Interphasma emeiense Chen & He, 2008

Qian, Yu-Han, Xie, Chong-Xin, Wen, Jun & Wang, Yu, 2023, Review of stick insects (Insecta: Phasmatodea) from Yintiaoling Nature Reserve of China, with description of two new species, Zootaxa 5257 (1), pp. 17-39 : 19-21

Interphasma emeiense Chen & He, 2008 ( Figures 1–4 )

- Chen S.C. & He Y.H., 2008. Phasmatodea of China. 330.

Material examined. 3 females, 4 males and 10 eggs, China, Chongqing, Wuxi County, Yintiaoling National Nature Reserve, Hongqi management station, 994 m, 11–12 Aug. 2022, Leg. Chong-Xin Xie ; 1 female and 1 male, Yintiaoling Nature Reserve, Yanping management station, 1,784 m, 19 Aug. 2022, Leg. Chong-Xin Xie ; 1 female and 2 males, Yintiaoling Nature Reserve, Linkouzi management station, 1,270 m, 14 Aug. 2022, Leg. Chong-Xin Xie .

Description. Eggs. Capsule oval, off-white, with irregular brown or dark brown mottling. Micropylar plate obcordate shaped, central area with a light brown longitudinal ridge. Micropylar cup black and distinct, followed by a short light brown median line. Operculum almost elliptical, slightly convex, central area distinctly concaved, with capitulum in the cavity. Weakly collared. Polar apex slightly concave.

Measurements. Female. Body length 51.0–61.0; head length 3.7–4.2; pronotum length 3.2–3.7; mesonotum 12.2–13.3; metanotum 5.3–6.8; median segment 2.4–2.6; profemora 19.8–21.1; mesofemora 12.6–13.2; metafemora 17.3–19.2; protibiae 23.9–25.7; mesotibiae 14.2–15.1; metatibiae 21.4–23.7. Male. Body length 48.0–58.0; head length 2.3–3.2; pronotum length 2.0–3.1; mesonotum 11.3–13.2; metanotum 5.8–6.5; median segment 1.8–2.0; profemora 22.1–24.2; mesofemora 14.4–16.3; metafemora 19.5–20.6; protibiae 25.5–27.6; mesotibiae 15.0–17.1; metatibiae 22.1–23.9. Egg. Length 1.9–2.1, width 1.6–1.8, height 1.9–2.1.

Distribution. China (Chongqing, Sichuan).

Remarks. Body coloration of different individuals of this species is variable in the wild, shown in Fig. 4 . And we found that the antennae of females had 16 segments, but variable in males, six individuals had 19 segments and the remain one had 20 segments. Additionally, Yintiaoling Nature Reserve is the second place where Interphasma emeiense was found. Also, this is the new record of Phasmatodea of Chongqing.

Figures

FIGURE 1 Interphasma emeiense, female, A–H. A. habitus, dorsal view; B. habitus, ventral view; C. habitus, lateral view; D. head, dorsal view; E. head, lateral view; F. terminalia, dorsal view; G. terminalia, lateral view; H. terminalia, ventral view.

FIGURE 2 Interphasma emeiense, male, A–H. A. habitus, dorsal view; B. habitus, ventral view; C. habitus, lateral view; D. head, dorsal view; E. head, lateral view; F. terminalia, dorsal view; G. terminalia, lateral view; H. terminalia, ventral view.

FIGURE 3 Interphasma emeiense, egg, A–D. A. dorsal view; B. lateral view; C. top view; D. polar view.

FIGURE 4 Interphasma emeiense in the wild. A. female; B. female; C. female; D. male; E. mating in the wild; F. mating in the wild.