Phantasca femorata, Hennemann & Conle & Bellanger & Lelong & Jourdan, 2018

Hennemann, Frank H., Conle, Oskar V., Bellanger, Yannick, Lelong, Philippe & Jourdan, Toni, 2018, Studies on neotropical Phasmatodea XVII: Revision of Phantasca Redtenbacher, 1906, with the descriptions of six new species (Phasmatodea: Diapheromeridae: Diapheromerinae), European Journal of Taxonomy 435, pp. 1-62 : 14-18

Phantasca femorata sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:C7 A05228 -22CB-497E-AA5B-21B53449ABC8

Figs 16–24

Material examined

Holotype

FRENCH GUIANA: ♀, penultimate instar, “ 25.VII, A7 S1 N12 , P.E. Roubaud det.” (MNHN).

Paratypes

FRENCH GUIANA: 1♀, penultimate instar, “ 25.VII, A6 S1 N7 , P. E. Roubaud det.” (MNHN); 1♂, “ GUY15- 0 16 , 05-VIII-2015, Guyane française, St Elie, N5°17.725' W53°03.093', rec. T. Jourdan, ASPER ” ( ASPER-PL) ; 1♂, “ Französisch Guyana, Commune de Roura, Montagne des Chevaux , RN2 PK22 , 4°44'56"N – 52°26'28" W, alt. 75 m SEAG, leg. Stéphane Brûlé 24.06.2012 ” ( OC 0335-1 ) .

Diagnosis

Females of this new species are readily distinguished from all other known species by the large, rounded sub-apical lobe of the two outer ventral carinae of the meso- and metafemora and having these two carinae gently deflexed sub-basally ( Fig. 20 ). The short cerci of males resemble those of P. quadrilobata ( Chopard, 1911) and P. phantasma ( Westwood, 1859) , but the typical arrangement of black markings on the head and body, which includes a black postocular line, black ventro-lateral surfaces of the head capsule, a fine black longitudinal line along the lateral margins of the pronotum and a black line along the lateral margins of the meso- and metasternum, as well as the much more elongate apically narrowed and spatulate poculum clearly distinguish P. femorata sp. nov. from males of these two species. The cerci hardly project over the apex of the anal segment ( Fig. 23 ) and are straight,, with only the apex slightly incurving (over entire length distinctly upcurving and sickle-shaped in P. quadrilobata and P. phantasma ). Also, the considerably more elongate and flattened head readily distinguishes P. femorata sp. nov. from these two species.

Etymology

The name of this new species refers to the distinctive shape of the meso- and metafemora of females, which have the two outer ventral carinae gently expanded sub-basally and bear a prominent rounded lobe sub-apically.

Description

Male ( Fig. 17 )

BODY. Size fairly large (body length 68.8–73.0 mm, Table 3); form very slender and elongate for the genus.

COLOUR. General colour of the two paratypic specimens at hand dull yellow to drab (believed to be green when alive), the head and three terminal abdominal segments somewhat darker and most of the mesosternum greyish mid brown. Head, with two fine and washed black postocular lines, the upper one of which fades some distance before the eye; the lower portions of the cheeks broadly black. Antennae pale greyish brown. Pronotum, with a fine black longitudinal line near lateral margins. Metapleurae, with a broad black stripe along lower margin and a washed, longitudinal black marking at lateral margins of abdominal tergites II and III. Tegmina, with the posterior margin faintly black, the anal region of the alae hyaline. Abdominal tergites VIII and IX each, with two broad black longitudinal stripes, those of VIII restricted to the anterior half; the posterior portion of both segments cream and with a faint washed yellow spot medially. Two short and fine slender black markings roughly in centre of anal segment and a large black median marking on sternum VIII. All femora and tibiae, with a washed blackish sub-apical spot on all four surfaces, the apex of the basitarsi and tarsomere II black.

HEAD. Elongate, rectangular, flattened dorsally and almost 1.3× as long as wide; broadest at the eyes. Vertex, with a very indistinct longitudinal median sulcus ( Fig. 21 ). Eyes large, circular, projecting almost hemispherically and their length contained about 1.5× in that of cheeks. Antennae slightly longer than body. Scapus somewhat narrowed basally and almost 2× as long as wide, pedicellus sub-globose and antennomere III considerably longer than pedicellus.

THORAX. Pronotum shorter and much narrower than head, the transverse median sulcus somewhat displaced towards the anterior, faint, gently curved and expanding over entire width of segment ( Fig. 21 ). Mesothorax some 2.7× as long as head and pronotum combined. Tegmina slender, spatulate and gradually constricted towards the base; roughly reaching to posterior margin of metanotum. Alae reaching about halfway along abdominal segment IV.

ABDOMEN. Median segment almost 3× as long as metanotum. Segments II–V roughly equal in length and about 6.5× as long as wide; VI somewhat shorter than preceding. VII ¾ the length of VI and constricted medially. VIII constricted,, with lateral margins concave pre-basally and well separated from sternum VIII; the latter strongly swollen, bulgy, the widest of all segments and with the upper posterior angles somewhat protruded. Tergum IX about 1.3× as long as VIII and gradually constricted towards the anterior ( Fig. 22 ); the lateral margins well separated ventrally. Vomer well developed, roughly triangular, tectinate, pale cream and with a single and fairly acute, slightly up-curving black terminal hook ( Fig. 24 ). Anal segment slightly cucullate basally, increasingly flattened towards the posterior and somewhat longer than wide; posterior margin broadly rounded,, with a small median notch ( Fig. 22 ); outer portions of posterior margin ventrally, with two small clusters of minute black denticles. Poculum, with the basal portion broad and strongly convex, the apical portion distinctly narrowed, elongated and linguiform,, with the apex narrowly rounded; upper margins decidedly excavated ( Fig. 23 ). Cerci roughly equal in length to anal segment,, with the apex gently incurving ( Fig. 24 ); the interior surface blackish brown.

LEGS. Profemora a little longer than head, pro- and mesothorax combined, mesofemora somewhat longer than mesothorax and metatibiae, distinctly projecting beyond apex of abdomen. Basitarsi more than 1.5× the length of remaining tarsomeres combined.

Female ( Fig. 16 )

BODY. Size fairly large (body length 83.3–90.4 mm, Table 3); form moderately slender. Body entirely smooth.

COLOUR. General colour dull yellowish green, with some faint and washed brown mottling, particularly on the meso- and metapleurae. Cheeks, with a very faint and weakly defined greyish postocular streak. Pronotum, with a well defined black longitudinal line near lateral margins. A very fine longitudinal brown line some distance off the lateral margins of meso- and metanotum. Posterior portions of abdominal tergites III–VIII, with a slight brownish wash (VI in particular). Cerci brown. All femora and tibiae, with the apical portion dark greyish brown (less distinct in front legs). Basal portion of profemora very pale green. Basitarsi pale cream, with the apex brown. Antennae dull green basally, then becoming straw and finally brown towards the apex.

HEAD. Roundly rectangular, flattened, about 1.2× as long as wide, with the cheeks almost parallel-sided; vertex entirely smooth ( Fig. 18 ). Eyes circular and their length contained 1.7× in that of cheeks. Antennae reaching about half way along abdominal segment II. Scapus rectangular and 1.9× as long as wide, pedicellus cylindrical, somewhat constricted apically and antennomere III very slightly longer than pedicellus.

THORAX. Pronotum shorter and narrower than head, rectangular, with the lateral margins somewhat concave and roughly 1.5× as long as wide; longitudinal median sulcus well defined and terminating some distance before posterior margin, transverse median sulcus distinct, gently curved and expanding over entire width of segment. Mesothorax 2.5× as long as head and pronotum combined.

ABDOMEN. Median segment about 1.2× as long as metanotum. Segments II–VI slightly unequal in length but of almost uniform width, on average 2.2× as long as wide. Tergum VI, with the lateral margins somewhat deflexed pre-posteriorly to form a narrow rounded lobe. Sternum VI, with the posterior margin somewhat deflexed into a scale-like structure. Praeopercular organ on sternum VII merely represented by two shallow humps and a rounded median impression ( Fig. 19 ). VII shorter than all preceding. VIII–X of uniform width and slightly narrower than preceding. Anal segment about equal in length to IX,, with the posterior margin broadly rounded and weakly notched medially. Epiproct small, roundly triangular, tectinate and decidedly projecting over posterior margin of anal segment. Cerci obtuse, straight, with a blunt apex and projecting beyond anal segment by about ¾ the length of that segment. Subgenital plate short, very flat, not keeled and with the acutely pointed apex very slightly projecting over posterior margin of tergum IX ( Fig. 19 ).

LEGS. Stocky and fairly short for the genus,, with characteristic femoral lobes. Meso- and metafemora, with the two outer ventral carinae very weakly deflexed sub-basally and with a prominent, rounded lobe subapically, which extends by roughly the diameter of femur ( Fig. 20 ). Meso- and metatibiae, with the two dorsal carinae very slightly deflexed apically. Mesobasitarsus about equal in length to combined length of remaining tarsomeres, pro- and metabsitarsus decidedly longer.

Remarks

It cannot be fully confirmed whether the only known two females (HT and PT) in MNHN are adult or still penultimate instar nymphs. It is hoped that more material including the still unknown eggs will soon become available for clarification.

Distribution

French Guiana: Montagnes de Kaw , Piste de Kaw (MNHN); Commune de Roura , Montagne des Chevaux (OC); St. Elie (ASPER).

Figures

Figs 16–24. Phantasca femorata sp. nov. 16. Holotype, ♀, habitus, dorsal view. 17. Paratype, ♂, habitus, dorsal view. 18. Holotype, ♀, head, pro- and mesothorax, dorsal view. 19. Holotype, ♀, apex of abdomen, ventral view. 20. Holotype, ♀, left mesofemur, anterior view. 21. Paratype, ♂, head and pronotum, dorsal view. 22. Paratype, ♂, apex of abdomen, dorsal view. 23. Paratype, ♂, apex of abdomen, lateral view. 24. Paratype, ♂, apex of abdomen, ventral view.