Phanocles subvolans ( Redtenbacher, 1908 ) 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 : 215-218

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.5444.1.1
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:5DE4A9DD-99F7-4E23-AD50-58DC491BB75E
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03FD87D9-FF76-D8BC-FF55-F1952AD0E5A2
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Phanocles subvolans ( Redtenbacher, 1908 )
status	stat. rev., comb. n.

Treatment

Phanocles subvolans ( Redtenbacher, 1908) stat. rev., comb. n.

( Figs. 50B View FIGURE 50 , 58K View FIGURE 58 , 62G–J View FIGURE 62 , 88G View FIGURE 88 )

Bacteria subvolans Redtenbacher, 1908: 416 View in CoL .

Shelford, 1909: 363.

Hebard, 1923: 21. [Erroneous synonymization with Phanocles ploiaria ( Westwood, 1859) ]

Brock, 1993: 21. [As synonym of Bacteria ploiaria Westwood, 1859 ]

Otte & Brock, 2005: 66. [As synonym of Bacteria ploiaria Westwood, 1859 ]

Brock, Marshall, Beccalini & Harman, 2016: 198. [As synonym of Bacteria ploiaria Westwood, 1859 ]

Further material examined [1 ♂, 1 ♀]:

1 ♂: Gatun, C.Z., Panama, 1912 (from J. Zetek); Bacteria ploiaria ♂ (Westw.), Det. Hebard 1922, Hebard Cln. [ ANSP] ; 1 ♀: Costa Rica, Bacteria sp. Det Hebard , Hebard Cln. [ ANSP] .

Diagnosis. The huge ♀♀ of this species ( Fig. 50B View FIGURE 50 ) resemble those of other Central American species that have a granulose thorax but are most similar to Ph. spectabilis sp. n. and Ph. rehni sp. n. They however differ from both these species by the notably slenderer and elongate shape and proportionally longer body segments as well as the more globose and entirely unarmed head ( Fig. 58K View FIGURE 58 ; at least with a pair of minute conical humps in the other two species). From Ph. spectabilis sp. n. they may also be separated by the somewhat shorter median segment, which is just scarcely longer than the median segment, much smaller lobes of the praeopercular organ ( Fig. 62J View FIGURE 62 ), posteriorly widened and broadly bilobate anal segment ( Fig. 62H View FIGURE 62 ), longer and narrower subgenital plate that projects beyond the apex of the abdomen by considerably more than the length of the anal segment ( Figs. 62G–H View FIGURE 62 ) and higher, more angular dorsal crest of the basitarsi. From those of Ph. rehni sp. n. they can readily be distinguished by the unarmed head ( Fig. 58K View FIGURE 58 ; with a pair of large, obtuse conical horns in rehni ), the median segment being longer than the metanotum (somewhat shorter than metanotum in rehni ), much smaller posterolateral lobes of abdominal tergum VII, lack of a posteromedian appendage in the praeopercular organ ( Fig. 62J View FIGURE 62 ), posteriorly widened anal segment and the longer subgenital plate (projecting over apex of abdomen by less than length of anal segment in rehni ). Males resemble those of Ph. ploiaria ( Westwood, 1859) and share the colouration of the basal portion of the mesofemora with Ph. costaricensis Hennemann, 2002 . However, they readily differ from the latter by the presence of wings (♂♂ of costaricensis are apterous) and from the first by having the ale much shorter and just slightly projecting over the posterior margin of the median segment (reaching to abdominal segment III in ploiaria ). They can moreover be distinguished from these two species and from all other known Central American representatives by the shape of the anal segment, which is distinctly tectate longitudinally with the lateral portions of the posterior margin folded against each other and roughly rectangular in lateral aspect.

Description. ♀♀ ( Fig. 50B View FIGURE 50 ): The unique specimen at hand is complete except for the left antenna and has the right mid and hind leg regenerated, thus being somewhat shorter and thinner than the fully developed left legs.

Very large (body length including subgenital plate 240.0 mm) and slender, with a globose but unarmed head, a densely granulose to tubercular thorax, a median segment that is only scarcely longer than the metanotum and a short, rather slender subgenital plate, that projects beyond the tip of the abdomen by less than the combined length of the two terminal abdominal segments. General colour greyish to ochreous mid brown the abdomen dark brown (most certainly due to preservation). Meso- and metanotum with a faint purplish medio-longitudinal stripe. Granules and tubercles of the thoracic nota and sterna ochre to dark orange and tipped with dark brown, those of the pleurae rather cream coloured. Eyes yellowish ochre and irregularly flecked with brown. Antennae buff dorsally, dark brown ventrally and gradually becoming darker towards the apex.

Head ( Fig. 58K View FIGURE 58 ): Globose with the vertex roundly convex and smooth, broadest just behind the eyes and the genae gently narrowing towards the posterior; about 1.2x longer than wide. Just behind the eyes with a pair of small, very shallow rounded swellings. Vertex merely supplied with a very few scattered minute granules and a weakly indicated coronal line. Frons with a shallow transverse depression between the bases of the antennae, followed by two small and closely placed, shallow swellings. Eyes moderately convex, almost circular in outline and their diameter contained 2.6x in length of genae. Antennae reaching half the way along abdominal segment III. Scapus increasingly compressed dorsoventrally towards the base, rectangular in dorsal aspect and about 1.5x longer than wide. Pedicellus slightly oval in cross-section, much narrower and roughly half the length of scapus. III scarcely longer than pedicellus and tapering towards the apex.

Thorax: Pronotum noticeably shorter and narrower than head, 1.6x longer than wide and roundly rectangular in dorsal aspect with a slight narrowing just behind anterior margin. Anterior margin strongly raised and with a median pair of tubercles; surface otherwise unevenly granulose and with two converging rows of granules before and two more closely placed slightly sub-parallel longitudinal rows of somewhat more pronounced granules behind transverse median sulcus. The sulcus distinctly impressed, gently arched and expanding over entire width of segment ( Fig. 58K View FIGURE 58 ). Mesothorax 7x longer than prothorax and uniform in diameter except for a slight widening posteriorly. Metanotum slightly less than one-third the length of mesonotum, 5.4xx longer than wide and very weakly narrowed medially. Meso- and metanotum wholly but unevenly granulose to minutely tubercular, the granules generally becoming smaller but more numerous towards the lateral portions and the latter with a longitudinal ridge that is parallel to lateral margins and covered by closely spaced granules. Meso- and metapleurae granulose and with a rather undefined medio-longitudinal row of somewhat enlarged granules. Meso- and metasternum with somewhat enlarged granules and tubercles aggregated along the mid line and otherwise minutely granulose; a fine granulose carina close to lateral margins ( Fig. 88G View FIGURE 88 ).

Abdomen: Median segment very scarcely longer than metanotum, gently constricted medially with anterior margin somewhat narrower than posterior margin and 3x longer than width of anterior margin; surface densely granulose. Following terga minutely granulose and the number and size of granules gradually decreasing towards VII; II–VI with a fine longitudinal lateral carina parallel to lateral margins, that becomes increasingly less pronounced towards VI. Segment II slightly shorter than median segment and about 2.3x longer than wide. II–V slightly increasing and VI–VII decreasing in length; V longest and about 3.5x longer than wide. II–VI roughly uniform in diameter, VII somewhat narrower than all preceding and only two-thirds the length of VI. Tergum VII with lateral margins straight and only weakly rounded posteriorly. Sterna II–VII sparsely and minutely granulose and with a fairly obtuse longitudinal lateral carina. Praeopercular organ indistinct and merely formed by a slight posterior expansion of the two lateral carinae of sternum VII; the intervening area very minutely but densely granulose ( Fig. 62J View FIGURE 62 ). Terga VIII–X roughly uniform in width and somewhat narrower than all preceding terga; VIII slightly less than half the length of VII, 1.6x longer than wide; IX about three-fifth the length of VIII and roundly rectangular in dorsal aspect. VIII and IX both with a weakly indicated medio-longitudinal carina and the lateral margins of IX gently deflexed and rounded. Anal segment about as long as IX, moderately tectate longitudinally and notably widening towards the posterior with the posterior margin expanded and broadly bilobate with a distinct but narrow median notch; lateral margins distinctly excavated in the posterior half to expose the cerci ( Fig. 62H View FIGURE 62 ). Epiproct very small, triangular and fully concealed under anal segment. Cerci very small, obtuse and gradually narrowing towards the apex. Gonapophyses VIII moderately elongated, upcurved and pointed apically and reaching to tip of subgenital plate ( Figs. 62G–H View FIGURE 62 ). Subgenital plate acutely keeled longitudinally, narrowly canaliculate, compressed laterally and almost parallel-sided in the apical half with the apex moderately pointed and projecting beyond tip of abdomen by somewhat less than combined length of two terminal terga; basal half with a longitudinal carina laterally ( Figs. 62G–H View FIGURE 62 ).

Legs: All long, fairly slender and wholly unarmed. Profemora almost as long as mesothorax, mesofemora notably longer metathorax, metafemora reaching to posterior margin of abdominal segment IV and metatibiae roughly reaching half the way along abdominal segment VII. Two lower outer carinae of mesofemora with a very indistinct and obtuse, rounded expansion about one-quarter of the base. Dorsal carina of all basitarsi with a large, roundly triangular lobe; that of the probasitarsus in particular very high and its height corresponding to more than half of the length of tarsomere. Probasitarsus as long as combined length of remaining tarsomeres except claw; meso- and metabasitarsus a little longer.

♂♂: Moderately sized (body length 112.0–114.0 mm) and slender for the genus with short alae, that just slightly project over the posterior margin of the median segment (17.8 mm), a fairly globose and obtusely bi-tubercular head, a sparsely granulose mesonotum and a strongly tectate anal segment that is almost rectangular in outline if seen in lateral aspect. General colour ochreous mid brown, the head with a faint washed brown postocular streak and the lower portions of the genae dark cream. Granules of the mesonotum whitish. Tegmina and costal region of alae with the anterior margin up to the radial vein creamy white; anal region of alae transparent pale brown with greyish brown veins. Abdominal tergum IX with the elongate black markings anteriorly and much of lateral surface flecked with white. Vomer ochre. Basal portion of meso- and metafemora dull straw and the mesofemora with a distinctive, broad blackish brown transverse band sub-basally. Eyes dark reddish brown with dark brown marbling. Antennae reddish mid brown with the ventral surface of a somewhat darker tone.

Head: Globose, scarcely longer than wide and broadest just behind the eyes with the vertex rounded and smooth; genae strongly narrowing. Just behind the eyes with a pair of rather shallow and obtuse swellings. Frons with a very distinct transverse depression between bases of antennae. Eyes large, circular in outline and projecting more than hemispherical from head capsule; their diameter contained only 1.4x in length of genae. Antennae reaching about two-thirds the way along abdominal segment IV. Scapus and pedicellus as in ♀♀.

Thorax: Pronotum about as long but much narrower than head and basically as in ♀♀ but destitute of granules.The transverse median sulcus somewhat less pronounced and not just reaching lateral margins of segment. Mesothorax 8.7x longer and somewhat narrower than prothorax, uniform in diameter with only a slight widening posteriorly. Mesonotum with a distinct and acute medio-longitudinal carina and sparsely supplied with a few scattered granules and a longitudinal row of minute, closely placed granules laterally. Meso- and metapleurae smooth. Mesosternum acutely keeled medio-longitudinally and metasternum with a rather obtuse and shallow medio-longitudinal keel. Tegmina elongate, slender, ovate-spatulate in shape and gradually tapering towards the base in the anterior portion; central protuberance indistinct. Alae slightly projecting over posterior margin of median segment.

Abdomen: All segments smooth dorsally and ventrally but terga II–VII with a fine longitudinal carina close to lateral margins. Median segment over 3x longer than metanotum, very gently widening towards the posterior. Segment II about 0.7x the length of median segment, longest segment and 4.6x longer than wide. III–V slightly shorter than II and roughly uniform in length, VI–VII decreasing in length with VI only about 4x longer than wide. II–VI basically uniform in diameter but all gently constricted medially. VII slightly widening in the posterior half and about three-quarters the length of VI. Sterna II–VII obtusely tectate medio-longitudinally. Tergum VIII trapezoidal with posterior margin almost 2x wider than anterior margin and widest segment; somewhat more than half the length of VII; IX much narrower, constricted medially and with the anterior portion somewhat widened; both with an obtuse longitudinal lateral bulge, three-fifths the length of VII, gradually widening towards the posterior, trapezoidal in dorsal aspect and the posterior. Anal segment strongly tectate longitudinally and almost rectangular in lateral aspect; the lateral surfaces slightly inflated anteriorly, the posterior margin indented medially and the outer portions distinctly downward directed and facing each other. The facing interior (ventral) portions densely set with dark brown denticles. Cerci shorter fairly long, downward directed, gently curved and club-shaped. Vomer elongate, narrowed at the base, roundly widened sub-basally and tapering towards a single terminal hook and very gently curved to the left; outer margins strongly inflated and the central portion indented. Poculum moderately bulgy and convex, acutely rectangular in lateral aspect with a fairly pronounced medio-longitudinal carina that is most prominent and somewhat lamellate at the angle; almost reaching to posterior margin of tergum IX and with posterior margin rounded and somewhat labiate.

Legs: All long, slender and wholly unarmed. Profemora about as long as pro- and mesothorax combined, mesofemora noticeably shorter than mesothorax, metafemora almost reaching posterior margin of abdominal segment V and metatibiae projecting considerably beyond apex of abdomen. All basitarsi slender and noticeably longer than remaining tarsomeres taken together.

Comments. This rarely encountered species was falsely synonymised with Ph. ploiaria ( Westwood, 1859) by Shelford (1923: 360) and is here reinstated as a valid species (stat. rev.). Examination of the ♂ holotype of subvolans and comparison with Westwood’s ♂ holotype of ploiaria clearly show it to be a distinct species, that at first glance has much shorter alae and fundamentally differs by the morphology of the terminalia. A brief description of the ♀ provided by Hebard (1923: 360), was based on a misidentified specimen that this author misinterpreted as the ♀ of Ph. ploiaria . In fact, the concerned specimen is a ♀ of Ph. spectabilis sp. n. and here included in the type series of that species. The potential opposite sex of subvolans is here presumed to be a huge ♀ from Costa Rica and also contained in the collection of ANSP. With an impressive body length of 240.0 mm this makes subvolans the second longest species in the genus Phanocles and places it amongst the longest insects of the New World. The ANSP collection also contains the only other known ♂ of subvolans , which was also misidentified as ploiaria by Hebard. Detailed re-descriptions of both sexes are here presented for allowing proper distinction of subvolans from the very similar and also Central American Ph. spectabilis sp. n. and Ph. ploiaria . Eggs unknown.