Neooxyartes neohiraseoides, Bresseel & Constant, 2024

Bresseel, Joachim & Constant, Jérôme, 2024, Stick insects from Vietnam: The new genus Mycovartes gen. nov., with two new species and two new species of Neooxyartes Ho, 2018 (Phasmida: Lonchodidae: Necrosciinae), European Journal of Taxonomy 965, pp. 1-50 : 39-48

Neooxyartes neohiraseoides sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:F6

Figs 19 , 27–33

Etymology

The species epithet is a combination of ‘ Neohirasea ’ a genus of Necrosciinae and ‘ oides ’ from the ancient greek εἶδος (‘ eîdos ’), meaning ‘likeness’. It refers to the phenotypical resemblance of this species to representatives of the genus Neohirasea .

Type material

Holotype

VIETNAM • ♂; Dak Lak Province, Chu Yang Sin N.P. ; 12°27′24″ N, 108°22′15″ E; 9–15 Aug. 2019; 650–1000 m a.s.l.; GTI Project; J. Constant and J. Bresseel leg.; I.G.:34.048; RBINS.

Paratypes (25 ♂♂, 25 ♀♀)

VIETNAM • 2 ♂♂, 3 ♀♀; same data as for holotype; RBINS • 2 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀; same data as for holotype; VNMN • 2 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀; same data as for holotype; ex breeding T. Bollens, 2019; RBINS • 6 ♂♂, 6 ♀♀; same data as for holotype; ex breeding T. Bollens, 2020; RBINS • 3 ♂♂, 3 ♀♀; same data as for preceding; VNMN • 5 ♂♂, 4 ♀♀; same data as for preceding; FH 1283 1 to 9 • 5 ♂♂, 5 ♀♀; same data as for holotype; ex breeding T. Bollens, 2021; RBINS .

Additional material

VIETNAM • eggs; same data as for holotype; ex breeding T. Bollens, 2020; RBINS .

Description

Male ( Figs 27 , 28A, C, E , 29 , 31C–E , 32A–D )

MEASUREMENTS. See Table 4.

BODY. Colouration variable, ranging from pale brown to almost black. Pale specimens sometimes with darker mediolongitudinal line on mesonotum. Legs coloured as body, females sometimes with broad white band on meso- and metafemora; in males only with some small spots. Antennae coloured as body, tipped with white.

HEAD. Longer than wide and mainly smooth; dorsal surface flattened with mediolongitudinal groove. Vertex rounded, posterolaterally also with short groove on each side. Eyes circular and strongly projecting.Antennae filiform, slightly projecting over front legs. Scapus slightly flattened dorsoventrally and elliptical in cross-section. Pedicellus short, knob-like and round in cross-section.

THORAX. Pronotum longer than wide, slightly shorter than head and more or less smooth; anterior margin indistinctly concave. Lateral margins somewhat thickened. Median longitudinal groove starting anteriorly, not reaching posterior edge. Centrally with short transverse impression not reaching lateral edges. Posterior margin slightly rounded, almost straight. Mesonotum about three times the length of pronotum and smooth. Metanotum somewhat rugose, slightly longer than median segment with posterior margin thickened. Prosternum with anterior margin more or less straight, widening towards the posterior; posterior margin concave. Prosternum with rough paired, almost circular “sensory organs”; longitudinally divided by a median furrow.

WINGS. Tegmina absent. Alae small, reaching posterior margin metanotum; costal area blackish with inner margin reddish; anal area bright red.

LEGS. Profemora about as long as corresponding tibiae; compressed and curved basally, inner dorsal carina slightly more pronounced than other carinae, all carinae unarmed. Mesofemora about as long as corresponding tibiae, unarmed. Metafemora slightly shorter than corresponding tibiae, armature as in mesofemora. Tibiae with all carinae present and unarmed.

ABDOMEN. Median segment quadrate and smooth. All abdominal terga less than two times as long as wide and slightly rugose. Terga II–IX with minute posteromedian hump; tergum II about as long as median segment; III–V indistinctly increasing in length; V and VI about the same length; tergum VII distinctly shorter than VI; VIII distinctly wider than long, widening towards the posterior; tergum IX slightly shorter than VIII. Tergum X with indistinct carina in posterior portion, narrowing towards the posterior and slightly notched apically; lateral margins rounded anteriorly, straight medially and again rounded posteriorly. Ventral portion of outer margin of anal segment slightly swollen and with several black tubercles. Posterolateral angles rounded. Poculum rounded; posterior margin flattened with outer rim curving downwards; reaching about base of vomer. Cerci not reaching apex of abdomen, flattened with apex rounded and distinctly setose. Vomer well developed, about as wide as long; basal portion broad, flattened, slightly narrowing and gently converging with posterior portion; posterior portion strongly upcurving with four elongate teeth. Posterior portion of vomer noticeably darker than anterior portion ( Fig. 29 ).

Female ( Figs 28B, D, F , 30 , 31F–H , 32D )

MEASUREMENTS. See Table 4.

BODY. Colouration as in male.

HEAD. Longer than wide, somewhat rugose; dorsal surface flattened with mediolongitudinal groove. Back of head rounded, posterolaterally with short groove on each side. Eyes circular and strongly projecting. Antennae filiform, scapus slightly flattened dorsoventrally, pedicellus short, knob-like and round in cross-section. Apical antennomeres white.

THORAX. Pronotum slightly shorter than head, trapezoidal and with few minute granules and median line; the number of granules varies; anterior margin concave; lateral margins somewhat thickened; ventrally with short transverse, concave impression not reaching lateral edges; posterior almost straight. Mesonotum slightly longer than head and pronotum combined, rugose with few granules and with a fine mediolongitudinal line; lateral margins slightly expanding in posterior portion. Metanotum somewhat rugose, slightly shorter than median segment and with posteromedian blunt hump. Prosternum with anterior margin straight, widening towards the posterior; with distinct paired “sensory organs”; triangular depression between “sensory organs”.

WINGS. Tegmina absent. Alae small, not reaching posterior margin of metanotum; costal area coloured as body with inner margin reddish; anal area bright red.

LEGS. Profemora about as long as corresponding tibiae; compressed and curved basally; inner dorsal carina slightly more pronounced than other carinae; all carinae unarmed. Mesofemora about as long as corresponding tibiae; unarmed. Metafemora slightly shorter than corresponding tibiae, armature as in mesofemora. Tibiae with all carinae present and unarmed.

ABDOMEN. Median segment transverse with median hump. Abdominal terga distinctly transverse and rugose. Terga II–VI with posteromedian hump; terga VII–IX more or less carinate with distinct posteromedian armature, crest-like, not projecting over next segment. Anal segment with mediolongitudinal carina, wide in anterior portion and narrow in posterior part, apex with three short, rounded extremities. Sternum VII with small praeopercular organ present as small posteromedian spine. Subgenital plate spoon-shaped, posterior portion slightly tapering, apex somewhat triangular, not reaching posterior margin of anal segment. Cerci short not reaching apex of abdomen, flattened, narrowing towards the posterior with triangular, setose apex.

Nymph ( Fig. 31A–B )

Newly hatched nymphs with body and legs predominantly light brown with paler mottling. Body and head with darker brown mediolongitudinal stripe dorsally. Head distinctly longer and wider than pronotum with a distinct longitudinal marking above the eye, continuing on scapus and pedicellus. Antennae blackish with apical segment pure white. Pronotum transverse, more or less parallel-sided. Legs without dark apex and dark based tibiae seen in Neooxyartes minimus sp. nov. Tarsi and claws whitish.

Egg ( Fig. 33 )

Measurements (in mm): length: 2.3; width: 1.8; height: 1.9. Capsule more or less oval in lateral and dorsal view and minutely granulose, predominantly dark brown with network of minute, dark, stalked mushroom-like protuberances. Micropylar plate positioned nearly centrally on capsule; oval, coloured as capsule, somewhat paler centrally; surface smooth with mediolongitudinal carina starting at micropylar cup, not reaching anterior margin of micropylar plate. Micropylar cup small, cup-like. Polar area as rest of capsule. Operculum egg-shaped with ventral margin more broadly rounded than dorsal margin and convex; coloured as capsule with several mushroom-like, stalked granules grouped in central portion. Opercular rim somewhat raised and thickened and slightly downcurved dorsally.

Biology

The species was collected in mountainous tropical evergreen rainforest, at medium altitude (around 1000 m a.s.l.). The specimens were observed on low vegetation and seemed to feed on a variety of plant species. The eggs are dropped to the ground.

In captivity, the species accepts Rubus sp. and other Rosaceae , Corylus avellana and Carpinus betulus ( Betulaceae ), as food plants.

Distribution

This species is only known from Chu Yang Sin N.P. in the southern Annamite Mountains ( Fig. 19 ).

Figures

Fig. 19. Neooxyartes Ho, 2018, distribution map.

Fig. 27. Neooxyartes neohiraseoides sp. nov., holotype, ♂ (RBINS). A. Habitus, dorsal view. B. Habitus, lateral view. C. Habitus, ventral view. D. Head and thorax, dorsal view. E. Head and thorax, lateral view.

Fig. 28. Neooxyartes neohiraseoides sp. nov., terminalia. A. ♂, dorsal view. B. ♀, dorsal view. C. ♂, lateral view. D. ♀, lateral view. E. ♂, ventral view. F. ♀, ventral view.

Fig. 29. Neooxyartes neohiraseoides sp. nov., ♂ vomer. A. Ventral view. B. Posteroventral view. C. Lateral view.

Fig. 30. Neooxyartes neohiraseoides sp. nov., paratype, ♀ (RBINS). A. Habitus, dorsal view. B. Habitus, lateral view. C. Habitus, ventral view. D. Head and thorax, dorsal view. E. Head and thorax, lateral view.

Fig. 31. Neooxyartes neohiraseoides sp. nov. A–B. Newly hatched nymph. C. ♂, dorsal view. D. ♂, head and thorax, dorsal view. E. ♂, wings. F. ♀, dorsal view. G. ♀, head and thorax, dorsal view. H. ♀, wings. Photographs ©T. Bollens.

Fig. 32. Neooxyartes neohiraseoides sp. nov. in situ in Chu Yang Sin N.P. A. ♂, lateral view. B. ♂, dorsal view. C. ♂, head and thorax, dorsolateral view. D. Maiting pair. E. Habitat.

Fig. 33. Neooxyartes neohiraseoides sp. nov., eggs (RBINS). A. Lateral view. B. Dorsal view. C. Dorsolateral view. D. Ventral view. E. Anterolateral view F. Operculum. G. Polar area.