Paraprisopus apterus, Conle & Hennemann & Bellanger & Lelong & Jourdan & Valero, 2020

Conle, Oskar V., Hennemann, Frank H., Bellanger, Yannick, Lelong, Philippe, Jourdan, Toni & Valero, Pablo, 2020, Studies on neotropical Phasmatodea XX: A new genus and 16 new species from French Guiana, Zootaxa 4814 (1), pp. 1-136 : 38

Paraprisopus apterus n. sp.

( Figs. 16–17 )

HT, ♂: Französisch Guyana: Commune de Régina, Crique Orfion, Orapu RN 2 pk 65, 4°29’46,29”N– 52°20’43,30”W, SEAG, Malaise-trap, leg. Stéphane Brûlé 24.09.2016; Ex coll. Conle; OC-0403-2 [ ZSMC] .

PT, 1 ♀ (nymph): Französisch Guyana: Commune de Régina, Crique Orfion, Orapu RN 2 pk 65, 4°29’46,29”N– 52°20’43,30”W, SEAG, Malaise-trap, leg. Stéphane Brûlé 01.10.2016 [coll. OC, No. 0403-1] .

Etymology. The name (apterus lat. = apterous, wingless) refers to the lack of wings in this new species.

Differentiation. The species is so far only known from the ♂, which is easily distinguished from the ♂♂ of all other species in the genus by the very small size, the lack of wings and the very strongly raised vertex.

Description. ♂ ( Fig. 16 ). Very small and apterous species. Length of body 24.5 mm. General colour mid-brown with dark and irregular mottling, abdominal segments II–VI pale brown, VII–X dark brown. Eyes chestnut brown. Prosternum entirely black. Anterior third of meso-and Metasternum pale brown and posterior two thirds black. Entire body and legs covered with tiny rounded granules.

Head very distinctive, strongly conically raised and forming two spiny, auriform lobes. Eyes large and round distinctly projecting the rest of the head. Pronotum slightly wider than long, mesonotum 2x longer than wide and metanotum wider than long. No wings present, but two yellowish knobs (rudiments) at the posterior angles of mesonotum. Abdomen slender in segments I–VII, distinctly broader in VIII and IX, anal segment tapered towards a gently and bluntly incised posterior margin. Cerci short and simple, slightly projecting over posterior margin of anal segment, gently tapered towards posterior. Vomer triangular with pointed apex. Poculum with rounded posterior margin, reaching centre of anal segment. Legs slender for the genus, pro- and mesofemora only slightly swollen.

Measurements HT [mm]: Body 24.5, pronotum 1.8, mesonotum 3.2, metanotum 1.1, median segment 1.0, profemora 3.9, mesofemora 3.6, metafemora 5.3, antennae> 18.0.

♀ nymph ( Fig. 17 ). The immature ♀ nymph at hand is similar to the ♂, but the auriform lobes on the head are less spiny and broader, the pro- and mesofemora are thicker and have wave-like swellings (profemora) and spines on the ventral carinae (mesofemora). Body length 32.1 mm.

Distribution. French Guiana: Commune de Regina, Crique Orfion [ZSMC, OC].

Figures

FIGURE 16. Male (HT) of Paraprisopus apterus n. sp. a–c. habitus: a. dorsal; b. lateral; c. ventral; d–f. head, prothorax and mesothorax: d. dorsal; e. lateral; f. ventral; g–i. apex of abdomen: g. dorsal; h. lateral; i. ventral.

FIGURE 17. Female (PT) nymph of Paraprisopus apterus n. sp. a–d. habitus: a. dorsolateral; b. dorsal; c. lateral; d. ventral.