Deinacrida connectens was originally described in 1939 by Swedish entomologist Kjell Ernst Viktor Ander as Deinacridopsis connectens, which was the only species of Deinacridopsis.^[1] However, Deinacridopsis was later recognized as a synonym of Deinacrida by New Zealand entomologist Graeme William Ramsay in 1961 and the species was moved to the Deinacrida genus.^[2] In the same paper, Ramsay also recognized Deinacrida sonitospina as a synonym of D. connectens, which was previously described by New Zealand entomologist John Salmon in 1950 from specimens found at Mount Peel and Mount Arthur.^[2][3]

Deinacrida connectens is restricted to the South Island of New Zealand, where its distribution extends from the Wharepapa / Arthur Range in North West Nelson to the Takitimu Range in Southland.^[4] The range of D. connectens is known to overlap with the range of Deinacrida pluvialis in the western Otago mountains.^[5] This relatively widespread species distribution is unusual in the Deinacrida genus, where species usually have a restricted distribution.^[4] D. connectens generally inhabits scree slopes in alpine zones at elevations between 1200m and 3600m above sea level, but juveniles have also been found at 990m above sea level.^[3][4] It is not known what factor restricts them to this zone.^[6] The lower limit for their elevation range isolates populations on each mountain range.^[6]D. connectens has been alleged to be the most abundant species of Deinacrida.^[7]

Under the 2014 New Zealand Threat Classification System, Deinacrida connectens is listed as a “Not Threatened” species and is the only species of Deinacrida not totally protected by legislation.^[8][9]

Due to being restricted to high elevation, it is thought that introduced mammalian predators are not a threat to D. connectens populations, since these predators are uncommon in these regions.^[6] This is in contrast to other Deinacrida species, which are generally at lower elevation and are more frequently preyed upon by introduced predators, causes a decline in giant wētā species abundance.^[10]

Deinacrida connectens is known to be omnivorous, but in the wild is generally observed feeding on plants.^[11] D. connectens has been observed in the wild browsing lichens, herbs and shrubs such as Aciphylla and Gaultheria depressa.^[11][12] In captivity D. connectens ate a range of “vegetables" (lettuce, carrot, clover, and dandelion leaves), fruit (apples, apricots), and raw beef, cheese and insects (cicadas, tenebrionid beetles).^[11] Feeding generally occurs early at night, after D. connectens has emerged from their daytime cover.^[11]

Deinacrida connectens is New Zealand's largest nocturnal alpine insect, but occurs at lower abundance than smaller grasshopper and cockroach species in the same environment.^[13] The scree wētā is known to be capable of dispersing some fleshy fruit seeds by endozoochory.^[12] In an experiment, D. connectens' ability to disperse seeds of Gaultheria depressa by feeding was found to be dependent on the size of the wētā.^[12] At smaller sizes, fewer seeds were eaten and the wētā could be considered seed predators, (almost no seeds made it intact through the guts of individuals measuring 2 cm or less).^[12] With larger sized wētā however, thousands of seeds were consumed, some of which were presumably capable of being dispersed large distances, suggesting D. connectens can act as a seed disperser.^[12] One captive individual D. connectens was recorded successfully passing 686 intact seeds.^[12]

Males of Deinacrida connectens, like other Deinacrida, are smaller than the females.^[11][14] Adult males are about 3.5 cm in length whereas adult females are about 4.5 cm in length.^[3] However, one source has described females measuring 7.2 cm long.^[15] Body weight of adults has been recorded to reach almost 10g.^[12]

Like other Anostostomatidae, D. connectens can produce sound by using their hind legs to rub their abdominal tergites.^[16] The hind legs rub against tiny "peg" like structures, referred to as stridulatory pegs.^[16]

Throughout the distribution of D. connectens, body colour shows extreme variation.^[4][9] In some populations, individuals may have mostly black bodies (for example, those in a population located at Spence Peak in Southland) whereas others may have a mix of red, grey and olive colours.^[4][9]

The long legs of males compared to females suggest that like other members of this genus the scree wētā has a scramble competition mating system, in which adult females signal and males search for mates.^[17] However, males of Deinacrida connectens appear to invest little energy into reproductive behaviours, and provide small spermatophores.^[11] During mating in experimental conditions, males remain beneath the female, with the pair facing the same direction and with their bodies creating an angle of 30°.^[11] Copulation has been observed to last around 35 minutes.^[11] Mating would be concluded once the male walked away.^[11]

There is a single observation in experimental conditions of a male scree wētā attempting to separate a mating pair.^[11]

During the day, Deinacrida connectens remains under rocks and in crevices of scree slopes.^[11] They may nestle with other conspecifics during this time.^[11] During the night, D. connectens comes out of cover to feed on vegetation.^[11]

When disturbed, D connectens will either remain motionless or attempt to run away and if they need to defend themselves, they will raise their legs in a threatening posture and produce soft sounds.^[3][11] These sounds have been described as “soft and sibilant, rather like that produced by brushing together the heels of one's palms”.^[11] D. connectens has been described as an aggressive species, and will bite if provoked (although they do not appear to be strong enough to break skin).^[3]

After feeding, D. connectens will engage in “perching” behaviour, where it stands at the peak of a rock for extended periods of time during the night.^[11]

In experimental conditions, individuals appeared to maintain an “individual distance” from one another while out at night.^[11] This boundary was maintained by producing sound and using their hind legs to push and kick away other individuals that got too close.^[11] However, this boundary does not seem to be maintained during the day, when individuals may huddle together under rocks and in crevices.^[11]

In laboratory conditions (at temperatures higher than they normally experience), large D. connectens have been known to travel nearly 6 metres per minute.^[12]

Genetic diversity within Deinacrida connectens is quite high and partitioned between populations.^[18][19]

In a phylogeography study of D. connectens, research found seven genetic lineages from mtDNA haplotypes, where each occupied a discrete geographic region.^[7] The average genetic difference between haplotypes was 4.8%, which is quite high for an insect.^[7] This phylogeographical structure combined with lineage age estimations suggests D. connectens radiated during the Pliocene mountain building that created the Southern Alps 5 million years ago.^[7][19][20] It was also suggested that subsequent glaciation may have helped foster isolation between population of D. connectens.^[7][20]

Deinacrida connectens are adapted to be moderately freeze tolerant and are adapted to high elevation zones.^[21][22]

Sex determination of most wētā species is by the number of large metacentric X-chromosomes; females have two X-chromosomes (XX) and males have one (X0).^[23] The scree wētā is diploid with an even number of chromosomes in females, and an odd number in males, but populations within this species have different numbers of chromosomes.^[4] There are seven known karyotypes within D. connectens.^[4] These karyotypes vary in number of chromosomes from 2n = 17(X0) to 2n = 22(XX).^[4] Known locations of these karyotype races are listed below.^[4]