Phanocloidea globocephala Conle, Hennemann & Gutiérrez, 2011

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 : 243-245

Phanocloidea globocephala Conle, Hennemann & Gutiérrez, 2011

( Figs. 72A , 75Q–R , 96K )

Phanocloidea globocephala Conle, Hennemann & Gutiérrez, 2011: 315 , figs. Brock & Büscher, 2022: 514.

Further material examined [2 ♂♂, 3 ♀♀]:

COLOMBIA: 1 ♀: Fecha : 05/01/09, Lugar: La Dorada, Caldas, Altitud: 175 m .s.n.m., Hospedante : Ceiba spp. , Colector: M. Uribe — C. Merchán [ UCA] ; 1 ♀: Colombia, Caldas, Norcasia, Ró manso, En árbol, 21/11/2014, Tabares, S [ CEBUC] ; 1 ♀: Colombia, Caldas, Norcasia, Reserva Natural de Río Manso , 220–340msnm, 5°40’32’’N — 74°46’25’’W, 21/01/2014, Captura,manual, Gomes, Dás, L. [ CEBUC] ; 2 ♂♂: Caldas, km41, Bambusa en arboleque, 22/12/2013 [ CEBUC] .

Diagnosis: Females of this species are similar to those of P. baculus ( Olivier, 1792) comb. n. from Guyana and P. incompta ( Rehn, 1904) comb. n. with which they share the general proportions and appearance as well as the globose head. From baculus they can also be distinguished by the lack of tubercles on the meso- and metanotum, having the median segment shorter than the metanotum (slightly longer than metanotum in baculus ), differently shaped praeopercular organ and longer subgenital plate, that projects considerably beyond the tip of the abdomen. From the ♀♀ of incompta they can be frequently separated by the smaller size (body length including subgenital plate over 150.0 mm in incompta ), lack of tubercles on the meso- and metapleurae (body sparsely granulose in incompta ) and slender basitarsi (dorsally crested in incompta ). Males most closely resemble those of P. incompta ( Hebard, 1919) comb. n. and P. gracilis ( Burmeister, 1838) comb. n. From the first they readily differ by the considerably smaller size (body length <75.0 mm), stockier shape, less deflexed but posterolaterally angular lateral margins of abdominal tergum IX ( Fig. 75Q ; rounded in incompta ), less angular poculum, that has the posterior margin indented medially (entire and rather triangular in incompta ), bifid apex of the vomer ( Fig. 96K ), as well as the plain olive and grey colouration of the body and uniformly grey head (with longitudinal yellow streaks in incompta ). The bifid apex of the vomer ( Fig. 96K ) and rather small size is shared with P. gracilis , but the the plain olive and grey colouration of the body (abdominal terga IV–VI with a conspicuous black posteromedian spot in gracilis ), not distinctly annulated mid and hind legs, medially incised posterior margin of the poculum (entire but slightly more acuminate in gracilis ), somewhat more deflexed and rounded lateral margins of abdominal tergum IX and less convex lateral surfaces of the anal segment separate these ♂♂ from those of gracilis .

Description. ♂♂ ( Fig. 72A ): Small (body length 65.8–70.0 mm) and fairly stocky for the genus, apterous with a rather short median segment, that is slightly less than two-thirds the length of the metanotum, and moderately deflexed later margins of abdominal tergum IX. Body surface smooth and slightly shiny. General colour dark olive with the abdomen somewhat darker and with a more brownish hue. Head, prothorax, anterior and posterior portions of mesothorax grey. Longitudinal carina of meso- and metapleurae yellow. Profemora reddish mid brown, Meso- and metafemora and tibiae straw at the base and gradually becoming brown towards the apex. Eyes dark yellow. Antennae drab with the ventral surface somewhat darker and with a faint reddish wash in the basal half, the two basal segments coloured like head.

Head: Ovoid, about 1.2x longer than wide, broadest at the eyes, narrowed towards the posterior and vertex weakly rounded. Frons with a distinct C-shaped median, impression between bases of antennae and between the eyes with a pair of shallow, obtuse swelling. Vertex with a slightly impressed coronal line but otherwise smooth. Eyes prominent, circular in outline, projecting hemispherical and their diameter contained 1.9x in length of genae. Antennae reaching to posterior of abdominal segment VI. Scapus moderately compressed dorsoventrally, strongly oval in cross-section, roundly rectangular in dorsal aspect and about 1.5x longer than wide. Pedicellus round in cross-section, somewhat inflated and two-thirds the length of scapus. III slightly longer than pedicellus and constricted towards apex.

Thorax: Pronotum notably shorter and narrower than head, roughly 1.4x longer than width of anterior margin, very slightly trapezoidal in general shaped and narrowing towards the posterior; lateral margins straight. Anterior margin somewhat inflated. Transverse median sulcus distinct, straight and almost expanding over entire width of segment. Mesothorax uniform in width with only a slight widening at posterior margin, narrower and about 7.8x longer than prothorax. Mesonotum with the medio-longitudinal line weakly indicated and with an indistinct, granulose longitudinal lateral carina parallel to lateral margins. Metanotum roughly 0.45x length of mesonotum and weakly narrowed medially. Mesopleurae occasionally with a fine longitudinal median carina. Mesosternum very weakly carinate medio-longitudinally.

Table 55: Measurements of Phanocloidea globocephala Conle, Hennemann & Gutiérrez, 2011

Abdomen: Median segment scarcely more than two-thirds the length of metanotum with lateral margins weakly concave, posterior margin broader than anterior margin and some 3x longer than wide. Segment II about 1.2x longer than median segment, II–VI slightly gradually decreasing in length with VII only three-fifth the length of II; VI and VII decreasing in length; II 4x and VII only 3.4x longer than wide. All roughly uniform in diameter but all weakly constricted medially. Terga II–VII with the medio-longitudinal line weakly indicated. Tergum VIII three-quarters the length of VII, trapezoidal in dorsal aspect with posterior margin 1.25x wider than anterior margin; about half the length of VII. IX notably longer than VIII, obtusely convex longitudinally, slightly widened anteriorly and with lateral margins somewhat deflexed and gradually widening towards the posterior with the posterolateral angles obtusely angular and approaching each other ventrally. Lateral surfaces of VIII and IX each with an obtuse longitudinal bulge. Anal segment much shorter than IX, strongly descendant towards the apex ( Fig. 75Q ), dorsal surface with an obtuse medio-longitudinal carina, the posterior portion narrowed and the posterior margin weakly sinuate with the outer lateral anglers obtusely rounded and swollen ( Fig. 75R ); ventrally the angles are set with several minute dark red denticles ( Fig. 96K ). Vomer rather broad basally, broadly triangular with a narrow, minutely bifid, gently upcurved apex; the ventral surface somewhat concave ( Fig. 96K ). Cerci slender, gently curved, club-shaped and almost as long as anal segment. Poculum large, rounded and bulgy ( Fig. 75Q ), the posterior half keeled longitudinally and the posterior margin with a narrow median indention.

Legs: All moderately long, slender and entirely unarmed. Profemora almost as long as pro- and mesothorax combined, mesofemora almost as long as mesothorax, metafemora reaching to posterior margin of g abdominal segment V and metatibiae greatly projecting over apex of abdomen. Basitarsi slender and very elongate, pro- and metabasitarsi about as long, mesobasitarsi slightly shorter than the remaining tarsomeres taken together.

Variability. Females show slight variability in the length and shape of the subgenital plate, which the holotype has gently down-curved in the apical portion, whereas it is straight in lateral aspects in all other examined specimens. The general colour of ♀♀ ranges from pale green to buff.

Remarks: The previously unknown ♂♂ are here described for the first time. Eggs unknown. The locality label of the ♀ in the collection of CUA states Ceiba spp. ( Malvaceae ) to be one of the host plants of P. globocephala . These trees are also known to be the food plants of some Lepidoptera larvae.

Figures

FIGURE 72. Phanocloidea Zompro, 2001: A. P. globocephala (Conle, Hennemann & Gutiérrez, 2011) ♂ (Colombia, Dept. Caldas), habitus lateral view [CEBUC, © Yeisson Gutiérrez]; B. P. gracilis (Burmeister, 1838) ♀ (Venezuela, Carabobo, San Esteban), habitus dorsolateral view [ANSP]; C. P. gracilis (Burmeister, 1838) ♂ HT, habitus dorsolateral view [MNHU]; D. P. gracilis (Burmeister, 1838) ♀, lateral view of head and prothorax [ANSP]; E. P. submutica (Redtenbacher, 1908) ♀, lateral view of head and prothorax [ANSP]; F. P. turgida (Westwood, 1859) ♀ with obtuse cephalic swellings, dorsolateral view of head and prothorax [coll. FH]; G. P. turgida (Westwood, 1859) ♀ with acutely pointed cephalic horns, dorsolateral view of head, prothorax and anterior portion of mesothorax [ZMUH]; H. P. incolumis (Brunner v. Wattenwyl, 1907) ♀, dorsolateral view of head, prothorax and anterior portion of mesothorax [coll. AJH]; J. P. muricata (Burmeister, 1838) ♀ PLT, dorsolateral view of head, prothorax and anterior portion of mesothorax [MNHU]; K. P. muricata (Burmeister, 1838) ♀, dorsolateral view of head, prothorax and anterior portion of mesothorax [coll. FH, No. 0473–31]; L. P. venezuelica sp. n. ♀ PT, dorsolateral view of head, prothorax and anterior portion of mesothorax [coll. FH, No. 0400–7].

FIGURE 75. Phanocloidea Zompro, 2001 terminalia of ♂♂: A. P. muricata (Burmeister, 1838), lateral view [coll. FH]; B. P. muricata (Burmeister, 1838), dorsal view [coll. FH]; C. P. muricata (Burmeister, 1838), ventral view [coll. FH]; D. P. venezuelica sp. n. ♀ PT, lateral view [coll. FH] (Arrow indicating the characteristically specialised posterior margin of the poculum also seen in M); E. P. venezuelica sp. n. ♀ PT, dorsal view [coll. FH]; F. P. venezuelica sp. n. ♀ PT, ventral view [coll. FH]; G. P. submutica (Redtenbacher, 1908), lateral view [coll. FH]; H. P. submutica (Redtenbacher, 1908), dorsal view [coll. FH]; J. P. submutica (Redtenbacher, 1908), ventral view [coll. FH]; K. P. pallidenotata (Redtenbacher, 1908), lateral view [MNHN] (Arrow indicating the characteristically specialised posterior margin of the poculum, also seen in J);; L. P. pallidenotata (Redtenbacher, 1908), dorsal view [MNHN]; M. P. pallidenotata (Redtenbacher, 1908), ventral view [MNHN]; N. P. semiptera sp. n. ♂ HT, lateral view [USNM]; O. P. semiptera sp. n. ♂ HT, dorsal view [USNM]; P. P. semiptera sp. n. ♂ HT, ventral view [USNM]; Q. P. globocephala (Conle, Hennemann & Gutiérrez, 2011), lateral view [CEBUC, © Yeisson Gutiérrez]; R. P. globocephala (Conle, Hennemann & Gutiérrez, 2011), dorsal view [CEBUC, © Yeisson Gutiérrez] (Arrow in A, C and N indicating the large triangular posterolater projectiongh of abdominal tergum IX).

FIGURE 96. Vomer of ♂♂ (ventral view): A. Phanocloidea muricata (Burmeister, 1838) [coll. FH]; B. Phanocloidea venezuelica sp. n. PT [coll. FH]; C. Phanocloidea turgida (Westwood, 1859) [ZMUH]; D. Phanocloidea incolumis (Brunner v. Wattenwyl, 1907) [coll. AJH]; E. Phanocloidea pallidenotata (Redtenbacher, 1908) [MNHN]; F. Phanocloidea tobagoense (Langlois & Bellanger, 2012) AT [MNHN]; G. Phanocloidea gracilis (Burmeister, 1838) [ANSP]; H. Phanocloidea schulthessi (Redtenbacher, 1908) [MNHN]; J. Phanocloidea procera (Conle et al., 2020) PT [MNHN]; K. Phanocloidea globocephala Conle, Hennemann & Gutierréz, 2011 [CEBUC]; L. Trychopeplus laciniatus (Westwood, 1874) [coll. OC]. Not in scale.