Cladomorphus pleuracanthus, 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 : 49-51

Cladomorphus pleuracanthus sp. n.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:C877F51B-D54D-4CED-BB25-AE07F13A901F

( Figs. 16B , 18M–O )

HT, ♀: Brasil — Estado BA, Local. Urandi— Bana da Varzinha casa 7, Col. Tintim —F.N.S., Data. 26/06/1997 [ CEIOC] .

Diagnosis. Females (the only sex known) of this distinctive new species differ from all other representatives of the genus by the long and pointed spines of the meso- and metapleurae and pair of peg-like cephalic horns.

Etymology. The name refers to the prominent pointed spines of the meso- and metapleurae of ♀♀.

Description. ♀♀ ( Fig. 16B ): Small for the genus (body length incl. subgenital plate 158.0 mm) and rather slender for the genus, with two pronounced cephalic tubercles and distinctively spinose meso- and metapleurae. Basically, ochreous brown, the head and most of the thorax with a light greyish or whitish wash, the abdomen generally darker. Meso- and metasternum dark grey. Spines of the thoracic pleurae and sterna ochre with the tips black; the granulae and tubercles of the dorsal terga dark reddish brown. Posteromedian swelling of the metanotum black at the tip. Antennae dark brown and the basal half black ventrally.

Head: Globose, indistinctly longer than wide with vertex strongly convex and armed with a pair of fairly distinct, obtusely peg-like horns; the surface otherwise with a few scattered granules of different sizes. Frons with a shallow impression and in front with a slight transverse bulge. Eyes rather small, circular and moderately projecting, their diameter contained about 2.5x in length of genae. Antennae filiform and slender for the genus, reaching to posterior margin of metanotum. Scapus with lateral margins strongly deflexed and rounded, distinctly oval in dorsal aspect and hardly longer than wide. Pedicellus shorter than scapus, elliptical in cross-section and slightly narrowed towards the apex.

Thorax: Pronotum about equal in length but distinctly narrower than head, rectangular and about 1.5x longer than wide. The transverse median sulcus moderately impressed, curved, very short and not reaching lateral margins of segment. The surface unevenly set with granules and small tubercles, which are roughly arranged in longitudinal lines. Mesothorax elongate, slender, just weakly constricted anteriorly and widened posteriorly; 5.4x longer than pronotum and almost 6.8x longer than wide ( Fig. 16B ). Mesonotum and metanotum both with a fine but acute longitudinal median carina and irregularly set with granules and variably sized tubercles; these more numerous close to the lateral margins of mesonotum. Metanotum 2x longer than wide and rectangular; the posterior margin with a fairly prominent and obtusely conical swelling posteromedially. Meso- and metapleurae heavily armed with slender, straight and acutely pointed spines of different sizes; the mesopleurae with 5–6 and the metapleurae with 4–5 notably enlarged and long spines that laterally extend by almost one-third of body diameter. Meso- and metapleurae irregularly set with small, conical spines ( Fig. 16B ).

Abdomen:Median segment basically sculptured like metanotum but median carina and tubercles less pronounced; 1.2x longer than metanotum, 2.8x longer than wide and gently constricted medially. Segment II ¾ the length of median segment. II–V gradually increasing in length, VI–VII decreasing in length with VII about as long as II; V longest segment and about 2x longer than wide. II–VI almost uniform in width, VII very gently narrowing towards the posterior. Surface of all terga weakly and sparsely granulose, V with posterior margin deflexed into a scale-like, transverse excrescence which has three short longitudinal carinae anteriorly. Posterolateral angles of tergum VI weakly dilated into a small, obtusely triangular lobe. VII with two weakly defined, sub-parallel longitudinal bulges. Sterna II–VII with an obtuse medio-longitudinal bulge and an acute longitudinal carina laterally. These two carinae on VII posteriorly terminating in a distinct triangular, tooth-like appendage, which form the praeopercular organ ( Fig. 18O ). Terga VIII–X notably shorter than all preceding and combined somewhat longer than tergum VII. Anal segment notably longer than IX obtusely tectate longitudinally and with lateral margins gradually converging towards the posterior; the posterior margin with a broad triangular excavation and the outer angles obtusely triangular. Epiproct very small and shield-shaped. Cerci small, cylindrical, tapered towards the apex. Gonapophyses as typical for the genus but broken off in the unique holotype. Gonoplacs moderately enlarged and oval on lateral aspect ( Fig. 18M ). Subgenital plate extending beyond apex of abdomen by just slightly more than length of anal segment, the lateral margins strongly tri-lobate ( Figs. 18 M-O) and the lateral surfaces with a distinct longitudinal keel in basal portion.

Legs: Rather slender for the genus. Anterodorsal carina of profemora with about five very obtuse teeth, posteroventral carina of protibiae uniform in width. All carinae of mid and hind legs densely tubercular. The two outer ventral carinae of meso- and metafemora with a blunt tooth about one-third off the base (merely indicated on metafemora) and the posterodorsal carina with a triangular apical lobe. Posterodorsal carina of meso- and metatibiae with a distinct, irregularly shaped but basically triangular lobe pre-medially; this accompanied by a smaller anterior tooth on metatibiae. Basitarsi about as long as following three tarsomeres combined and with a rounded dorsal lobe (most pronounced on probasitarsus).

Comments. Males and eggs unknown.

Table 1: Measurements of Cladomorphus pleuracanthus sp. n.

5.7. Genus Cranidium Westwood, 1843

( Figs. 19 , 100E , 129A–D )

Type species: Diapherodes (Cranidium) serricollis Westwood, 1843: 49 , pl. 6: 1 (= Diapherodes gibbosa Burmeister, 1838 ), by subsequent designation of Bradley & Galil, 1977: 187.

Diapherodes (Cranidium) Westwood, 1843: 49 (in part—described as a subgenus of Diapherodes Gray, 1835 ). Cranidium, Saussure, 1870: 187 .

Kirby, 1904: 361 (in part).

Redtenbacher, 1908: 435.

Chopard, 1911: 348.

Bradley & Galil, 1977: 187.

Roubaud & Lelong, 1993: 13.

Brock, 1998d: 26.

Delfosse, 2002: 6.

Zompro, 2004b: 135.

Otte & Brock, 2005: 110.

Hennemann, Conle & Delfosse, 2007: 359, figs. 1-12.

Hennemann, Conle & Perez-Gelabert, 2016: 17, figs. 13, 19, 49.

Brock & Büscher, 2022: 547.

Bacteria, Redtenbacher, 1908: 415 (in part).

Brock, 1998a: 48 (in part).

Otte & Brock, 2005: 62 (in part).

Craspedonia, Bradley & Galil , 197: 187.

Langlois, 1996: 3.

Delfosse, 1998: 17.

Clark-Sellick, 1998: 221, fig. 32a-b.

Delfosse, 2000a: 9.

Delfosse, 2000b: 8.

Diapherodes, Burmeister, 1838: 574 (in part, Cranidium Illiger in litt., klisted as a synonym).

Charpentier, 184, pl. 55 (♀).

Saussure, 1870: 187 (in part).

Monandroptera ?, Westwood, 1859: 80 (in part).

= Phasmilliger Carrera, 1960: 100 . (Type-species: Diapherodes (Cranidium) serricollis Westwood, 1843: 49 , pl. 6: 1, by indication). [Unnecessary replacement name and junior objective synonym]

[Not: Craspedonia Westwood, 1841: 25 , pl. 3 (♀). Described as a subgenus of Phasma Lichtenstein, 1802 —junior synonym of Monandroptera Servulle, 1838 ]

[Not: Diapherodes (Craspedonia) Westwood, 1843: 49 . = Monandroptera Serville, 1838 ]

Differentiation. This very striking and peculiar, monotypic genus is easily recoginsed and separated from all other genera of Cladomorformia by a number of obvious characters, such as the entirely unarmed limbs, indistinct medioventral carina of the profemora, which runs roughly central along the ventral surface of the profemur, roughly trapezoidal cross-section of the profemora and very faint medioventral carina of the meso- and metafemora. The shiny body surface and green general colouration of ♀♀ ( Figs. 19A–B , 129A–B ) as well as the large and tub-shaped poculum of ♂♂ ( Fig. 19H ), which resembles Aplopocranidium . Furthermore, ♀♀ are readily separated from all Cladomorformia by the flattened and laterally dilated, leaf-like body ( Figs. 19A–B ), which is unique among the entire Occidophasmata, convex and tumescent mesonotum ( Fig. 19D ) and strongly longitudinally tectate mesosternum ( Fig. 19E ). Males can easily be separated from other Cladomorformia by the very large and bulgy, deeply tub-shaped poculum ( Fig. 19H ), which ventrally extends by more than 2x the body diameter, as well as the specialised phallus, which is wholly covered with minute black denticles ( Figs. 19H–K ). The eggs ( Fig. 100E ) differ from related genera by the shape of the internal micropylar plate, which has a narrowing of the posteromedian notch before it widens into the gap.

Comments. A detailed and sufficient diagnosis of the genus was presented by Hennemann et al. (2007) and Hennemann et al. (2016), hence it is not repeated here. Although very peculiar in various aspects, this genus comes anatomically closest to the genera here combined in the Jeremia group of Cladomorformia , this is Aplopocranidium , Jeremia and Jeremiodes (→ 8.). Hennemann et al. (2016: 18) considered the entirely reduced armature of the lims and longitudinally tectate mesosternum of both sexes, the strongly dilated mesothorax and abdomen of ♀♀ as well as the prominently enlarge poculum and spinulose phallus of ♂♂ as possible autapomorphies of Cranidium .

Distribution. North and northeast Brazil (Est. Amazonas, Est. Amapá, Est. Pará), French Guiana and Suriname. According to Morrone (2006) all known records define to the biogeographical Provinces Imeri, Guyana, Humid Guyana, Roraima, Amapa and eastern portions of the Varzea Province, all of which predominantly comprise tropical lowland rainforest.

Species included:

Figures

FIGURE 16. Cladomorphus Gray, 1835: A. C. aborigenus (Giglio-Tos, 1910) ♀ HT (Brazil), habitus lateral view [MRSN]; B. C. pleuracanthus sp. n. ♀ HT (Brazil, Est. Bahia, Bana da Varzinha), habitus dorsal view [CEIOC]; C. C. phyllinus Gray, 1835 ♀, head and prothorax in lateral view [MNRJ]; D. C. phyllinus Gray, 1835 ♀, head and prothorax in lateral view [MNHU]; E. C. rubus (Saussure, 1861) ♀, head and prothorax in dorsolateral view [MNHU]; F. C. phyllinus Gray, 1835 ♂, head and pronotum and anterior portion of mesonotum in dorsal view [ZMUH]; G. C. phyllinus Gray, 1835 ♂, head and prothorax in dorsolateral view [coll. FH]; H. C. tuberculatus (Piza, 1936) ♀, head and prothorax in lateral view [MHNG].

FIGURE 18. Cladomorphus Gray, 1835, terminalia of ♀♀: A. C. phyllinus Gray, 1835, lateral view [coll. FH]; B. C. phyllinus Gray, 1835, dorsal view [MNHU]; C. C. phyllinus Gray, 1835, dorsal view [FIOCRZ]; D. C. phyllinus Gray, 1835, ventral view [MNHU]; E. C. rubus (Saussure, 1861), lateral view [ANSP]; F. C. rubus (Saussure, 1861), dorsal view [ANSP]; G. C. rubus (Saussure, 1861), ventral view [ANSP]; H. C. aborigenus (Giglio-Tos, 1910) HT of C. marcelloi Piza in litt., lateral view [ESALQ]; J. C. aborigenus (Giglio-Tos, 1910) HT of C. marcelloi Piza in litt., ventral view [ESALQ]; K. C. tuberculatus (Piza, 1936), lateral view [USNM]; L. C. tuberculatus (Piza, 1936), dorsal view [USNM]; M. C. pleuracanthus sp. n. HT, lateral view [CEIOC] (Arrow and dotted line indicated the broken off gonapophyses VIII); N. C. pleuracanthus sp. n. HT, dorsal view [CEIOC]; O. C. pleuracanthus sp. n. HT, ventral view [CEIOC]. Arrows and dotted circles indicate the characterstic praeopercular organ thau is useful for species distinction.

FIGURE 19. Cranidium gibbosum (Burmeister, 1838): A. ♀ (captive reared from French Guiana, Petit Saut), habitus dorsal view [coll. FH, No. 0470-11]; B. ♀ (captive reared from French Guiana, Petit Saut), habitus dorsolateral view [coll. FH, No. 0470-11]; C. ♂ (captive reared from French Guiana, Petit Saut), habitus dorsolateral view [coll. FH, No. 0470-8]; D. ♀, lateral view of head, pro- and mesothorax (captive reared from French Guiana, Petit Saut), habitus dorsal view [coll. FH, No. 0470-4]; E. ♀, ventral view of head, pro- and mesothorax showing the distinct tubercular medio-longitudinal keel of the mesosternum (captive reared from French Guiana, Petit Saut), habitus dorsal view [coll. FH, No. 0470-4]; F. ♀, terminalia in lateral view [coll. FH 0470-17]; G. ♀, terminalia in dorsal view [coll. FH 0470-11]; H. ♂, terminalia in lateral view [coll. FH, No. 0470-9]; J. ♂, terminalia in dorsal view [coll. FH, No. 0470-9]; K. ♂, terminalia in ventral view [coll. FH, No. 0470-9]. Pha = the spinulose phallus that is characteristic for Cranidium Westwood, 1843.

FIGURE 100. Eggs: A. Phanocles berezini sp. n. [coll. FH]; B. Phanocles horni (Redtenbacher, 1908) [coll. FH]; C. Parotocrania panamae gen. n., sp. n. PT [coll. FH]; D. Trychopeplus laciniatus (Westwood, 1874) [coll. OC]; E. Cranidium gibbosum (Burmeister, 1838) [coll. FH]; F. Phanoclocrania gen. n. dorsuaria (Stål, 1875) [coll. FH]; G. Phanocloidea procera (Conle et al., 2021) [coll. FH]; H. Phanocloidea incolumis (Brunner v. Wattenwyl, 1907) [coll. FH]; J. Phanocloidea schulthessi (Redtenbacher, 1908) [coll. FH]; K. Phanocloidea pallidenotata (Redtenbacher, 1908) [coll. TR]; L. Phanocloidea muricata (Burmeister, 1838) [coll. FH]; M. Phanocloidea venezuelica sp. n. PT [coll. FH]; N. Phanocloidea tobagoense (Langlois & Bellanger, 2012) [coll. FH]; O. Phanocloidea turgida (Westwood, 1859) [coll. FH]; P. Phanocloidea incompta (Rehn, 1904) [coll. FH]. [Scale = 1 mm]

FIGURE 129. Live insects of Cranidium gibbosum (Burmsiter, 1838) captive reared from French Guiana: A. Head and thoprax of ♀ in dorsal view; B. Habitus of ♀; C. Habitus of ♂; D. ♂, closeup of head and thorax.