Lobolibethra verruculosa, Hennemann & Conle, 2018

Hennemann, Frank H. & Conle, Oskar V., 2018, Studies on neotropical Phasmatodea XVIII: Four new species of Lobolibethra Hennemann & Conle, 2007 from Peru and Ecuador (Phasmatodea: “ Anareolatae ”: Diapheromeridae), European Journal of Taxonomy 449, pp. 1-33 : 27-31

Lobolibethra verruculosa sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:01D723D9-BB18-4F73-A91E-E26F97D05C81

Figs 52–55

Diagnosis

While generally similar to L. carbonelli sp. nov., males of this new species readily differ from those of all other known species of the genus by their stocky and compact habitus and densely verruculose thorax.

Etymology

The name (verruculosus Lat. = verruculose, with many small warts) refers to the densely verruculose thorax of males of this new species.

Material examined

Holotype

PERU: ♂, “Leonpampa 110 k. E. Huanaco, Huanaco Prov. , Peru; Tropical Jungle, December 1937, Felix Woytkowski“ ( ANSP).

Description

Male ( Figs 52–53 )

BODY. Size fairly small (body length 43.8 mm), form very robust and stocky for the genus; thorax strongly and densely granulose and verruculose.

COLOUR. The preserved HT plain dull brown, the granules and warts of the thorax ochre. Legs with a slight reddish wash. Antennae reddish pale brown, but gradually darkening towards base, with scapus and pedicellus dull greyish brown.

HEAD. Sub-oval, broadest at eyes, with cheeks slightly sub-parallel and narrowed towards posterior; vertex flattened, vertex and upper portion of cheeks irregularly granulose and tuberculose, with some tubercles near posterior margin spiniform ( Fig. 54 ). Eyes moderately sized, sub-circular, strongly projecting and their length contained about 2× in that of cheeks. Antennae reaching to posterior margin of abdominal segment III; scapus compressed dorsoventrally, rounded rectangular and about 1.5× as long as wide. Pedicellus cylindrical and less than half length of scapus. III very elongate and longer than scapus and pedicellus combined; IV a little more than half length of III ( Fig. 54 ).

THORAX. Pronotum about as long but slightly narrower than head, rectangular and gently constricted medially, disc irregularly but densely granulose to verruculose; transverse median sulcus weakly defined, almost straight and expanding over entire width of segment. Mesothorax almost 5× length of prothorax. Surface of meso- and metanotum densely and strongly verruculose, mesonotum with a few more enlarged nodes along lateral margins. Meso- and metapleurae and sterna verruculose, but comparatively less distinct than nota.

ABDOMEN. Median segment a little more than 1/5 length of metanotum and some 1.3× as wide as long; surface as in metanotum. Segments II–VII almost uniform in width, II–IV slightly increasing and V–VII decreasing in length; VII shorter than II. IV longest segment and about 1.6× as long as wide. Tergites II–VII very minutely granulose and sparsely verruculose laterally, all with weakly indicated sub-parallel longitudinal carinae which become increasingly defined towards VII; one of lateral carinae somewhat more distinct than remaining one. VIII somewhat shorter than VII and gradually widening towards posterior, with longitudinal carinae more defined than on preceeding tergites. IX about equal in length to VIII and slightly narrowed towards posterior. Anal segment a little longer than IX and somewhat expanded pre-posteriorly, lateral margins with a blunt tooth-like projection post-medially ( Fig. 55 ) and posterior margin with a broadly rounded, concave median excavation; outer angles bluntly angular and ventral surface minutely denticulate. Cerci of moderate size, arcuate, in-curving and slightly club-like. Vomer broadly triangular, with lateral margins slightly swollen and terminal hook strongly up-curving; outer portions dull reddish brown and central portion dark blackish brown. Poculum moderately convex, bowl-shaped, with complete surface rugulose and scabrous; posterior margin strongly labiate and with a distinct, rounded median indention ( Fig. 55 ).

LEGS. All moderately long, slender and completely unarmed. Profemora somewhat longer than mesothorax, metafemora reaching to abdominal segment VIII and metatibiae projecing strongly beyond apex of abdomen. Tarsi moderately elongate, with basitarsus a little longer than following three tarsomeres combined.

Measurements (in mm): body length 43.8, pronotum 2.2, mesonotum 12.0, metanotum 5.9, median segment 1.5, profemora 12.6, mesofemora 10.7, metafemora 13.9, protibiae 14.0, mesotibiae 12.2, metatibiae 17.2, antennae 30.0.

Remarks

The type locality “Leonpampa” probably refers to present-day San Luis de León Pampa (9°633′ S, 76°067′ W) in Departemento Huánuco. So far only known from the unique male holotype in ANSP. Female and egg unknown.

Figures

Figs 52–55. Lobolibethra verruculosa sp. nov. 52. ♂, HT: lateral view (ANSP). 53. ♂, HT: dorsal view (ANSP). 54. ♂, HT: head and pronotum in dorsal view (ANSP). 55. ♂, HT: apex of abdomen in lateral view (ANSP).