Lobofemora bidoupensis, Bresseel & Constant, 2015

Bresseel, Joachim & Constant, Jérôme, 2015, The new genus of stick insect Lobofemora from Vietnam, with the description of three new species (Phasmida: Phasmatidae: Clitumnini), European Journal of Taxonomy 115, pp. 1-25 : 14-17

Lobofemora bidoupensis sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:BA44BAFF-F44A-4476-ABF5-536CADC27B0E

Figs 1 , 4 , 5 , 8 , 10 D–G

Etymology

The species epithet refers to the type-locality, Bidoup-Nui Ba National Park in central Vietnam.

Type material

Holotype

VIETNAM: ♂: “ Coll. I.R.Sc.N.B., Vietnam, Lam Dong prov., Bidoup-Nui Ba N.P., 12°26’N 108°30’E, 21- 25. vii. 2014, night coll., Leg. J. Constant & J. Bresseel, GTI Project, I.G.: 32.779” ( RBINS).

Paratypes (10 ♂♂, 4 ♀♀)

VIETNAM: 6 ♂♂, 1 ♀: same collection data as for holotype ( RBINS); 4 ♂♂, 3 ♀♀: “Coll. I. R.Sc. N. B., ex breeding J. Bresseel 2015, origin: Vietnam, Lam Dong prov., Bidoup-Nui Ba N. P., 12°26’ N 108°30’ E, 21- 25. vii. 2014, J. Constant & J. Bresseel, GTI Project, I. G.: 32.779” ( RBINS; 1 ♂, 1 ♀: VNMN).

Description

Male ( Figs 4 , 8 F–G, 10D)

MEASUREMENTS. See Table 2.

BODY. Base of femora pale brown, darkening towards apex. Tibiae mottled black and pale brown. Head with dorsal surface pale brown. Body darker brown with some black markings.

HEAD. Longer than wide, slightly tapering posteriorly and granulose. Vertex slightly elongated. Dorsal portion of head flattened with two spines projecting dorsally at posterior margin of eyes. Eyes circular and strongly projecting hemispherically. Antennae with 21 segments. Scapus strongly flattened dorsoventrally and rounded laterally. Pedicellus cylindrical. Upper part of genae granulose.

THORAX. Pronotum longer than wide, almost rectangular and granulose, shorter than head; anterior margin incurved, followed by median longitudinal impression not reaching posterior margin; short, central, transverse impression not reaching lateral edges of pronotum. Mesonotum about six times as long as pronotum and strongly granulose, widening posteriorly, with fine median longitudinal line. Tegmina brown, short and slightly tapering posteriorly, not projecting over metanotum. Alae present as small scales, brown.

ABDOMEN. Abdominal segments II–V gradually increasing in length, V–VI about the same length, slightly granulose. Tergum VII shorter than tergum III. Tergum VIII about half as long as tergum II, slightly widening posteriorly. Tergum IX shorter than VIII and tectiform. Tergum X about as long as VIII and with median longitudinal carina; apically split into two semi-tergites. Inner apical rim of semi-tergite armed with several spines. Apex of semi-tergites obliquely pointing downwards; posterolateral angles rounded. Poculum rounded, slightly projecting over apex of abdominal tergum IX. Apex of poculum narrower and rounded. Cerci short, not reaching apex of tergum X, cylindrical in cross-section, with apices rounded.

LEGS. Profemora slightly longer than head and thorax combined; compressed and curved basally; dorsal carinae with few, minute spines; ventral carinae unarmed. Mesofemora longer than pro- and mesonotum combined; posterodorsal carina with two triangular spines and minute spine subapically; other carinae with few minute spines. Metafemora longer than head, pro-, meso- and metanotum combined; posterodorsal carina with four minute spines. Protibiae longer than profemora and unarmed. Mesotibiae slightly longer than mesofemora; medioventral carina with conspicuous, small triangular lobe. Metatibiae with minute saw-like spines in apical half on all carinae; medioventral carina with conspicuous triangular spine in anterior half.

Female ( Figs 5 , 8 A–E, 10E–G)

MEASUREMENTS. See Table 2.

BODY. Complete body ranging from uniformly brown to mottled brown-black with some green and white markings. Prosternum with conspicuous black, longitudinal line.

HEAD. Longer than wide, slightly tapering posteriorly and granulose.Vertex slightly elongated and slightly asymmetrical: vertex split by shallow longitudinal impression; right portion slightly more pronounced than left one. Dorsal portion of head flattened, with transverse, laterally acute ridge at posterior margin of eyes; ridge split centrally by longitudinal depression. Eyes circular and projecting hemispherically. Antennae short with 24–26 segments. Scapus strongly flattened dorso-ventrally and rounded laterally, with outer lobe more prominent. Pedicellus slightly cylindrical; first antennomere about as long as the following two segments combined. Apical half with very short segments; apical segment about as long as four preceding segments combined. Upper part of genae tuberculate.

THORAX. Pronotum trapezoidal, widening posteriorly; shorter than head and granulose. Anterior margin incurved and raised, followed by median longitudinal impression not reaching posterior margin. Central transverse impression not reaching lateral edges of pronotum. Mesonotum about four times as long as pronotum and strongly granulose, slightly widening posteriorly, with fine median longitudinal line. Metanotum subquadrate with anterior margin weakly incurved and raised; strongly granulose and with median tubercle subapically. Median segment slightly longer than wide, anterior portion slightly granulose. Mesosternum with posteriorly, between legs, Y-shaped impression resulting into two small pseudo-foramina. Metasternum with posteriorly, between legs, X-shaped impression resulting in two small pseudo-foramina anteriorly.

ABDOMEN. Abdominal segments II–V gradually increasing in length, granulose and with fine median, longitudinal line; larger granules along median line. Terga V–VI nearly equal in length. Tergum VII shorter than VI. Tergum VIII shorter than tergum VI, slightly widening posteriorly; posterior margin weakly incurved. Tergum IX with anterior margin slightly convex; posterior margin slightly narrower. Tergum X slightly longer than IX and with median, longitudinal carina; strongly notched posteriorly; posterolateral angles rounded. Terga IX–X with lateral edges more pronounced and lobe-like. Epiproct elongated; about ⅔ as long as abdominal tergum X and with very shallow apical notch. Subgenital plate elongated, slightly projecting over apex of tergum X; apical half with median longitudinal carina; apex rounded. Cerci short, not reaching of apex tergum X, cylindrical in cross-section, with apices rounded. Gonapophyses strongly elongated, reaching apex of epiproct.

LEGS. Profemora longer than head, pro-, meso- and metanotum combined; compressed and curved basally; anterodorsal carina with small serrations, more prominent anteriorly; posterodorsal carina armed with two enlarged triangular bispinose teeth; posteroventral carina sometimes with few serrations anteriorly. Mesofemora with postero-dorsal carina with three definite lobes; anterior one most prominent and gradually becoming smaller; anterior and central lobes resulting in different spines; other lobe with one apical spine; anterodorsal carina with few, small triangular lobes resulting in different minute spines; anteroventral carina with three small lobes resulting in minute spines. Posteroventral carina with one small lobe in apical half. Metafemora with posterodorsal carina armed with four triangular spines resulting in minute small spines; anterodorsal carina sometimes with some minute spines; posteroventral carina with few small spines. Protibiae about as long as head and thorax combined; posterodorsal carina with few inconspicuous triangular lobes; anterodorsal carina with small serrations over its complete length; posteroventral carina with few minute spines. Mesotibiae slightly longer than mesofemora; posterodorsal carina with conspicuous lobe anteriorly and few small serrations posteriorly; medioventral carina with conspicuous lobe mirroring the one on posterodorsal carina and with minute black serrations; other carinae with few, small serrations. Metatibiae shorter than profemora; dorsal carinae and postero- and anteroventrally with minute serrations; medioventral carina armed with two small triangular lobes basally.

Egg ( Fig. 5 J–O)

MEASUREMENTS (in mm). Length: 3.0–3.5; width: 1.2; height: 1.5.

Elongate-oval, general colouration, light brown with black patches. Capsule oval in cross section, with the surface granulose.Anteriorly with short brown fringes along the anterior margin of the capsule. Dorsal side slightly concave. Micropylar plate more or less inverted heart shaped, with a median impression posteriorly. Anteriorly triangular, then widening, posterolateral angles only slightly projecting over micropylar cup. Micropylar cup definite, followed by relatively long median line. Micropylar plate and median line coloured as capsule. Ventral side slightly convex. Polar area with shallow indention. Operculum slightly darker than capsule, with central dark, circular marking.

Distribution

So far only known from Bidoup-Nui Ba National Park in central Vietnam ( Fig. 1 ).

Figures

Fig. 1. Distribution map of the species of Lobofemora gen. nov.

Fig. 4. Lobofemora bidoupensis sp. nov. ♂, holotype. A. Habitus, dorsal view. B. Habitus, lateral view. C. Habitus, ventral view. D. Anterior part of body, dorsal view. E. Apex of abdomen, dorsal view. F. Apex of abdomen, lateral view. G. Apex of abdomen, ventral view. H. Anterior part of body, lateral view. D–H = not to scale.

Fig. 5. Lobofemora bidoupensis sp. nov. A–I. ♀, paratype. A. Habitus, dorsal view. B. Habitus, lateral view. C. Habitus, ventral view. D. Right median leg, detail. E. Anterior part of body, dorsal view. F. Apex of abdomen, dorsal view. G. Apex of abdomen, lateral view. H. Apex of abdomen, ventral view. I. Anterior part of body, lateral view. J–N. Egg. J. Detail of micropylar plate. K. Lateral view. L. Ventral view. M. Detail of polar area. N. Detail of operculum. O. Eggs. D–I, O = not to scale.

Fig. 8. Lobofemora bidoupensis sp. nov., captive reared specimens (photographs by the authors). A–E. ♀. A. Lateral view. B. Dorsal view. C. Anterior part of body, lateral view. D. Apex of abdomen, dorsal view. E. Apex of abdomen, lateral view. F–G. ♂. F. Apex of abdomen, lateral view. G. Lateral view.

Fig. 10. Lobofemora gen. nov. spp., photographs in natura by the authors. A–C. L. bachmaensis sp. nov., Bach Ma National Park. A–B. ♀, 11 Jul. 2011. C. ♀, 14 Jul. 2011. D–G. L. bidoupensis sp. nov., Bidoup- Nui Ba National Park. D. ♂, 22 Jul. 2014. E–F. ♀, 25 Jul. 2014. G. ♀, 23 Jul. 2014. H–J. L. scheirei sp. nov. H–I. Dong Nai Biosphere Reserve, 30 Jun. 2012. H. ♂. I. ♀. J. ♀, Cat Tien National Park, 9 Jul. 2012.