Cnipsomorpha nigrospina, Ho, 2021

Ho, George Wai-Chun, 2021, Contribution to the knowledge of Chinese Phasmatodea X: Eight new species of Cnipsomorpha from China (Phasmatidae: Clitumninae: Medaurini), Zootaxa 5026 (1), pp. 102-126 : 110-111

Cnipsomorpha nigrospina sp. nov.

(Figs. 15–16, 36–37, 66–67)

Types. Holotype: ♂, 2400m, Primitive broad-leaved forests near Jiasazhen , Xinping West , Yuxi, Yunnan, China, 24.VI.2019, George Ho Wai-Chun ( HKES) ; Paratypes: 4♂, 7 immature ♀, same data as holotype ♂ ( HKES) .

Diagnosis. Cnipsomorpha nigrospina sp. nov. is closely related to C. jinpingensis sp. nov., but can be easily by the small size, the more slender body and the serrate anterodorsal and posterodorsal carinae of tibiae in the male and the presence of paired anterior and posterior medial spines on the median abdominal segment, the humplike praeopercular organ the on seventh abdominal sternum and the indistinct serrations on the anteroventral and posteroventral carinae of tibiae in the female.

Description. Male (Figs. 15–16, 36, 66–67). Body slender and slim. General colouration of body and legs green.

Head: Oblong, with very sparse and small granules.Vertex gently convex, unarmed. Occiput moderately convex, median longitudinal furrow distinct; with a pair of supra-orbital spines and a pair of occipital medial spines, also with enlarged granules along longitudinal furrow. Compound eyes small and rounded, its length about three-and-ahalf-times that of genae. Antennae with 18 segments, apices reaching subapical area of profemora; scapus flattened basally, almost as long as third segment; and third segment longer than pedicellus.

Thorax: Covered with very sparse granules. Pronotum nearly trapezoidal, gently expanded posteriorly, anterior margin distinctly incurved, posterior margin rounded, with a pair of posterior medial spines, transverse and longitudinal sulci crossing at middle area. Mesonotum moderately expanded posteriorly, with medial spines along median longitudinal line pre-medially, medially and posteriorly, anterior pair as large as posterior pair, median pair largest. Metanotum longer than wide, with posterior medial and pre-median spines. Mesopleurae and metapleurae with a supra-coxal spine.

Abdomen: Slender and cylindrical, with sparse and small granules. Median segment narrow, wider than long, with a pair of posterior spines. Second to eighth tergites with triangularly expanded posterolateral angles. Second to seventh tergites with a pair of posterior spines, reduced in size on seventh tergum. Eighth tergum gently expanded posteriorly. Ninth tergum shorter than eighth tergum. Anal segment longer than ninth tergum, tapering posteriorly, dilated into two distinct semi-tergites; semi-tergites with straight inner margin, apices blunt with minute dentations. Poculum cup-shaped, with distinct median elevation, posterior margin rounded, reaching anterior area of anal segment. Cerci short, flattened, curved inwards, apices blunt and exceeding posterior apices of anal segment.

Legs: Slender and long. Sparsely covered with short bristles. Femora shorter than corresponding tibiae, anterodorsal, posterodorsal, anteroventral and posteroventral carinae with three to four small serrations. Profemora weakly curved basally. Anterodorsal and posterodorsal carinae of tibiae with indistinct serrations, anteroventral and posteroventral carinae unarmed, medioventral carina weakly raised basally.

Female (Immature) (Fig. 37). General colouration of body and legs green, with blackish markings.

Head: Covered with a few small and acute granules. Oblong, longer than wide, gently tapering posteriorly behind compound eyes. Vertex convex, lacking supra-antennal spines. Occiput distinctly convex, with three pairs of medial spines along median longitudinal furrow, anterior pair as large as posterior pair, median pair smallest; also with paired supra-orbital spines, as large as anterior occipital medial spines. Compound eyes small and rounded. Antennae with 12 to 13 segments, reaching middle area of profemora; scapus flattened basally, roughly as long as combined length of pedicellus and third segment; and pedicellus shorter than third segment.

Thorax: Sparsely covered with a few small granules. Pronotum trapezoidal, gently expanded posteriorly, anterior margin incurved, posterior margin truncate, transverse and longitudinal sulci crossing at middle point; with a pair of posterior medial spines. Mesonotum moderately expanded posteriorly, swollen medially; with paired anterior medial, pre-median medial, median medial, post-median and posterior medial spines; also with paired pre-median and median spines; lateral margins with a few spines. Metanotum with pre-median medial, median medial and postmedian medial spines, also with anterior and posterior spines. Mesopleurae and metapleurae with a supra-coxal spine.

Abdomen: Cylindrical and tapering posteriorly. Sparsely granulated. Second to ninth tergites with triangularly expanded posterolateral angles. Median segment narrow, wider than long, with anterior medial, posterior medial and posterior spines. Third to seventh tergites with paired median medial, posterior medial and posterior spines. Second to fifth tergites also with paired anterior medial spines. Posteromedian area of seventh sternum with a hump-like praeopercular organ. Eighth and ninth tergites with a pair of tooth-like crests posteromedially. Anal segment as long as ninth tergum, posterior margin with small emarginations. Subgenital plate scoop-shaped. Cerci long, flattened, apices obtuse.

Legs: Slender. Femora thicker than corresponding tibiae, with blackish markings. Profemora weakly curved basally.Anterodorsal, posterodorsal, anteroventral and posteroventral carinae of femora with distinct small serrations. Anterodorsal and posterodorsal carinae of tibiae with distinct serrations, anteroventral and posteroventral carinae with indistinct serrations.

Measurements in Table 4 .

Distribution. China (Yunnan).

Notes. The diagnosis and description of the female are based on the immature individuals. Measurements are only given to the males. Further material especially adult female and its eggs are needed for knowing the complete morphological characters of this species.

Etymology. The specific epithet of this new species is derived from the black spines on the mesonotum in the male.

Suggested common name (Chinese). 黑¬華¬'.