Loxopsis sarmientoi, Bresseel, Joachim, 2012

Bresseel, Joachim, 2012, First record of the genus Loxopsis from the Philippines with the discovery of two new species (Phasmida, Diapheromeridae, Necrosciinae), Zootaxa 3326, pp. 49-61 : 50-53

Loxopsis sarmientoi n. sp.

Material examined. HT, ♀: Philippines, Mindanao, Mount Parker, lake Holon, IV.2010, 06 °10'N 124°87'E, Leg. Bresseel-Bollens-Krijns, ex coll. JB ( RBINS). PT [3 33]: Same data as holotype (1: RBINS; 2: JB)

Diagnosis. Most closely related to Loxopsis seowi Brock, 1999 and Loxopsis tboli n. sp. but easily distinguished from both by the smaller body dimensions, the comparatively shorter wings (see table 1 & 2) and the less conical head.

Etymology. This species is dedicated to Mr. Efren Sarmiento (1960–2010), a stick insect enthusiast who passed away at the foot of Mount Parker, the type locality of the species.

Description. The colouration is described from photographs of live specimens.

Female (plate 1, figs 1–7; plate 7, fig 1)

Measurements see table 1. Body colouration pale brown with dark speckles.

PLATE 1. Ƥ HT Loxopsis sarmientoi n. sp. 1. habitus dorsal view; 2. head and thorax dorsal view; 3. head and thorax lateral view; 4. habitus lateral view; 5. apex of abdomen lateral view; 6. apex of abdomen ventral view; 7. posterior femur ventral view.

Head: Longer than wide. Vertex conical and granulose. Dorsal carinae of the cone well marked by tubercles. Cone rounded ventrally. Laterally at the base of the cone, a longitudinal, shallow depression followed by a row of larger tubercles ending just above eye. Between the eyes a slightly raised and densely granulose area. Eyes small, circular and projecting hemispherically, coloured as the body. Genae tuberculose.

Antennae filiform not reaching end of wings, but might be broken. Scapus slightly setose, pedicellus shorter than scapus, setose and cylindrical. Following segments setose and narrower than pedicellus.

Thorax: Pronotum about 1/3 shorter than head, covered with small granules. Pronotum blackish green and covered with small granules. Anterior part with two raised areas separated by a longitudinal depression that reaches mid pronotum. Antero-laterally a small, more or less circular depression on each side of pronotum. Behind raised area, a transverse depression at about one third of pronotum. Depression connecting both sides of pronotum. Posterior part of pronotum slightly rounded. Mesonotum about as long as head and pronotum combined. Cylindrical and strongly granulose. Ventral surface of thorax densely granulose. Tegmina sandy brown with black patches and with a slight hump, reaching half length of median segment. Alae reaching apex of segment VI. Costal area coloured as tegmina, anal area transparent greyish.

Abdomen: Abdominal segments slightly deformed during drying process because the specimen was collected shortly after its final moult. Tergites and sternites relatively broad and smooth. Median segment 2.5x longer than metanotum. Segments II – V about equal in length, following segments gradually shortening. Tergites VIII – IX with a distinct carina and a small hump postero-medially. Anal segment narrowing towards apex. Apex straight. Cerci cylindrical and projecting over anal segment. Subgenital plate almost reaching apex of anal segment, narrowing posteriorly and with apex slightly rounded.

Legs: Femora, tibiae and tarsi of same colouration as body. Profemora short, compressed and curved basally, apical half quadrate in cross section. Protibiae smooth and about as long as profemora. All basitarsi about as long as following three tarsomeres combined. First three tarsomeres with a black, blunt spine postero-medially. Meso- and metafemora with indistinct medio-ventral carina basally, which becomes more distinct and divides into two parallel carinae towards the apex. Medio-ventral carina with several small spines apically. Meso- and metatibiae as protibiae. Claws prominent.

Male (plate 2, figs 1–7; plate 7, fig 2)

Measurements see table 1.

Head: Longer than wide, uniformly brownish. Vertex strongly granulose, resulting into a small cone. Between antennae a shallow, small circular depression. Eyes small, circular and projecting hemispherically. Laterally a slightly curving, longitudinal depression that reaches from the eye to end of head. Depression ending at the base of cone, separating vertex from genae.

Antennae filiform projecting over wings but not over apex of abdomen. Scapus slightly setose more or less cylindrical, pedicellus shorter than scapus, setose and swollen. Following segments setose and narrower than pedicellus.

Thorax: Pronotum about 1/3 shorter than head, Pronotum as in female. Mesonotum greenish and 1/3 longer than head and pronotum combined. Cylindrical in cross section and strongly granulose. Ventral surface of thorax densely granulose. Tegmina brown and with distinct hump. Posterior portion rounded. alae projecting just over abdominal segment V. Costal area brown with yellowish speckles, anal area transparent grey.

Abdomen: Abdominal tergites and sternites smooth and dark brown. Median about as long as metanotum. Segments II–V about equal in length, following segments gradually becoming shorter. Anal segment narrowing towards apex. Apex straight with shallow indention. Cerci cylindrical, about as long as anal segment. Poculum tectiform, reaching halfway along anal segment and narrowing towards a blunt triangular apex.

PLATE 2. 3 PT Loxopsis sarmientoi n. sp. 1. habitus dorsal view; 2. head an thorax dorsal view; 3. head and thorax lateral view; 4. habitus lateral view; 5. apex of abdomen lateral view; 6. apex of abdomen ventral view; 7. posterior femur ventral view.

Legs: Femora blackish brown, tibiae and tarsi reddish. Profemora compressed and curved basally, apical half quadrate in cross section. Medio-ventral carina indistinct and slightly spinose apically. Protibiae smooth and shorter than profemora. Probasitarsi longer than the following three tarsomeres combined. Meso- and metafemora with indistinct medio-ventral carina basally, which becomes more distinct and divides into two parallel carinae towards apex of femur. Medio-ventral carinae with small spines. Meso- and metatibiae as protibiae. Claws prominent.

Egg. Unknown