Phanocles cuzcoense, Hennemann & Conle, 2024

Hennemann, Frank H. & Conle, Oskar V., 2024, Studies on Neotropical Phasmatodea XXVI: Taxonomic review of Cladomorformia tax. n., a lineage of Diapheromerinae stick insects, with the descriptions of seven new genera and 41 new species (Phasmatodea: Occidophasmata: Diapheromerinae), Zootaxa 5444 (1), pp. 1-454 : 173-175

Phanocles cuzcoense sp. n.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:DF851FB1-7A7D-48A7-B364-25E8006C0FA4

( Figs. 50E , 63A–C , 99C )

HT, ♀: Peru: Quince Mil, Dpto. Cusco, 17 FeB-Mar 1983 (B. Kalinwoski) [ ANSP] .

Diagnosis. Females ( Fig. 50E ; the only sex known) of this large new species resemble those of the Peruvian Ph. virgulatus ( Redtenbacher, 1908) and Ph. satyr ( Redtenbacher, 1908) from Brazil. From the first species they may be separated by the somewhat stockier shape, proportionally shorter body segments and somewhat more robust legs, minutely but more densely granulose meso- and metathorax, much smaller lobes of the praeopercular organ, more decidedly concave lateral margins and broader, shallow median emargination of the posterior margin of the anal segment (distinctly bilobate in virgulatus ). Also, the eggs are very similar to those of Ph. virgulatus but differ by the more distinctly pitted micropylar plate and much smaller, roundly conical operculum, whose height corresponds the only about one-quarter the length of the egg capsule (about three-fifth in virgulatus ). From satyr these ♀♀ can be distinguished by the much slenderer shape and proportionally longer body segments (e. g. abdominal segment V 2.7x longer than wide vs. 2.5x in satyr ), much less granulose thoracic segments (densely and distinctly granulose in satyr ), considerably smaller posterolateral lobes of abdominal tergum VII and smaller lobes of the praeopercular organ.

Etymology. This new species is named after its distribution in the Departemento Cuzco in south-east Peru. Neuter.

Description. ♀♀ ( Fig. 50E ): The unique holotype lacks both hind legs and the right antenna.

Large (body length including subgenital plate 208.0 mm) and moderately slender, with a globose and very obtusely bi-cornute head, a minutely and rather sparsely tubercular thorax and a short elongate subgenital plate, that projects beyond the tip of the abdomen by less than the length of the anal segment. General colour of the unique holotype basically ochreous mid brown, the abdomen paler in colour with a greenish was and irregularly flecked with cream. Ventral surface of abdomen mostly whitish and unevenly flecked speckled with brown. Front and mid legs with ventral surface faintly and unevenly annulated with pale grey. Eyes dark reddish brown. Antennae greyish drab with ventral surface dark greyish brown.

Head: Globose with the vertex roundly convex, broadest at the eyes and the genae convex but notably narrowing posteriorly; about 1.2x longer than wide. Just behind the eyes with a pair of moderately prominent obtusely rounded and somewhat elongate-ovoid swellings that are minutely granulose on top; rest of vertex only with some minute granules that are roughly clustered in three longitudinal rows. Between the two cephalad swellings are four small tubercles. Frons with a shallow transverse furrow that has two small and obtuse swellings at the posterior margin. Eyes small, projecting hemispherical, almost circular in outline and their diameter contained 3.1x in length of genae. Antennae slightly projecting over posterior margin of abdominal segment II. Scapus compressed dorsoventrally, angular in dorsal aspect and slightly narrowing toward the base, about 1.3x longer than wide. Pedicellus almost round in cross-section, much narrower and roughly three-fifths the length of scapus.

Thorax: Pronotum somewhat shorter and noticeably narrower than head, 1.4x longer than wide and roundly rectangular in dorsal aspect with the lateral margins very gently concave. Anterior margin slightly raised, granulose and with a median pair of obtuse swellings. Surface with all raised portions minutely granulose. Transverse median sulcus moderately impressed, arched and expanding over entire width of segment; the posterior portion with two shallow, sub-parallel furrows. Mesothorax 7.7x longer than prothorax, very gently constricted anteriorly and the posterior portion slightly expanded. Metanotum scarcely less than one-third the length of mesonotum, 2.7x longer than wide with the lateral margins weakly concave. Meso- and metanotum with fairly well pronounced, obtuse medio-longitudinal carina and a distinct granulose longitudinal carina closely placed and parallel to lateral margins; surface otherwise sparsely and unevenly supplied with granules and small nodes of variable sizes. Meso- and metapleurae with a marginal row of small tubercles and otherwise sparsely granulose. Meso- and metasternum unevenly supplied with granules that are most pronounced and numerous in the anterior portion of the mesosternum both with a distinct, granulose longitudinal carina close to lateral margins.

Abdomen: Median segment slightly longer than metanotum, gently constricted medially and about 3.5x longer than width of anterior margin; surface sparsely granulose and with a weakly indicated medio-longitudinal carina. Segments II less than one-third the length of median segment, constricted medially and only about 1.7x longer than wide. III–V notably increasing in length, VI as long as IV and VII shorter than all preceding segment; V longest and about 2.7x longer than wide, VII only three-fifth the length of V and 2x longer than wide. All terga minutely granulose and the lateral surfaces with two longitudinal, almost parallel rows of granules; III–VI each with a small, scale-like posteromedian protuberance, which is rather narrow and obtusely spiniform on VII Tergum VII with lateral margins weakly deflexed and rounded in the posterior half (fig. 63A). Sterna II–VII more sparsely granules than terga and each with a distinctly raised, somewhat lamellate, longitudinal lateral carina close to lateral margin; these carinae most pronounced on VII and posteriorly terminating in a fairly small, oval and apically acute lobe to form the praeopercular organ ( Fig. 63C ). Terga VIII–X roughly uniform in width and noticeably narrower than all preceding segments; VIII and IX with an obtuse and granulose longitudinal lateral bulge. VIII slightly less than half the length of VII, weakly narrowing towards the posterior and scarcely longer than width of anterior margin. IX about four-fifth the length of VIII and almost quadrate dorsal aspect. Anal segment about as long as VIII very weakly narrowing towards the posterior, carinate medio-longitudinally with the posterior margin angularly emarginated and the outer lateral corners somewhat deflexed to form a narrowly rounded lobe ( Fig. 63B ). Epiproct very small, triangular and almost fully concealed under anal segment. Cerci small, conical and not reaching tip of anal segment. Gonapophyses VIII elongated, distinctly upcurved and projecting notably over posterior margin of anal segment and slightly over tip of subgenital plate; apex fairly pointed and the interior surface furrowed longitudinally ( Figs. 63A–C ). Subgenital plate obtusely keeled longitudinally in the apical half with the apex obtuse and projecting beyond tip of abdomen by notably less than length of anal segment; basal half with a distinct longitudinal carina laterally ( Figs. 63A–C ).

Legs: All of average length and moderately stocky, profemora somewhat shorter than mesothorax and mesofemora slightly longer metathorax. Two lower outer carinae of mesofemora with two small, slender teeth about one-quarter off the base. Probasitarsus as long as remaining tarsomeres taken together and with a prominent, rounded dorsal lobe in the basal two-thirds. Mesobasitarsus similar but somewhat shorter than combined length of remaining tarsomeres.

Eggs ( Fig. 99C ). One egg could be extracted from the terminalia of the holotype and serves for the following description.

Fairly large and typical for the genus. Shape angularly ovoid with the polar-area slightly indented and the dorsal egg surface strongly convex and roundly angular in the anterior portion; oval in cross-section and the capsule notably longer than high or wide. Whole capsule surface deeply and densely punctured, the pits slightly inhomogeneous in size and shape and sharply defined. Micropylar plate elongate, very slightly but gradually widening towards the posterior end, slightly less than three-quarters the length of capsule and roughly 3x longer than wide; sculptured like capsule but the pits comparatively smaller and the central portion weakly convex longitudinally. Micropylar cup very small and positioned at polar end of plate, formed by a minute cup-like pit and an elongate swelling at posterior end of plate. Median line short and distinctly raised. Operculum oval and with a roundly conical, hollow excrescence, that is formed by the outer margin and has several irregular holes in the upper portion; height of excrescence about one-quarter of capsule length. Colour of capsule and micropylar plate plain cream, the capsule with a faint buff marking laterally. Outer portion of micropylar plate grey and the opercular collar and polar area buff. Opercular excrescence dull yellow and gradually changing to a more orangey-brown tone towards the base.

Measurements [mm]: length including operculum 4.9, length 4.0, width 2.7, height 3.2, length of micropylar plate 2.8.

Comments. Males unknown.

Table 36: Measurements of Phanocles cuzcoense sp. n.

Figures

FIGURE 50. Phanocles Stål, 1875 habitus (in scale): A. P. maximus sp. n. ♀ HT (Panamá, Prov Panamá, Chagres N.P., Cerro Azul), dorsolateral view [MIUP]; B. P. subvolans (Redtenbacher, 1908) ♀ (Costa Rica) dorsolateral view [ANSP]; C. P. saussurei (Redtenbacher, 1908) ♀ (Mexico, Veracruz, Puerto Escondido), dorsolateral view [coll. FH No. 0650–1]; D. P. rehni sp. n. ♀ HT (Honduras, Dept.Atlantida, Lancetilla), dorsolateral view [ANSP]; E. P. cuzcoense sp. n. ♀ HT (Peru, Dept. Cuzco, Quince Mil), dorsolateral view [ANSP].

FIGURE 63. Phanocles Stål, 1875 terminalia of ♀♀: A. P. cuzcoense sp. n. ♀ HT, lateral view [ANSP]; B. P. cuzcoense sp. n. ♀ HT, dorsal view [ANSP]; C. P. cuzcoense sp. n. ♀ HT, ventral view [ANSP]; D. P. brevipes sp. n. ♀ HT, lateral view [ANSP]; E. P. brevipes sp. n. ♀ HT, dorsal view [ANSP]; F. P. brevipes sp. n. ♀ HT, ventral view [ANSP]; G. P. pleurospinosus sp. n. ♀ HT, lateral view [MNCR-A]; H. P. pleurospinosus sp. n. ♀ HT, dorsal view [MNCR-A]; J. P. pleurospinosus sp. n. ♀ HT, ventral view [MNCR-A]; K. P. falcatus sp. n. ♀ PT, lateral view [coll. FH]; L. P. falcatus sp. n. ♀ PT, dorsal view [coll. FH]; M. P. falcatus sp. n. ♀ PT, ventral view [coll. FH]; N. P. solidus sp. n. ♀ HT, lateral view [ANSP]; O. P. solidus sp. n. ♀ HT, dorsal view [ANSP]; P. P. solidus sp. n. ♀ HT, ventral view [ANSP]; Q. P. satyr (Redtenbacher, 1908), lateral view [ANSP].

FIGURE 99. Eggs (in scale): A. Phanocles aequatorialis (Redtenbacher, 1908) [coll. FH]; B. Phanocles costaricensis Hennemann, 2002; C. Phanocles cuzcoense sp. n. ex ovipositor HT [ANSP]; D. Phanocles ecuadoricus sp. n. PT [coll. FH]; E. Phanocles maximus sp. n. [coll. FH]; F. Phanocles mutica (Brunner v. Wattenwyl, 1907) [coll. FH]; G. Phanocles ploiaria (Westwood, 1859) Panamá, Prov. Coclé, Valle de Antón [coll. FH]; H. Phanocles rehni sp. n. ex ovipositor HT [ANSP]; J. Phanocles spectabilis sp. n. PT [coll. FH]; K. Phanocles vosseleri (Redtenbacher, 1908) [coll. FH]; L. Phanocles virgulatus (Redtenbacher, 1908) [coll. FH]; M. Phanocles keratosqueleton (Olivier, 1792) Martinique [coll. FH]; N. Phanocles keratosqueleton (Olivier, 1792) St. Vincent [coll. FH]; O. Phanocles chaperi (Redtenbacher, 1908) [coll. FH]; P. Phanocles falcatus sp. n. PT [coll. FH]. [Scale = 1 mm]