Otraleus elizabethae, Bresseel & Constant, 2017

Bresseel, Joachim & Constant, Jérôme, 2017, Philippine mossy forest stick insects: first record of the genus Otraleus Günther, 1935 in the country, with four new species, and the new genus Capuyanus gen. nov. (Phasmida, Diapheromeridae, Necrosciinae), European Journal of Taxonomy 265, pp. 1-31 : 19-23

Otraleus elizabethae sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:AB74A621-EEA9-46C2-ACDB-BD102ECC819D

Figs 10 G–H, 11–13, 14A

Etymology

The species epithet is named after Mrs Elizabeth Lumawig, the wife of Mr Thierry Heitzmann, one of the collectors of the type series.

Type material

Holotype

PHILIPPINES: ♂, Luzon, Benguet Province, Bokod, Mt Komkompol , 8 May 2015, T. Heitzmann and J.P. Ortega leg. ( RBINS).

Paratypes (3 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀)

PHILIPPINES: 2 ♂♂, 1 ♀, Luzon, Benguet Province, Bokod, Mt Pack/Mt Purgatory, 11 Apr. 2013, T. Heitzmann and J.P. Ortega leg. ( RBINS); 1 ♀, same data ( UPLB); 1 ♂, same collection data as holotype ( UPLB).

Description

The colouration is described from photographs of live specimens.

Male ( Figs 11 , 14A )

MEASUREMENTS. See Table 4.

BODY. Brown to green with black patches scattered over body and legs.

HEAD. Slightly longer than wide, notched dorsally between antennae. Notch followed by a median longitudinal impression. Between eyes a raised more or less circular area, surrounded by a group of granules. Elevation split by longitudinal line. Eyes circular and strongly projecting hemispherically. Antennae slightly setose, projecting over apex of abdomen. Scapus slightly flattened dorsoventrally. Pedicellus shorter than scapus and round in cross section. Antennomeres narrower than pedicellus and varying in length towards apex.

THORAX. Pronotum granulose, about as long as head, anterior edge raised, with two granules centrally. Posteriorly of raised rim, a transverse groove and a longitudinal median groove not reaching posterior tubercle. Just before centre, a second transverse impression and a circular impression anteriorly of transverse impression. Posteromedially with a small, blunt tubercle. Mesonotum elongated and granulose, with a definite blunt spine posteromedially. Posterolateral edges rounded. Metanotum granulose, about same length as pronotum. Medially with a definite blunt spine subapically.

ABDOMEN. Median segment granulose, about the same length as metanotum, with a blunt spine posteromedially. Terga II–VIII with posterolaterally well developed lobes and with a blunt spine posteromedially; slightly projecting over next segment. Tergum IX slightly laterally compressed and tectiform, with a hump posteromedially. Tergum X with an indefinite longitudinal ridge and with posterior edge incurved, posterolateral angles rounded. Cerci small, round in cross section; apex rounded, projecting over apex of abdomen. Abdominal sterna smooth. Vomer well developed, visible as an elongated, black, flattened spine with paler apex. Poculum slightly flattened, narrowing towards posterior; apex rounded, reaching apex of tergum IX.

LEGS. Long, profemora compressed and curved basally. Femora and tibiae compressed laterally, with all carinae developed. Basitarsi longer than following tarsomeres combined. Tarsomeres gradually decreasing in length. Claws small.

Female ( Fig. 12 )

MEASUREMENTS. See Table 4.

BODY. Brown to green with black patches scattered over body and legs.

HEAD. Longer than wide, notched dorsally between antennae. Behind notch, two small, black circular dots. Dorsally with a fine longitudinal median line. Eyes circular and strongly projecting hemispherically. Antennae broken, scapus slightly flattened dorsoventrally. Pedicellus shorter than scapus and round in cross section. Antennomeres narrower than pedicellus, slightly swollen and setose apically, varying in length towards apex.

THORAX. Pronotum granulose, shorter than head, with anterior edge slightly concave and raised, with several granules. Posteriorly of raised rim, a transverse groove and a longitudinal groove not reaching posterior tubercle. Pronotum slightly constricted just before centre and with a second transverse impression and a circular impression anteriorly of transverse impression. Posteromedially with a small, blunt tubercle. Mesonotum elongated and granulose, with a definite, blunt spine posteromedially. Metanotum about same length as pronotum. Medially with a definite blunt, spinose tubercle subapically. Metanotum laterally rounded, with widest part centrally.

ABDOMEN. Median segment about same length as metanotum, with a blunt spine posteromedially. Terga II–VII with posterolaterally well developed lobes and terga II–IX with a blunt spine postero-medially. Abdominal terga IV–V widest. Terga VIII–IX slightly laterally compressed and tectiform. Tergum X with a longitudinal ridge and posterior edge notched, posterolateral angles rounded. Cerci small, round in cross section; apex rounded, slightly projecting over apex of abdomen. Abdominal sterna smooth. Subgenital plate slightly compressed laterally, acute posteriorly, reaching apex of abdomen.

LEGS. Long, profemora compressed and curved basally. Femora and tibiae compressed laterally, with all carinae developed. Basitarsi longer than following tarsomeres combined. Tarsomeres gradually decreasing in length. Claws small.

Distribution

The species is recorded from Luzon, Benguet Province (see map Fig. 13 ).

Figures

Fig. 10. Otraleus spp., photographs in natura. — A–F. O. christianae sp. nov. A. ♂, 16 Nov. 2013. B. ♀, 16 Nov. 2013. C. ♂, 15 Mar. 2015. D. ♂, nymph, 15 Mar. 2015. E–F. ♀, nymph, 24 Aug. 2015. — G–H. O. elizabethae sp. nov., ♀, 11 Apr. 2013 (photographs: A–F © A. Kang; G–H © T. Heitzmann).

Fig. 11. Otraleus elizabethae 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, ventral view. G. Apex of abdomen, lateral view. H. Anterior part of body, lateral view. D–H: not to scale.

Fig. 14. Male terminalia, ventral view. A. Otraleus elizabethae sp. nov. B. Capuyanus magwilangi gen. et sp. nov. Abbreviations: Cer = cercus; Par = paraproct; T 10 = abdominal tergum 10; Tho = thornpad; Vom = vomer.

Fig. 12. Otraleus elizabethae sp. nov., ♀, paratype. 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, ventral view. G. Apex of abdomen, lateral view. H. Anterior part of body, lateral view. D–H: not to scale.

Fig. 13. Otraleus spp. and Capuyanus magwilangi sp. nov. Distribution map in Luzon.