Nubilophasma chicaquensis Murcia and Cadena-Castañeda, 2023

Murcia, Andres David & Cadena-Castañeda, Oscar J., 2023, The stick insects (Insecta: Phasmatodea) from the Cloud Forest of the Chicaque Natural Park, Colombia, Insecta Mundi 2023 (20), pp. 1-45 : 26-31

Nubilophasma chicaquensis Murcia and Cadena-Castañeda , new species

( Fig. 23–27 )

Holotype. ♂. Colombia, Cundinamarca, San Antonio de Tequendama, Chicaque Natural Park. 4°37′02″N, 74°18′46″W. 2.229 m. 26 September 2020 ( CAUD).

Paratypes. 1♀ 1♂. Same data as holotype.

Description. Male. Body light brown with yellow stripes on legs ( Fig. 23A–B ). Tegmina with green veins, costal region of the wings brown with delicate pale brown veins, and discontinuous light green stripes ( Fig. 23B ). A longitudinal yellow line runs along the dorsal surface of the head and thorax. Head with yellow postocular lines extending to lateral edges of the pronotal disc; dark brown antennae with irregularly arranged yellow bands; brown eyes with broken green lines through; all legs brown with yellow transverse bands. Body generally smooth, except mesonotum, with conspicuous tubercles. Head. Slightly longer than wide, wider towards eyes tapering towards the rear, with ocelli present and, very large and prominent spherical eyes ( Fig. 23C–D ); antennae very long, surpassing the last abdominal segment ( Fig. 23A–B ), scape rectangular in dorsal view with a medial groove running longitudinally, slightly compressed dorsoventrally; pedicel cylindrical, almost as long as scape, third antennomere round on cross-section, as long as scape and pedicel combined; other 80 antennal segments very elongate, club-shaped, and variable in length. Thorax. Pronotum rectangular with parallel sides, pronotal disc with elevated lateral margins, almost as wide as head, slightly longer; anterolateral angles raised and rounded for defensive glands ( Fig. 23C–D ). Mesonotum 1.2 times longer than wide and slightly longer than the pronotum, with small granules along its lateral margins and armed with four spines on the anterior half of the mesonotum, the two anterior are smaller, and the two posteriors more conspicuous ( Fig. 23A–B ). Metanotum wider than mesonotum and slightly shorter, with parallel sides, with a convex posterior margin, covered by the tegmina. Tegmina short, extending to mid-metanotum, strongly convex, with oval margins; costal margin constricted at base; hind wings projecting to middle of tergite IX ( Fig. 23A–B ). Prosternum longer than wide. Mesosternum smooth and elongated with parallel sides, distinctly longer than prosternum. Metasternum smooth and moderately longer than mesosternum, anterior margin narrower becoming progressively wider near its posterior margin; metafurcal groove greatly invaginated. Legs. Long, pro- and metathoracic legs equal in length but more prolonged than mesothoracic legs; femora slightly flared apically. Profemur with four edges and somewhat curved basally. Mesothoracic legs with four edges nearly rectangular in cross-section. Metafemur with four edges, long and reaching near the posterior margin of the sixth abdominal segment. Tibiae with area apicalis present; pro- and metatibiae distinctly longer than the second one, metatibiae longer than previous two. Probasitarsus and metabasitarsus very elongated, as long as the sum of the other tarsomeres; mesobasitarsus twice as long as the second tarsomere. Abdomen. Cylindrical, median segment slightly wider than long, half as long as the second tergite. Segments II–VIII smooth, with small posterolateral projections; tergite II longer than wide; tergite III longer than wide, widened from anterior to posterior margin; tergites IV–V narrower than the other tergites, more elongated and with parallel sides; tergite VI as long as V but widening on its posterior margin, tergite VII slightly longer than wide and shorter than tergite VI; tergite VIII quadrangular; tergite IX slightly elevated with anterior margin wider than posterior margin; tergite X wider than long and shorter than the rest of the tergites, half as long as tergite IX, anterior margin straight, lateral margins abruptly compressed on its posterior half, posterior margin concave and smoothly emarginate on its apex. Sternites II–IV smooth and distinctively longer than wide and progressively increasing in length; sternite V longer than wide, with a very prominent projection that forks distally into two spines located on its posterior margin; sternite VI equal in size to V; sternite VII a quarter shorter in length than sternite VI but wider; sternite VIII shorter than the other sternites, wider than long, with anterior margin straight, and its posterior margin concave; poculum strongly convex with prominent ventral prolongation, 2.5 times longer than sternite VIII, longer than wide, anterior margin convex, posterior margin extending to anterior margin of anal segment. Cerci curved, as long as tergite X with numerous setae, round and flared distally, cerci slightly exposed in dorsal view ( Fig. 23E–G ).

Female. Body coloration as the male; tegmina like those of the male but differ in the costal region of the wing, which is brown colored with discontinuous stripes yellow; body robust and longer ( Fig. 24A–B ). Head. Globose and without ocelli ( Fig. 24C–D ). Thorax. Mesonotum twice as long as wide and longer than pronotum ( Fig. 24B ). Hind wings extending to the middle of the tergite VIII ( Fig. 24A–B ). Abdomen. Segments elongate, but broader than male, tergites II–IX with distinctively large posterolateral projections. Tergites V–IX elevated with a medial carina passing through them and projecting slightly over their posterior margins; tergite IX as long as wide, posterolateral projections slightly visible dorsally; tergite X narrower than the rest of the tergites, posterior border with the moderately prolonged ends. Sternite II as long as wide; sternites III–VI smooth and longer than wide, sternite VII with a small preopercular organ located near the posterior margin. Subgenital plate elongated, 2.5 times longer than wide, extending near the apex of the tergite X, slightly convex with its posterior margin oval ( Fig. 24E–G ).

Measurements (mm). ♂ / ♀ TL: 43–44 / 50, Pr: 3–3 / 4, Ms: 5–5 / 6, Mt: 4–5 / 5, MSeg: 2–2 / 3, Pf: 16–16.5 / 16, Mf: 11–11.5 / 11, Hf: 16–16.3 / 18, Pt: 16–16.5 / 17, Mt: 10–11 / 11, Ht: 16–17 / 18, Ant: 55–60 / 58.

Eggs. Light brown with dark spots, capsule granulated. Capsule rectangular, 1.4 times longer than wide and 1.2 times longer than tall ( Fig. 25 ). The dorsal surface is slightly convex and tapers slightly towards the polar area, the ventral surface is slightly convex ( Fig. 25B ). Operculum ovoid and flat ( Fig. 25C ); micropylar plate circular on the central region of the dorsal capsule, abruptly compressed posteriorly, slightly raised on the inner part, and thin margins. The micropylar cup is located near the posterior margin of the micropylar plate ( Fig. 25A ). 10 eggs examined.

Measurements (mm). Length: 2.8, capsule height: 2, capsule width: 2, operculum diameter: 1.

Etymology. It refers to the Chicaque Natural Park where the type series was collected.

Comments. The males have slight variations in the general coloration of the tegmina and the costal region of the wings, being completely brown in some individuals ( Fig. 26A ) or with discontinuous green stripes ( Fig. 26B ). Female with intermittent yellow stripes on the costal region of the wings ( Fig. 27A–B ).

Subfamily Xerosomatinae Bradley and Galil, 1977

Tribe Xerosomatini Bradley and Galil, 1977

Figures

Figure 23. Nubilophasma chicaquensis new genus and new species. (Male). A–B) Habitus in lateral and dorsal view. C–D) Head and pronotum in lateral and dorsal view. E–G) Terminalia in lateral, dorsal, and ventral views respectively.

Figure 24. Nubilophasma chicaquensis new genus and new species. (Female). A–B) Habitus in lateral and dorsal view. C–D) Head and pronotum in lateral and dorsal view. E–G) Terminalia in lateral, dorsal, and ventral views respectively.

Figure 25. Nubilophasma chicaquensis new genus and new species. Eggs. A) Dorsal view. B) Ventral view. C) Anterior pole.

Figure 26. Nubilophasma chicaquensis new genus and new species. Live male and coloration variation. A) Specimens with the costal region of the wings brown. B) With discontinuous green stripes.

Figure 27. Nubilophasma chicaquensis new genus and new species. Live female. A–B) Dorsal and lateral views respectively.