Loxopsis tboli, Bresseel, Joachim, 2012

Bresseel, Joachim, 2012, First record of the genus Loxopsis from the Philippines with the discovery of two new species (Phasmida, Diapheromeridae, Necrosciinae), Zootaxa 3326, pp. 49-61 : 54-58

Loxopsis tboli n. sp.

Material examined. HT, Ƥ: Philippines, Mindanao, Lake Sebu, 7 falls trail, IV.2011, 06 °22'N 124°71'E, leg. Bresseel- Bellemans-Vangramberen, ex coll. JB ( RBINS)

PT, 3: Same data as holotype ( RBINS)

Diagnosis. Similar to Loxopsis seowi Brock, 1999 but differing by the smaller size, relatively larger head in females (see table 2), the blackish ventral surfaces of the femora (brownish in L. seowi ) and the almost transparent anal area of the hind wings.

Etymology. This species is named after one of the indigenous tribes of Southern Mindanao: the Tboli tribe, who are thanked for their hospitality and granting access to their land.

Description. The colouration is described from photographs of live specimens.

Female (plate 3, figs 1–7; plate 7, fig 3)

Measurements see table 2.

Body light brown, head of paler colour dorsally. Tegmina & costal area of alae coloured as body, the costal area of alae with a large black patch. Legs coloured as body with dark markings at apex of femora. Ventral surface of legs coloured blackish brown. Spines or tubercles on legs coloured black

Head: Large, longer than wide, brown with some darker regions laterally. Vertex conical and strongly granulose with several bigger tubercles. A row of tubercles starting right after antennae above eye and reaching towards apex of cone the tubercles gradually becoming larger. A second row of smaller tubercles starting behind the eyes and ending in a slight longitudinal depression at the base of the cone. Area between cone and depression filled with granules. Central part of genae smooth and surrounded by several granules. Eyes small, circular and projecting hemispherically. Antennae filiform, tips broken.

Thorax: Pronotum about 1/3 shorter than head, with transverse depression in anterior part and a longitudinal depression in centre. Laterally of longitudinal depression, two tuberculose carinae with tubercles more strongly developed anteriorly; these forming a slightly raised area. Sides of pronotum strongly granulose. Mesonotum trapezoidal, strongly granulose and with a slight longitudinal depression. Ventral surface of thorax densely granulose. The ventral surface of metanotum with two small pseudoforamina and a raised area in between. Tegmina large, with a distinct hump and reaching base of median segment. Posterior portion rounded. Alae reaching just over abdominal segment VIII. Costal area brown with large more or less semicircular dark patch centrally. Anal area almost transparent.

Abdomen: Abdominal tergites and sternites smooth. Tergites VII-IX and subgenital plate dorso-ventrally flattened (due to drying process). Tergum IX with a distinct posteromedian tubercle. Anal segment tectiform and rounded posteriorly. Cerci small, cylindrical and blunt. Subgenital plate rounded posteriorly, not reaching apex of anal segment.

Legs: Profemora compressed and curved basally. Ventral surface coloured blackish brown with small black tubercles. Row of tubercles starting halfway femora and diverging into two small carinae. Protibiae shorter than profemora and unarmed. Probasitarsi about as long as following three tarsomeres combined. Mesofemora trapezoidal in cross section with an indistinct medio-ventral carina. This granulose at the base, becoming more distinct halfway and dividing into two parallel carinae towards apex of femur. Two parallel carinae in the posterior part of the femur armed with black tubercles or spines. Mesotibiae as protibiae and about as long as mesofemora. Metafemora as mesofemora, but medioventral carina already tuberculose/spinose at the base and with more defined, saw-like spines at apex. Metatibiae as protibiae, claws prominent

Male (plate 4, figs 1–7; plate 7, fig 1)

Measurements see table 2.

Body brown, head almost whitish dorsally. Tegmina coloured as body. Radial vein on costal area of alae with paler longitudinal markings. Anal area of alae almost completely transparent, but with slight greyish colouration. Femora as body with ventral surfaces coloured blackish brown. Spines or tubercles on femora coloured black. Tibiae and tarsi of paler colour than femora.

Head: Longer than wide. Vertex conical and granulose. Between the antennae a semi circular depression followed by a shallow longitudinal depression. Dorsal area of head pale with several granules. A row of tubercles starting right behind antennae above eyes and reaching towards apex of cone. Central part of genae smooth and surrounded by several granules. Eyes small, circular and projecting hemispherically, coloured like body. Antennae filiform not reaching beyond apex of the abdomen.

Thorax: Pronotum about 1/3 shorter than head and covered with small granules. Pronotum as in female. Mesonotum about as long as head and pronotum combined, cylindrical in cross section and strongly granulose. Ventral surface of thorax densely granulose. Metanotum with two very small pseudoforamina. Tegmina with a distinct hump, not reaching base of median segment. Alae reaching to posterior end of segment VIII.

Abdomen: Median segment about half of metanotum. Segments II–V about equal in length, following segments gradually becoming shorter. Tergites VIII–IX with an indistinct hump postero-medially. Anal segment strongly tectiform narrowing towards apex and with small indention apically. Cerci cylindrical and projecting hardly over anal segment. Poculum keeled, reaching a little over apex of tergite IX and narrowing towards the posterior. Apex acute.

Legs: Profemora compressed and curved basally, apical half quadrate in cross section. Ventral surface with small, black tubercles diverging into two indistinct carinae. Protibiae unarmed, about as long as profemora. Probasitarsi about as long as the following three tarsomeres combined. Meso- and metafemora with strongly granulose medio-ventral carina at basally, becoming more distinct and diverges into two parallel carinae with larger black tubercles. Other ventral carinae strongly granulose. Meso- and metatibiae as protibiae. Claws prominent.

Egg. Unknown. The holotype female was kept alive for more than a week, accepting an Aesculus sp. ( Hippocastanaceae ) as a substitute foodplant. Unfortunately no eggs were produced.

*length of tibiae not accurate. Deformed because of the storage in alcohol.

Note: One specimen of Loxopsis seowi Brock, 1999 has also been examined for comparison, with the following data: Peninsular Malaysia, Tapah, road to Tanah Rata, km 20, 14.III. 07, Leg. K Schütte (ZMH) (plate 5, figs 1–7). Brock (1999) gives a body length range of 68–75 mm for females.

PLATE 3: 3 HT Loxopsis tboli n. sp. 1. habitus dorsal view; 2. head an thorax dorsal view; 3. apex of abdomen ventral view; 4. posterior femur ventral view; 5. habitus lateral view; 6. apex of abdomen lateral view; 7. head and thorax lateral view.

PLATE 4: Ƥ HT Loxopsis tboli n. sp. 1. habitus dorsal view; 2. head an thorax dorsal view; 3. apex of abdomen ventral view; 4. posterior femur ventral view; 5. habitus lateral view; 6. head and thorax lateral view; 7. apex of abdomen lateral view.

PLATE 5: Ƥ Loxopsis seowi Brock, 1999 . 1. habitus dorsal view; 2. head an thorax dorsal view; 3. apex of abdomen ventral view; 4. posterior femur ventral view; 5. habitus lateral view; 6. head and thorax lateral view; 7. apex of abdomen lateral view.