Paragongylopus (Paragongylopus) cheni, Ho, George Wai-Chun, 2017

Ho, George Wai-Chun, 2017, Contribution to the knowledge of Oriental Phasmatodea II: A taxonomic study of the genus Paragongylopus (Phasmatodea: Pachymorphinae: Gratidiini), Journal of Orthoptera Research 26 (2), pp. 195-203 : 195

Paragongylopus (Paragongylopus) cheni sp. n. Figs 1-4, 11-12, 17

Type material.-

Holotype ♀, 1300-1400m, Huanglianshan, Luchun, Yunnan, China, 7.IX.2016, George Ho Wai-Chun (HKES); Paratypes 6 eggs (extracted from abdomen of holotype ♀), 1300-1400m, Huanglianshan, Luchun, Yunnan, China, 7.IX.2016, George Ho Wai-Chun (HKES).

Diagnosis.-

Paragongylopus (Paragongylopus) cheni sp. n. is similar to Paragongylopus (Paragongylopus) sinensis Chen & He, 1997, but can be easily distinguished by rough thorax, distinctly carinate mesonotum and presence of a rounded lamellate crest on fourth abdominal tergum.

Description.-

Female (Figs 1-2, 11-12, 17): Small size. Body cylindrical, slender and slim. General color of body and legs brown. Head oval, longer than wide, gently constricted after compound eyes. Vertex flat, with a pair of spine-like horns (erect in fresh specimen, curved in dried specimen) between compound eyes. Occiput convex, sparsely covered with small granules. Median and lateral longitudinal furrows indistinct. Compound eyes small and oval, its length about two-and-one-half times that of genae. Antennae short, with three distinct segments; scapus oval in dorsal view, more or less triangle-shaped in cross section, as large as compound eyes; pedicellus minute and indistinct, knob-like, smaller than compound eyes; third segment generally cylindrical, apices blunt, tapering basally, about four times longer than scapus, inner margin elevated medially, first half of inner margin with minute spine-like bristles. Thorax rough, sparsely covered with very few small granules. Pronotum trapezoidal, expanded posteriorly, shorter than head; anterior and posterior margins truncate, lateral margins thickened, transverse and longitudinal sulci indistinct. Mesonotum parallel-sided, as long as mesofemora, median and lateral longitudinal carinae distinct, posterolateral margins elevated. Metanotum longer than combined length of head and pronotum, median and lateral longitudinal carinae distinct, posterolateral margins elevated. Abdomen cylindrical, tapering posteriorly. Distinctly carinate mediolongitudinally. Sparsely covered with very few small granules. Median segment narrow, wider than long. Median segment to fifth tergites with a crest posteromedially, strongly enlarged as a rounded lamellate crest on fourth tergum, varied in sizes on other tergites. Second to fifth sternites with a granule-like hump on each side of posterolateral angles. Seventh sternum lacking noticeable praeopercular organ. Eighth tergum longer than anal segment. Anal segment longer than ninth tergum, shorter than eighth tergum, constricted posteriorly, posterior margin rounded. Supra-anal plate indistinct. Subgenital plate scoop-shaped, short, flattened, posterior margin rounded, almost reaching posterior margin of ninth tergum. Cerci cylindrical, straight, apices rounded and surpassing posterior margin of anal segment. Legs slender and long. Profemora incurved basally, as long as protibiae. Anterodorsal and posterodorsal carinae of femora and tibiae distinctly armed with three to six serrations of varied sizes. Anteroventral and posteroventral carinae of tibiae unarmed.

Measurements.-

(mm) Holotype ♀, Body length: 32, head: 2.5, antennae: 2, pronotum: 2, mesonotum: 6, metanotum: 4.5, median segment: 1, profemora: 9, mesofemora: 6, metafemora: 7, protibiae: 10, mesotibiae: 7, metatibiae: 9.

Eggs.-

(Figs 3-4): Capsule rufous brown, oblong, rough. Micropylar plate brown, oval, gently elongated anteriorly. Micropylar cup placed near posterior apex of micropylar plate. Median line long, placed behind micropylar plate, almost as long as length of micropylar plate. Operculum flattened and rough.

Measurements.-

(mm) Length: 3.2 mm, width: 1.4 mm, height: 1.4 mm.

Habitats.-

This species is found in the low level of evergreen mountainous broadleaf forests between 1300 and 1400 metres.

Distribution.-

China (Yunnan).

Notes.-

The male is unknown. The description, illustrations and measurements of eggs are based on the extracted eggs which were removed from the abdomen of the holotypic female and probably in developing stage. No food plant eaten by the collected specimen was observed.

Etymology.-

This new species is named in honor of Professor Chen Shu-Chun (Beijing, China) for his extensive works and contributions to the Chinese phasmid fauna.