics
Cabbage tree moth	Epiphryne verriculata	Insecta	26 Jan 2018		Added pic and more info
New Zealand native bees	Leioproctus	Insecta	15 Dec 2017		(Only Leioproctus fulvescens exists)
New Zealand cicadas	Amphipsalta, Rhodopsalta, Maoricicada, Notopsalta, Kikihia	Insecta	8 Dec 2017		All species now have at least stub articles.
Ōhau rock daisy	Pachystegia	Angiosperms	1 Dec 2017		(needs creation if we can get photos)
Flax snail	Placostylus	Gastropoda	24 Nov 2017		(needs cleanup and expansion, and photos)
Long-tailed bat	Chalinolobus tuberculatus	Mammalia	17 Nov 2017		OK (still needs photos)
Giant springtail	Holacanthella	Entognatha	10 Nov 2017		created
Cook's scurvy grass	Lepidium oleraceum	Angiosperms	3 Nov 2017		(needs pics)
South Island lichen moth	Declana egregia	Insecta	27 Oct 2017		Created
Giant centipede	Cormocephalus rubriceps	Chilopoda	20 Oct 2017		(needs expansion)
Wrybill	Anarhynchus frontalis	Aves	13 Oct 2017		OK (needs work)
Chevron skink	Oligosoma homalonotum	Reptilia	6 Oct 2017		Short but OK
Pāua	Haliotis	Gastropoda	29 Sep 2017		Reasonable
Hochstetter's frog	Leiopelma hochstetteri	Amphibia	22 Sep 2017		OK (needs updating)
Kakabeak	Clianthus	Angiosperms	15 Sep 2017		OK (both spp. need expansion and rewrite)
Leopard seal	Hydrurga leptonyx	Mammalia	8 Sep 2017		OK
Bat-winged fly	Exsul singularis	Insecta	1 Sep 2017	—	(needs creation)
Back beach beetle	Bembidion tillyardi	Insecta	25 Aug 2017		created
Tuatara	Sphenodon punctatus	Reptilia	18 Aug 2017
Kawakawa looper moth	Cleora scriptaria	Insecta	11 Aug 2017		created
Eldon's galaxias	Galaxias eldoni	Osteichthyes	4 Aug 2017		expanded, added images
Fur seal	Arctocephalus forsteri	Mammalia	28 Jul 2017		added image
Vegetable caterpillar	Ophiocordyceps robertsii	Fungi	21 Jul 2017		created
Tardigrade	Tardigrada	Tardigrada	14 Jul 2017
Northern giant petrel	Macronectes halli	Aves	7 Jul 2017
Jewelled gecko	Naultinus gemmeus	Reptilia	30 Jun 2017		Improved
Great white shark	Carcharodon carcharias	Chondrichthyes	23 Jun 2017		Needs expansion
Dog vomit slime mold	Fuligo septica	Protista	16 Jun 2017		OK (Need XKCD reference)
Bubblegum coral	Paragorgia	Anthozoa	9 Jun 2017		(NZ species may not exist, just Atlantic?)
Blind electric ray	Typhlonarke aysoni	Chondrichthyes	2 Jun 2017		Need photo!
Chatham Islands forget-me-not	Myosotidium hortensia	Angiosperms	26 May 2017		(Needs expansion)
Mole cricket	Triamescaptor aotea	Insecta	19 May 2017
Kauri snail	Paryphanta	Gastropoda	12 May 2017		(Needs expansion)
Castle Hill buttercup	Ranunculus paucifolius	Angiosperms	5 May 2017
New Zealand sea lion	Phocarctos hookeri	Mammalia	28 Apr 2017		fix units
New Zealand large carabids	Mecodema	Insecta	21 Apr 2017		(needs expansion)
Spirits Bay liverwort	Frullania wairua	Marchantiophyta	7 Apr 2017	—	(needs creation)
New Zealand sundews	Drosera stenopetala	Angiosperms	1 Apr 2017
Fiordland penguin	Eudyptes pachyrhynchus	Aves	24 Mar 2017		improved
Harlequin gecko	Tukutuku rakiurae	Reptilia	17 Mar 2017		(needs expansion)
Torrentfish	Cheimarrichthys fosteri	Osteichthyes	10 Mar 2017		needs more photos
Child's grasshopper	Sigaus childi	Insecta	3 Mar 2017
Orange-fronted parakeet	Cyanoramphus malherbi	Aves	24 Feb 2017		OK, could do with cleanup
Mokohinau stag beetle	Geodorcus ithaginis	Insecta	17 Feb 2017		improved, added photo
Mardo	Antechinus flavipes	Mammalia	10 Feb 2017		OK
New Zealand fairy tern	Sternula nereis davisae	Aves	3 Feb 2017		(needs images, expansion)
Sooty beech scale insects	Ultracoelostoma	Insecta	27 Jan 2017	—	(Genus and species need creation)
Puriri moth	Aenetus virescens	Insecta	23 Dec 2016		(needs expansion)
Kapitia skink	Oligosoma salmo	Reptilia	16 Dec 2016
Cooper's black potato orchid	Gastrodia cooperae	Angiosperms	9 Dec 2016
Werewere-kokako	Entoloma hochstetteri	Fungi	2 Dec 2016		OK
Fischer's egg	Claustula fischeri	Fungi	2 Dec 2016		(needs expansion)
Nudibranchs	Nudibranchia	Gastropoda	25 Nov 2016		good
Bluff wētā	Deinacrida elegans	Insecta	18 Nov 2016		(oh God, what a mess)
Fred the Thread	Houdinia flexilissima	Insecta	11 Nov 2016		(needs images, expansion)
Maud Island frog	Leiopelma pakeka	Amphibia	4 Nov 2016		improved
Dwarf mistletoe	Korthalsella salicornioides	Angiosperms	28 Oct 2016		improved
Coxella weevil	Hadramphus spinipennis	Insecta	21 Oct 2016		improved
Snipe	Coenocorypha	Aves	14 Oct 2016		OK (could use more photos)
Dune swale daphne	Pimelea actea	Angiosperms	7 Oct 2016		created
Nelson cave spider	Spelungula	Arachnida	30 Sep 2016		(needs image, expansion)
Forest ringlet	Dodonidia helmsii	Insecta	23 Sep 2016		fixed name, expanded
Giant bush dragonflies	Uropetala	Insecta	16 Sep 2016		images, created 1 page
Cook Strait click beetle	Amychus granulatus	Insecta	9 Sep 2016		OK
Duvaucel's gecko	Hoplodactylus duvaucelii	Reptilia	2 Sep 2016		(needs edits, photos)
Otago skink	Oligosoma otagense	Reptilia	26 Aug 2016		(needs more text)
Te Paki stick insect	Tepakiphasma ngatikuri	Insecta	19 Aug 2016		created
Albatross feather louse	Harrisoniella hopkinsi	Insecta	12 Aug 2016		created
Short-tailed bat	Mystacina tuberculata	Mammalia	5 Aug 2016		OK, improved
Whenua Hou diving petrel	Pelecanoides whenuahouensis	Aves	29 Jul 2016		improved
Lichen moth rediscovered in 2016	Izatha caustopa	Insecta	22 Jul 2016✓		Perhaps see if more images available and make gallery?
Black-eyed gecko	Mokopirirakau kahutarae	Reptilia	15 Jul 2016		improved
Mahoenui giant wētā	Deinacrida mahoenui	Insecta	8 Jul 2016		improved, images
Red admiral	Vanessa gonerilla	Insecta	1 Jul 2016		improved
Kākahi	Echyridella menziesii	Bivalvia	24 Jun 2016		improved
Cromwell chafer	Prodontria lewisi	Insecta	17 Jun 2016		improved, images
Cobble skink	Oligosoma sp.	Reptilia	10 Jun 2016		created
Pīngao	Ficinia spiralis	Angiosperms	3 Jun 2016		improved
New Zealand praying mantis	Orthodera novaezealandiae	Insecta	27 May 2016		fairly OK
Coastal peppercress	Lepidium banksii	Angiosperms	20 May 2016		created
Inanga	Galaxias maculatus	Osteichthyes	13 May 2016		improved
Mercury Islands tusked wētā	Motuweta isolata	Insecta	6 May 2016		created
Shore plover	Thinornis novaeseelandiae	Aves	29 Apr 2016		improved
Black stilt	Himantopus novaezelandiae	Aves	21 Apr 2016		improved
Katipo	Latrodectus katipo	Arachnida	15 Apr 2016		good
South Island kōkako	Callaeas cinereus	Aves	8 Apr 2016		improved
Tadpole shrimp	Lepidurus apus	Branchiopoda	1 Apr 2016		improved
Giraffe weevil	Lasiorhynchus barbicornis	Insecta	24 Mar 2016		improved, images
Longfin eel	Anguilla dieffenbachii	Osteichthyes	18 Mar 2016		improved
New Zealand giant landsnails	Powelliphanta	Gastropoda	11 Mar 2016		improved
Foveaux shag	Leucocarbo stewarti	Aves	4 Mar 2016		created
Otago shag	Leucocarbo chalconotus	Aves	4 Mar 2016		improved
Hutton's shearwater	Puffinus huttoni	Aves	26 Feb 2016		improved, images
Wood rose	Dactylanthus taylorii	Angiosperms	19 Feb 2016		improved, images
Lamprey	Geotria australis	Petromyzontida	12 Feb 2016		image
Open Bay Islands leech	Hirudobdella antipodum	Clitellata	5 Feb 2016		improved
New Zealand trapdoor spiders	Cantuaria	Arachnida	29 Jan 2016		(add pics, move general material from C. dendyi)
Rock wren	Xenicus gilviventris	Aves	22 Jan 2016		improved, images
Parapara	Pisonia brunoniana	Angiosperms	18 Dec 2015		(expand)
Stygofauna	Phreatogammarus fragilis	Crustacea	11 Dec 2015		(pic, intro)
Australasian bittern	Botaurus poiciloptilus	Aves	4 Dec 2015		(expand, pics)
Robust grasshopper	Brachaspis robustus	Insecta	27 Nov 2015		expand
Koura	Paranephrops	Crustacea	20 Nov 2015		needs expansion
Peripatus	Onychophora	Udeonychophora	13 Nov 2015		photos, video?
Gordian worm	Nematomorpha	Gordioidea	6 Nov 2015		Could do with tidying, expansion
Archey's frog	Leiopelma archeyi	Amphibia	30 Oct 2015		(expand into sections, pics)
Canterbury knobbed weevil	Hadramphus tuberculatus	Insecta	23 Oct 2015		Could expand–are all refs and news stories in there?
Leaf-veined slug	Athoracophorus	Gastropoda	16 Oct 2015		Very dry: need specific information
Canterbury mudfish	Neochanna burrowsius	Osteichthyes	9 Oct 2015		Need a good photo of the fish
New Zealand bat fly	Mystacinobia zelandica	Insecta	2 Oct 2015
Gravel maggot	Smeagol	Gastropoda	17 Sep 2015		Need no. species clarified, fleshing out

Suggest a critter

The Critter of the Week regularly use suggestions from this list. Anyone can nominate a critter by adding it below.

1. The perfect Critter of the Week is non-charismatic (not traditionally cute and cuddly), neglected (not appearing regularly in the media spotlight), and endangered.
2. Check Wikipedia, and link to both its common name(s) and Latin name; red link if there's no article.
3. What can they spend ten minutes talking about with your critter? "It's rare and we don't know much about it" isn't good radio. Give a short hook that explains what Nic and Jesse can talk about.
4. References and names of people who can supply information about the critter would be great.

Plants

• Quillwort (Isoetes aff. kirkii): eyelash seaweed, a tiny seaweed known only from a few rocks near Kaikoura. Wendy Nelson good to talk to.
• Phylloglossum drummondii: an odd clubmoss once found in the South and northern North Island, now just in a few remnant bits of gumland scrub in Northland; Nationally Threatened. There are some links and an iNat photo suitable for adding.
• New Zealand anemone (Anemone tenuicaulis): Anemone is a misleading name, because most people think of sea anemones. But anemones are actually land plants.
• Myosotis bryonoma – At Risk/Naturally Uncommon South Island endemic forget-me-not. It’s only found in alpine bogs in Otago, has small bronze-coloured leaves, and is quite tiny and special! And the public helped come up with the name. Described in 2018 by Te Papa/Manaaki Whenua/Ahika scientists. Contact: Heidi Meudt.
• Myosotis retrorsa – At Risk/Naturally Uncommon South Island endemic forget-me-not. Described in 2018 by Te Papa/Manaaki Whenua/DOC scientists who realized they were looking at a new species based on comparison of previously collected specimens in the herbarium - some of them had never seen it in the field until after they published the new species! Contact: Heidi Meudt.
• Myosotis umbrosa – Threatened - Nationally Critical South Island forget-me-not. Described in 2018 by Te Papa/Manaaki Whenua/Ahika scientists. Very rarely seen or collected. Endemic to Otago, known only from the Rock and Pillar and Lammerlaw Ranges, often at the base of tors. Contact: Heidi Meudt.
• Celmisia morganii: a daisy found only in the Ngakawau River Gorge, Haggard Creek, Blackwater River on the West Coast, areas under investigation for a dam?
• Schistochila appendiculata, the world’s biggest leafy liverwort. https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/10687/new-zealands-longest-liverwort Common in wet areas, but fair to say it is underappreciated.
• Drymoanthus flavus, Spotted Fleshy Tree Orchid - rare in wild.
• Aciphylla, the speargrasses - many species of mostly spiky alpine plants. Is there a particular endangered species? Also the Māori collection of speargrass oil
• Trilepidea adamsii, the Adams mistletoe, extinct in 1954 (if we wanted to talk about spotlighting plant extinctions)
• Kermadec koromiko (Hebe breviracemosa, now Veronica breviracemosa), thought to be wiped out by goats, then for years only known from one specimen; dozens of plants later discovered by brave rock-climbing volunteers. NZGeo
• Veronica obtusata - West Coast/Northern hebe
• Freycinetia banksii - kiekie. Has amazingly beautiful edible flower bracts, can be a menace if planted in urban settings.
• Tecomanthe speciosa, a subtropical climber with big greeny-white flowers. Discovered on the Three Kings by Geoff Baylis, shortly before he also discovered Pennantia baylisiana; like that species, it was down to a single individual, thanks to goats. Brought back from the brink, and now planted all over the warmer parts of New Zealand as a rampant building-coverer.
• Tupeia antarctica, a native mistletoe, only one in its genus (named for Tupaia). Threatened by possums, harbours lots of specialised insects, not showy and colourful like the other native mistletoes, just looks like a messy ball of leaves with greeny-white flowers. Hard to propagate from seed but grows on lots of small trees and even other native mistletoes! Ref

Fungi

• Clathrus archeri - or stinkhorn fungus, or devils fingers. Weird and amazing.
• Austropeltum glareosum – a lichen found only on the Denniston Plateau, where it is threatened by mining. Very restricted range (though also found in Australia) and a very small population. Lichens are totally cool – composite organisms that are really mini ecosystems!
• Caloplaca maculata – a very striking endemic lichen, restricted to Chatham Island and a couple of other places in the same archipelago.
• Hypocreopsis amplectens, or tea tree fingers
• Deconica baylisiana, an alpine pouch fungus that was recently rediscovered in the mountains of Otago, having not been seen for 50 years
• Abstoma purpureum, a sand-dune puffball that may already be extinct. These last three were some of 30 native New Zealand fungi recently added to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. NZGeo article.

Insects

• Deinacrida talpa, the giant mole wētā: found only in the Paparoas on the West Coast, it's the only burrowing giant wētā, digging a tunnel up to 30 cm long. [Ref].
• Common garden katydid, native bush crickets, commonly heard chirping in gardens
• Southland chafer beetles (Stethaspis pulchra), rediscovered in 2005 after not being seen for 50 years, by a six-year-old who picked one out of a puddle in the car park as the expedition were loading up their vehicles. "Is this it?". Eric Edwards at DOC is the contact.
• Giant scale insects (Coelostomidia)
• Agrius convolvuli, the kūmara hawkmoth or hīhue, known as the convulvulus hawkmoth overseas, and a pest of kūmara plantings across the Pacific. Lots of Māori lore on its control. Has startlingly-huge horned caterpillars in a wide range of colours.
• Culiseta novaezealandiae, the endemic and range-restricted mosquito
• Xanthorhoe bulbulata, a nationally critical, brightly coloured, day flying moth that hasn't been seen since 1991 but was once common in the South Island & seen during the months of September and March. Possibly do a programme in those months to see if anyone spots it? Possible tie in with a discussion on Ahi Pepe | MothNet project?
• Holcaspis brevicula, a Canterbury ground beetle now surviving only in a single pine plantation.
• Philanisus plebeius, the marine caddisfly (one of very very few marine insects), found around coastal NZ. The most common of 5 species in their own family (endemic to NZ, but recently introduced to Australia), dating back 90 million years to Gondwana. ref, ref, ref, Brian Smith good to talk to.
• Botanical moth (Sabulopteryx botanica), initially described as a larva from a pressed herbarium plant collected in 1961, then discovered in the "wild" in Christchurch Botanic Garden living in the rare small-leaved shrub Teucrium parvifolium.
• Cloudy Bay mat daisy jumper, Kiwaia "Cloudy Bay", an undescribed species of flightless moth found in coastal Marlborough and rediscovered in 2021 after being feared extinct; lives on Raoulia daisies which are eaten by rabbits. ref ref
• Hoherius meinertzhageni, the ribbonwood fungus weevil with its interesting sexual dimorphism and two male morphs with different weaponry.
• Pison morosum, only endemic species of Pison wasp in Aotearoa

Other inverts

• Dolomedes aquaticus, fishing spider (although we've already done D. dondalei)
• Pacificana cockayni, the Bounty Island spider, a little known endemic genus

Non-bird vertebrates (warning: potentially charismatic!)

• Widebody pipefish (Stigmatopora nigra), UC student studying female sexual ornamentation and competition for males to rear the eggs, gender reveral but more dramatic than in sea horses. ref
• Southern burrfish (Allomycterus pilatus), which can blow itself up to the size of a basketball. Stuff story
• Open Bay Islands gecko, a package deal; callback to the Open Bay Islands land leech of 5 Feb 2016
• Taumaka skink (Oligosoma taumakae), also from the Open Bay Islands and recently rediscovered on the mainland, along with the land leech?
• West Coast green gecko (Naultinus tuberculatus), currently holding up the building of the Cobden reservoir
• Wellington green gecko (Naultinus punctatus)
• Awakopaka skink (Oligosoma awakopaka): Nationally Critical. Known from a single individual, found in the Homer Saddle in Fiordland: name means "glacier skink".
• Hura te ao gecko (Mokopirirakau galaxias): Discovered in 2018, described 2021. Beautiful black-eyed spotted gecko, found in Central Otago while looking for Oteake skinks. Ref. One of four new NZ reptile species described that year alone.
• Dark toadfish (Neophrynichthys latus)
• Tohu gecko / te mokomoko a Tohu (Hoplodactylus tohu): a new (2023) gecko species from Cook Strait, split from our largest gecko species, named by Te Ātiawa o Te Waka-a-Māui. Description, ref

Birds (warning: def. charismatic)

• Cyanoramphus forbesi, Forbes' parakeet, that only lives on Mangere and Little Mangere Island
• Pterodroma magentae, Chatham Island taiko or magenta petrel - seabird that was thought to be extinct discovered on Rekohu, Chatham Island, 1978, currently trying to save the species!
• Phalacrocorax featherstoni, Pitt Island shag, another Chatham Islands special
• Leucocarbo carunculatus, King Shag: NZ is the country with the most endemic shag species; this is one of them
• Fregetta maoriana, New Zealand Storm Petrel - thought to be extinct, rediscovered in 2003 in Hauraki gulf on Little Barrier Island.

External links

• Former Critters of the Week listed on the Department of Conservation website
• Critters of the Week listed on the RNZ website (this is not necessarily comprehensive; and if the Critter concerned has not had a web page created for that broadcast, make a note in the Critter list and we'll harass RNZ.)