Malacomorpha poeyi ( Saussure, 1868 ) Conle & Hennemann & Perez-Gelabert, 2008

Conle, Oskar V., Hennemann, Frank H. & Perez-Gelabert, Daniel E., 2008, Studies on neotropical Phasmatodea II: Revision of the genus Malacomorpha Rehn, 1906, with the descriptions of seven new species (Phasmatodea: Pseudophasmatidae: Pseudophasmatinae), Zootaxa 1748 (1), pp. 1-64 : 45-48

Malacomorpha poeyi ( Saussure, 1868) n. comb.

( Figs. 63–67 )

Anophelepis poeyi Saussure, 1868: 67 . LT, ♀: Cuba, acheté a M. Poey (MHNG); PLT, ♀: Cuba, acheté a M. Poey (MHNG). [examined] Saussure, 1870: 171, pl. 4: 18 & 18a (♀). Stal, 1875: 56.

Agathemera (?) poeyi, Kirby, 1904: 402 .

Alloeophasma poeyi, Redtenbacher, 1906: 126 . Conle & Hennemann, 2002: 18, pl. 5: 52–53 (♂, ♀), pl. 12: 119–120 (genitalia). [Designation of lectotype] Zompro & Brock, 2003: 19, figs. 58 (♂) & 59 (♀). [Unnecessary lectotype designation] Zompro, 2004: 142, figs. 81a (♂) & 81b (♀). Otte & Brock, 2005: 388.

Anisomorpha poeyi, Bolivar, 1888: 141 . Langlois & Lelong, 1996: 20.

Phasma cubensis Saussure, 1868: 69 . LT, ♂: Cuba, acheté a M. Poey (MHNG); PLT, ♂: Cuba, acheté a M. Poey (MHNG); PLT, 2 ♂♂: Cuba, M. H. de Saussure (MHNG). [Synonymised by Redtenbacher, 1906: 126] [examined] Saussure, 1870: 195, pl. 4: 23 (♂). Conle & Hennemann, 2002: 18, pl. 5: 53 (♂ PLT) & pl. 12: 120 (♂ genitalia). [Designation of lectotype] Zompro & Brock, 2003: 10, fig. 59 (♂ LT). Otte & Brock, 2005: 389.

Phasma cubense, Bolivar, 1888: 141 . Zompro, 2004: 143, fig. 81a (♂).

Pseudophasma cubense, Kirby, 1904: 413 .

Material examined [1 ♂, 1 ♀]: 1 ♂, 1 ♀: Cuba, Trinidad, 15.II.1989, at night with lamps on limestone edge; BMNH (E) 2005-98; Alloeophasma poeyi ( Saussure, 1868) , det. P.D.Brock 2005, BMHN (E) 2005-98 ( BMNH) .

Distribution: Cuba ( Trinidad & Camagüey, Jaronú [ Moxey, 1972: 34]).

Differentiation: From all other species of the genus it is distinguished by the extremely elongate body and legs.

With Malacomorpha multipunctata n. sp. it shares the very short alae of the ♀, but differs by: the extremely elongate body and legs; the presence of small tegmina; the different coloration of both sexes; the fully developed alae and tegmina in the ♂.

Description: ºº ( Fig. 63 ): Large (body length 50.5–54.7 mm), very slender with elongate abdomen. Small, roughly circular tegmina and small elongate alae, as long as metanotum, present. Legs slender and very long for the genus, distinctly carinated; all carinae covered with minute setae. Antennae long and slender, reaching towards posterior end of abdomen. Body surface minutely tuberculose and rugulose, not shiny; mesonotum bearing several more distinct granules in the anterior half. Basic colouration of body brown to dark brown, overlaid with several indistinct longitudinal dark or pale broken lines and many cream to whitish speckles; indistinct, dark longitudinal dorsomedian line running along the complete dorsal surface of the head and body. Indistinct, dark brown postocular line present. Antennae uniformly brown to mid-brown. Eyes marbled in black and mid brown. Tegmina and alae in gerneral of same color as body, bearing cream veins. Legs brown to dark-brown overlaid with drab yellowish speckles.

Head: 1.2–1.3x longer than wide, oval in cross-section and distinctly flattened dorsally, smooth. Minute rudiments of ocelli present. Eyes roughly circular, projecting hemispherical, their length contained 2.5–3x in that of cheek. Antennae long and slender, reaching towards posterior end of abdomen. Scapus almost 2x longer than wide, compressed dorsoventrally, roughly rectangular and slightly carinated. Pedicellus hardly longer than wide, distinctly narrower and about 0.7x as long as scapus, but wider than following antennomeres. Third antennomere elongate, as long as scapus and pedicellus combined, IV distinctly shorter. Remaining antennomeres increasing in length towards apices of antennae.

Thorax: Oval to roughly circular in cross-section. More or less parallel-sided; mesothorax increasing in height towards posterior. Pronotum longer and more slender than head, more than 1.5x longer than wide, and parallel-sided. Anterolateral angles with a conspicuous, rounded excavation for the defensive glands. Transverse median depression indistinct and slightly displaced towards anterior third of segment. Median line slightly impressed. Mesonotum wider and at least 2x longer than pronotum, 2.5–3.0x longer than wide and very slightly broadening from the posterior third towards the posterior end. Bearing several tubercles in the anterior half. Metanotum and median segment combined as long as, but slightly wider than mesonotum; 2.5x longer than wide, parallel-sided. Metanotum transverse, 1.5x wider than long and slightly shorter than median segment. Transverse fissure between metanotum and median segment distinct and almost straight. Very small rudiments of tegmina and very small alae present. Tegmina roughly circular. Alae about as long as mesonotum, reaching the posterior margin of metanotum, 3–4x longer than wide. Pro-, meso- and metasternum and pro- meso- and metaepisternum simple and gently rugulose.

Abdomen: 2x longer than head and complete thorax combined; very slender and nearly cylindrical; minutely tuberculose to smooth. Median segment slightly longer than metanotum, slightly longer than wide. Tergites parallel-sided with a small pointed apex at the posterolateral angles. II–VI the widest and longest, VIII–X the most slender and VIII & IX the shortest. II–VII 1.5x longer than wide, VIII–IX at least as wide as long. Sternites II–VI simple and smooth, except VII bearing a small praeopercular organ. Anal segment constricted towards apex, slightly narrower than IX, slightly longer than wide, with an indistinct longitudinal median carina. Lateral margins with a faint concave excavation near the bases of the cerci. Supraanal plate very small with angulate apex hardly visible from dorsal view. Subgenital plate small, boat-shaped, reaching towards the posterior margin of tergite IX, minutely setose and apex pointed. Cerci small, short, posteriorly constricted and pointed, slightly broadened at the base; finely bristled.

Legs: Slender and very long, distinctly carinated, unarmed and with all carinae minutely bristled. Profemora 1.8–2.2x longer than mesothorax, metafemora reaching towards the centre of abdominal tergite V, hind legs not projecting over apex of abdomen. Profemora very distinctly compressed and curved basally. Basitarsus 3.0x longer than second tarsomere.

ďď ( Fig. 64 ): Similar to ♀♀, but smaller and much more slender (body length 33.0– 40.1mm), alae fully developed, reaching towards tergite VI–VII. General colouration as in ♀♀. Tegmina and costal region of alae pale brown with fine cream to dark longitudinal lines. Anal region of alae translucent.

Head: Generally as in ♀♀, but eyes projecting more hemispherical.

Thorax: As in ♀♀, but mesonotum at least 3x longer than wide, 2.5x longer than pronotum. Metanotum and median segment combined moderately longer than wide and broader than mesonotum, shiny. Transverse fissure between metanotum and median segment indistinct. Tegmina short and oval, strongly convex, bearing fine veins, projecting the posterior margin of mesonotum. Alae reaching towards the posterior end of tergite VI–VII.

Abdomen: Sub-cylindrical in cross section, nearly 2.5x longer than head and thorax combined. Surface and granulation as in ♀♀, but mesonotum with smoother surface. Tergites II–VII parallel-sided, VIII and IX broadening towards the posterior and broader than previous. II–VII are the longest and narrowest, 3x longer than wide, VIII & IX are the shortest, about as wide as long. Anal segment broader than previous tergites, about as wide as long. Posterior margin swollen and laterally expanded with two very distinct posterolateral apices, pointed towards the posterior. Sternites II–VII simple and smooth. Cerci as in ♀♀. Poculum small and very flat, reaching to the posterior margin of tergite IX. Posterior margin rounded, with a small pointed apex medially. Vomer longer than wide, parallel-sided basally, with apex broadly rounded; outer margin swollen.

Legs: As in ♀♀.

Comments: Saussure (1868: 67 & 69) described his two new Cuban species Anophelepis poeyi from the ♀ and Phasma cubensis from the ♂ being not aware they were the opposite sexes of the same species. Redtenbacher (1906: 126) recognized the conspecifity of these two taxa, synonymised Phasma cubensis with Anophelepis poeyi , and established the new genus Alloeophasma to contain A. poeyi (Saussure) . Alloeophasma Redtenbacher is here shown to be a synonym of Malacomorpha Rehn, 1906 (n. syn.). Lectotypes were designated for both species by Conle & Hennemann (2002: 19) who furthermore presented detailed descriptions and illustrations of both sexes. Hence, the designation of a LT for A. poeyi by Zompro & Brock (2003: 19) was unnecessary and is invalid. The lectotype label attached to one of the 4 ♀♀ syntypes of A. poeyi in MHNG was not published and is therefore invalid. Illustrations of the lectotypes of A. poeyi and P. cubensis were provided by Zompro & Brock (2003) and Zompro (2004). Eggs unknown.

Figures

FIGURES 63–67. Malacomorpha poeyi (Saussure, 1868) n. comb. 63) ♀ (BMNH), 64) ♂ (BMNH), 65) ♂ apex of abdomen in lateral view, 66) ♂ vomer, 67) ♀ apex of abdomen in lateral view.