Cladomorphus guianensis, Conle & Hennemann & Bellanger & Lelong & Jourdan & Valero, 2020

Conle, Oskar V., Hennemann, Frank H., Bellanger, Yannick, Lelong, Philippe, Jourdan, Toni & Valero, Pablo, 2020, Studies on neotropical Phasmatodea XX: A new genus and 16 new species from French Guiana, Zootaxa 4814 (1), pp. 1-136 : 16-20

Cladomorphus guianensis n. sp.

( Figs. 5–6 )

HT, 1 ♀: Guyane Françse., St.- Jean du Maroni, Collection le Moult [ MNHN] .

PT, 1 ♂: Französisch Guyana: Commune de Roura, Montagne des Chevaux, RN2 PK22, 4°44’56”N– 52°26’28”W, 75m, S.E.A.G., leg. Stéphane Brûlé 13.05.2014 [coll. OC 0344-1 ] .

Etymology. Named after the distribution in French Guiana.

Differentiation. The strongly convex and bi-cornute head of this new species resembles C. ceratocephalus Gray, 1835 from Brazil. ♀♀ of C. guianensis n. sp. however differ by the larger size, much more slender shape and relatively longer body segments as well as the considerably more slender legs, which lack the prominent lobes and teeth seen in C. ceratocephalus . ♂♂ readily differ from all other known ♂♂ of the genus by the very convex and bi-cornute head and lack of a spatulate apical appendix of the poculum .

Description. The ♀ HT in MNHN is fairly incomplete, lacking both hind legs and protarsi as well as most of the antennae. Great portions of abdominal sternum VII and the ventral surface of the subgenital plate are covered with a black greasy or tar-like mass, which does not allow proper description of the praeopercular organ. Careful removing of the contamination was attempted but has proven impossible without damaging the specimen.A piece of wood has been driven through the entire specimen during the process of preservation and projects from the head and apex of abdomen, unfortunately not allowing proper description of genital features such as the gonapophysis.

♀ ( Fig. 5 ). Medium-sized for the genus (body length incl. subgenital plate 174.0 mm), shape slender, granulation of thorax sparse if compared to most other species in the genus. Colour of the HT dull yellowish to reddish brown with most of the dorsal surface of metanotum and abdominal segment pale greyish to white with irregular reddish brown mottling. Abdominal sterna with two faint dark markings near posterior margin. Legs of same colour as body with the posterior lateral surfaces of the mesofemora pale greyish. Upper margins of the carinate cephalic protuberances black.

Head: Somewhat longer than wide with the vertex strongly raised, convex and bearing two elongate, laterally compressed ridge-like protuberances, which diverge and increase in height towards the posterior. Anterior and lateral portions of vertex with a few blunt black tubercles, genae with a few scattered granules. Frons with a wide but shallow impression. Eyes fairly large, sub-circular in outline and moderately projecting; each eye is 2x as long as the genae. Scapus strongly compressed dorsoventrally, almost 2x longer than wide and with the lateral margins gently rounded. Pedicellus sub-cylindrical and a little more than half the length of scapus.

Thorax: Pronotum roughly rectangular in shape, somewhat narrowed in anterior half, almost 1.5x longer than wide and distinctly narrower than head; transverse median sulcus short and shallow. Surface sparsely granulose. Mesothorax elongate, parallel-sided except for being slightly widened posteriorly and 4x longer than prothorax. Mesonotum sparsely granulose and with a fine longitudinal median carina. Mesopleurae and mesosternum sculptured like mesonotum, but both with a few somewhat enlarged tubercles; the sternum with a fine ridge along lateral margins. Metanotum a little more than 1/3 the length of mesonotum, sculpturing alike.

Abdomen: Median segment 1.3x longer than metanotum and considerably longer than abdominal segment II, somewhat widened towards the posterior; surface just very minutely granulose. Segments II–V slightly increasing in length with V longest and some 2.8x longer than wide; following decreasing on length. All segments roughly parallel-sided with VII–X noticeably narrower than preceding; all minutely granulose. Tergum V with a fairly prominent shield-shaped, transversely carinate and medially notched swelling. Praeopercular organ formed by two raised and rounded carinae at posterior margin of sternum VII. Anal segment about equal in length to VIII, narrowed towards the posterior and with a fine longitudinal median carina dorsally; lateral margins with a shallow excavation medially and the posterior margin bluntly triangular with a small median incision. Cerci small, sub-cylindrical with a blunt apex. gonapophysis VII strongly elongated and projecting considerably over posterior margin of anal segment. Subgenital plate elongate, carinate longitudinally, projecting beyond apex of abdomen by about the length of anal segment and with the apex bluntly rounded.

Legs: Profemora somewhat shorter than mesothorax; all carinae of fore legs moderately and uniformly deflexed. Mesofemora with a blunt teeth on both outer ventral carinae some 1/3 off the base. Mesotibiae strongly carinate with all carinae roundly deflexed apically. Mesobasitarsus about as long as following two tarsomeres combined; dorsal carina gently rounded.

Measurements HT [mm]: Body (inc. subgenital plate) 174.0, body 169.5, pronotum 7.9, mesonotum 32.5, metanotum 11.5, median segment 15.0, profemora 31.0, mesofemora 25.3, antennae> 30.0.

♂ ( Fig. 6 ). Medium-sized (body length 113.4mm) and fairly typical in shape for the genus with a strongly conical and bi-cornute head, weakly developed thoracic granulation and a short poculum. General colour pale greyish with irregular darker mottling and speckles. Anal region alae transparent grey. Vertex contrasting black and most of mesonotum reddish mid brown. Meso- and metapleurae and ventral surface of body and legs with distinct reddish brown mottling, abdominal sterna II–VII each with a pair of elongate reddish brown markings and two small and faint dull brown spots close to posterior margin. Antennae plain dull grey.

Head: Generally as in ♀♀ but relatively more convex with the cephalic armature more prominently developed and more acute. A pair of prominent spiniform tubercles in front of the two large posterior protuberances and a further pair laterally. Eyes very large, projecting hemispherically and each eye is 1.2x as long as the genae. Antennae reaching to posterior margin of abdominal segment II. Scapus and pedicellus as in ♀♀.

Thorax: Pronotum as in ♀♀ but considerably shorter and narrower than head. Mesothorax elongate, slender and 4.3x longer than prothorax; mesonotum only with a very few scattered granules and a fine longitudinal median carina. Mesopleurae and mesosternum with a few irregularly dispersed tubercles; the sternum with a fairly distinct, acute longitudinal median carina. Metasternum like mesosternum but the median carina very indistinct. Tegmina strongly narrowed basally, rounded apically and with a blunt central protuberance. Alae reaching about half way along abdominal segment V.

Abdomen: Median segment about 3x longer than metanotum and slightly narrowed towards the posterior; smooth. Abdominal segment II–V roughly uniform in length and width and on average 4x longer than wide, VI–VII slightly decreasing in length. Tergum V with a shield-shaped, transversely carinate and medially notched swelling similar to that seen in ♀♀. VIII strongly widened towards the posterior, XI wider than long with the lateral margins deflexed and forming a slender, rounded lobe that laterally extends by almost 1/3 the width of segment. Anal segment declining towards the posterior, the lateral margins with a blunt tooth sub-basally and deep, concave excavation medially; the posterior portion widened and the hinder margin very gently concave. Outer angles of posterior margins somewhat swollen and ventrally armed with several black denticles. Epiproct very small and scale-shaped. Paraprocts strongly carinate. Vomer large slightly asymmetrical, roughly triangular in shape, strongly narrowed towards the apex and with a single, strongly up-curving apical hook; colour dull ochraceous with the apical hook black. Phallus strongly enlarged, club-shaped and projecting over lateral margin of poculum towards the left; dorsally covered by the lateral lobe of tergum IX. Cerci slender, sub-cylindrical, slightly constricted towards a blunt apex and roughly reaching to posterior margin of anal segment. Poculum fairly large, strongly convex, cucullate and very slightly projecting beyond apex of anal segment; the upper margin slightly labiate and the posterior margin with a small triangular indention.

Legs: All fairly long, slender and distinctly carinate. Profemora a little longer than pro- and mesothorax combined, metafemora reaching about half way along abdominal segment V and metatibiae reaching to anal segment. Posteroventral and posterodorsal carinae of meso- and metatibiae gently deflexed and rounded apically. Basitarsi about equal in length to following three tarsomeres combined with the dorsal carina very gently rounded.

Measurements PT [mm]: Body 113.4, pronotum 4.5, mesonotum 19.4, metanotum 15.3, median segment 9.4, tegmina 8.5, alae 56.0, profemora 27.3, mesofemora 24.4, metafemora 29.5, antennae> 63.0.

Comments. The fact that this peculiar species is so far only known from the two type-specimens suggests it is particularly rare. Eggs unknown.

Distribution. St.-Jean du Maroni [MNHN]; Commune de Roura, Montagne des Chevaux [coll. OC].

Figures

FIGURE 5. Female (HT) of Cladomorphus guianensis n. sp. a–b. habitus: a. dorsal; b. lateral; c–e. head and prothorax: c. ventral; d. lateral; e. dorsal; f–h. apex of abdomen: f. ventral; g. lateral; h. dorsal.

FIGURE 6. Male (PT) of Cladomorphus guianensis n. sp. a–c. habitus: a. lateral; b. ventral; c. dorsal; d–f. head, prothorax and mesothorax: d. ventral; e. lateral; f. dorsal; g–i. apex of abdomen: g. ventral; h. lateral; i. dorsal.