Prisopus horridus ( Gray, 1835 )

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 : 108-110

Prisopus horridus ( Gray, 1835)

( Figs. 46 e , 47 e , 52 a–b)

Platytelus horridus Gray, 1835: 28 . HT, ♀: Colombia [lost]. NT, ♂ [by present designation]: Französisch Guyana: Commune de Roura, Montagne des Chevaux, RN2 PK22, 4°44’56”N– 52°26’28”W, 75m, S.E.A.G., leg. Stéphane Brûlé 15.03.2014 Ex. coll. OC, No. 0285-4 [MNHN].

Prisopus horridus Westwood, 1859: 168 Kirby, 1904: 406 Redtenbacher, 1906: 155 Hebard, 1924: 141 Otte & Brock, 2005: 285 Conle, Hennemann & Gutiérrez, 2011: 19 , 337, figs.

Further material [ 19 ♂♂, 4 ♀♀, 2 nymphs, 2 egg]: 1 ♀: coll. Karny; Prisopus berosus (?) det. Karny [ NHMW] .

BOLIVIA: 1 ♂: Prov. del Sara , Bolivia, 450m, J. Steinbach [ ANSP] ; 1 ♂: Chocó , Nugui, 20m [ ICN] .

BRAZIL: 1 ♂: Teles Pires, MT, 10/2001, Col. E.F., Oliveria [ ESALQ] ; 1 ♂: Ter. Amapá, S clo Navio, Bicelli col., IV-VI-60 [ ESALQ] .

COLOMBIA: 1 ♂: Rio Anchicayá , Colombia, Alt. MTS. 800 [ MNHN] .

ECUADOR: 1 ♂: Ecuador; Prisopus horridus (Gray) , det. Hebard 1923, A.N. S.P. [ ANSP] ; 1 ♀ nymph: Lita, NW-Ecuador; Prisopus horridus (Gray) , det. Hebard 1923, A.N. S.P. [ ANSP] ; 1 ♀ nymph: San Xavier, NW-Ecuador [ ANSP] .

FRENCH GUIANA: 1 ♂: Französisch Guyana : Commune de Roura, Montagne des Chevaux, RN2 PK22, 4°44’56”N– 52°26’28”W, 75m, S.E.A.G., leg. Stéphane Brûlé 28.03.2011 [coll. OC, No. 0285-1] ; 1 ♂: Französisch Guyana : Commune de Roura, Montagne des Chevaux, RN2 PK22, 4°44’56”N– 52°26’28”W, 75m, S.E.A.G., leg. Stéphane Brûlé 23.04.2012 [coll. OC, No. 0285-2] ; 1 ♂: Französisch Guyana : Commune de Roura, Montagne des Chevaux, RN2 PK22, 4°44’56”N– 52°26’28”W, 75m, S.E.A.G., leg. Stéphane Brûlé 01. -02.2009 [coll. OC, No. 0285-3] ; 1 ♂: Französisch Guyana : Commune de Roura, Montagne des Chevaux, RN2 PK22, 4°44’56”N– 52°26’28”W, 75m, S.E.A.G., leg. Stéphane Brûlé 13.05.2013 [coll. OC, No. 0285-5] ; 1 ♂: Französisch Guyana : Commune de Roura, Montagne des Chevaux, RN2 PK22, 4°44’56”N– 52°26’28”W, 75m, S.E.A.G., leg. Stéphane Brûlé 24.04.2011 [coll. OC, No. 0285-6] ; 1 ♂: Französisch Guyana : Commune de Roura, Montagne des Che- vaux, RN2 PK22, 4°44’56”N– 52°26’28”W, 75m, S.E.A.G., Malaise-trap, leg. Stéphane Brûlé 01.03.2014 [coll. OC, No. 0285-7] ; 1 ♂: Französisch Guyana : Commune de Roura, Montagne des Chevaux, RN2 PK22, 4°44’56”N– 52°26’28”W, 75m, S.E.A.G., Lichtfang, leg. Stéphane Brûlé 09.04.2016 [coll. OC, No. 0285-9] ; 1 ♂: Französisch Guyana : Commune de Roura, Montagne des Chevaux, RN2 PK22, 4°44’56”N– 52°26’28”W, 75m, S.E.A.G., Li- chtfang, leg. Stéphane Brûlé 02.02.2016 [coll. OC, No. 0285-11] ; 1 ♂: Französisch Guyana : Commune de Rou- ra, Montagne des Chevaux, RN2 PK22, 4°44’56”N– 52°26’28”W, 75m, S.E.A.G., Lichtfang, leg. Stéphane Brûlé 19.03.2016 [coll. OC, No. 0285-12] ; 1 ♂: Französisch Guyana : Commune de Roura, Montagne des Chevaux, RN2 PK22, 4°44’56”N– 52°26’28”W, 75m, S.E.A.G., Lichtfang, leg. Stéphane Brûlé 27.05.2017 [coll. OC, No. 0285-13] ; 1 ♂: Französisch Guyana : Commune de Roura, Montagne des Chevaux, RN2 PK22, 4°44’56”N– 52°26’28”W, 75m, S.E.A.G., Lichtfang, leg. Stéphane Brûlé 15.04.2017 [coll. OC, No. 0285-14] ; 1 ♂: Französisch Guyana : Com- mune de Roura, Montagne des Chevaux, 4°44’31”N– 52°25’53”W, 90m, S.E.A.G., Automatic light trap pink, leg. Stéphane Brûlé 21.04.2018 [coll. OC, No. 0285-15] ; 1 ♀: Guayana franc., S. Jean, Maroni, Le Moult [ MNCN] .

PERU: 1 ♀, 2 eggs: Peru: Nähe Tarapato, 600m, leg. Rainer Schulte 11.2013 [Coll. OC, No. 0285-8, 0285-8-E] ; 1 ♀: Monteal gro, Rio Pachitea , Peru, G. Tessmann [ MNCN] .

COSTA RICA: 1 ♀: Costa Rica: Puntarenas, Esperanza , 275m, leg Kenji Nishida 11.2013 [coll. OC, No. 0285- 15] .

Differentiation. This species is similar to P. horstokkii (Haan, 1842) with which it shares the distinctive colouration of the metasternum (see below). However, P. horridus differs by the presence of distinct spines on the head, simple metapleurae that lack the distinctive and prominent triangular lateral expansion seen in P. horstokkii , and having abdominal sternites II–VII each with a fine, transverse black line along posterior margin (with two dark anterior spots in horstokkii ). It is also similar to P. wolfgangjunki Zompro, 2003 , with which it shares the pattern and colouration of the metasternum. It is however distinguished from this species by the less translucent anal area of the alae (the brown area around the transverse veins is much broader than in wolfgangjunki ), the entirely black to brown poculum (yellow with black margin in wolfgangjunki ) and the hemispherically projecting eyes in the ♂♂.

Description. ♀. Large (body length 79.0–92.0 mm) and fairly robust for the genus, the mesonotum transverse and scarcely longer than the pronotum, the head armed with several prominent spines and abdominal terga VII–X with distinct lateral lobes. All lateral margins of body segments and all legs densely covered with long pale setae. General colouration of dorsal body surface and dorsal surface of legs greyish mid to dark brown, the abdominal terga with a drab hue. Vertex with some white speckles. Antennae dark greyish brown with some weakly defined pale brown markings. Tegmina and costal region of alae almost hyaline, slightly pale brown with all veins greyish dark brown; both with the anterior and apical portions increasingly suffused with brown speckles and mottling. Tegmina with a dark brown washed marking at the sub-basal protuberance, a much more defined and distinct blackish brown marking medially and the washed dark brown markings at the outer margin near the apex. Costal region of alae with several bold blackish brown median markings; anal region transparent and irregularly reticulate, the transverse stripes brown. Probasisternum mid brown, pro-, mesosternum and abdominal sternum I pale straw; the mesosternum with a pair of distinct and strongly diverging black stripes near posterior margin. Metasternum dark brown with the outer margins broadly black, posteromedially with an elongate yellowish marking, which has an elongate brown spot in its centre. Abdominal sternites II–VII uniformly dull yellow. Ventral surfaces of all femora dull yellow to straw, the ventral surface of the tibiae with a blackish hue. Apical portion of all tibiae black.

♂ ( Figs. 46 e , 47 e ). Very similar to ♀, but smaller (body length 50.4–55.8 mm). Abdominal sternites II–VII dull yellow with a fine transverse black stripe along posterior margin. Vomer with the basal half broad, then abruptly narrowed to form an elongate, slender and gently up-curving terminal hook. Poculum flat with the posterior margin broad and roundly angular, entirely dark brown to black.

Measurements NT [mm]: Body 52.7, pronotum 3.1, mesonotum 4.2, metanotum 7.3, tegmina 25.7, alae 36.9, profemora 8.7, mesofemora 6.3, metafemora 11.9, antennae 34.5.

Comments. Since the holotype of Platytelus horridus Gray, 1835 is lost a neotype is here selected to guarantee stability of the taxon ( Fig. 52 a–b). Westwood (1859: 168), who at that time had Gray’s specimen at hand for examination, was correct in assuming this species is very close to P. horstokkii Haan, 1842 . Both share a very similar colouration of the metasternum, in P. horridus being mostly dark brown with the outer margins broadly black and an elongate yellowish marking posteromedially, which has an elongate brown spot in its centre. Conle, Hennemann & Gutiérrez (2011: 337) provided a redescription and illustrations of the ♂ of P. horridus .

Distribution. Widely distributed throughout South America. Colombia: Chocó [ICN]; Valle del Cauca [MNHN]; Río Anchicayá [MNHN]. Ecuador: Lita [ANSP]; San Xavier [ANSP]; no specified locality [ANSP]. Peru: Huanuco [MNCN]; Tarapoto [coll. OC]; Río Pachitea [MNCN]. Bolivia: Province de Sara [ANSP]. Brazil: Amapá [ESALQ]; Teles Pires [ESALQ]; Mato Grosso [ESALQ]. French Guiana: Maroni [MNCN]; Montagne des Chevaux in Commune de Roura [coll. OC].

Figures

FIGURE 46. Comparison of males of all known Prisopus spp. for French Guiana. Habitus in dorsal view. a. P. wolfgangjunki; b. P. clarus n. sp.; c. P. sacratus; d. P. horstokkii; e. P. horridus; f. P. phacellus; g. P. minimus; h. P. piperinus; i. P. ariadne; j. P. conocephalus n.sp..

FIGURE 47. Comparison of males of all known Prisopus spp. for French Guiana. Habitus in ventral view. a. P. wolfgangjunki; b. P. clarus n. sp.; c. P. sacratus; d. P. horstokkii; e. P. horridus; f. P. phacellus; g. P. minimus; h. P. piperinus; i. P. ariadne; j. P. conocephalus n.sp..

FIGURE 52. Male (NT) of Prisopus horridus (Gray, 1835) and female (NT) of Prisopus sacratus (Olivier, 1792). a–b. Prisopus horridus (Gray, 1835): a. dorsal; b. ventral; c–e. Prisopus sacratus (Olivier, 1792): c. dorsal; d. lateral; e. ventral.