Hirtuleiodes gibbosus ( Chopard, 1911 )

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 : 74-76

Hirtuleiodes gibbosus ( Chopard, 1911)

( Figs. 27A–B, D, E , G-H, 28F–L, 83G)

Phibalosoma gibbosa Chopard, 1911: 347 , fig. (♀).

Lelong, 1993: 12.

Cladomorphus gibbosus, Otte & Brock, 2005: 161 .

Bellanger, Lelong & Jourdan, 2018: 274.

Delfosse, Cliquennois, Depraetere & Robillard, 2019: 203.

Hirtuleius gibbosus, Conle, Henneman, Bellanger, Lelong, Jourdan & Valero, 2020: 20 . Brock & Büscher, 2022: 546.

Further material examined [8 ♂♂]:

1 ♂: Französisch Guyana: Commune de Roura, Montagne des Chevaux, RN2 PK22, 4°44’56“N - 52°26’28“W, alt. 75 m, S.E. A.G, leg. Stéphane Brule 16.05.– 11.07.2009 [coll. OC, 0270–1] ; 1 ♂: Französisch Guyana: Commune de Roura, Montagne des Chevaux, RN2 PK22, 4°44’56“N - 52°26’28“W, alt. 75 m, S.E. A.G, leg. Stéphane Brule 26.06.2011 [coll. OC, 0270–2] ; 1 ♂: Französisch Guyana: Commune de Roura, Montagne des Chevaux, RN2 PK22, 4°44’56“N - 52°26’28“W, alt. 75 m, S.E. A.G, Lichtfang, leg. Stéphane Brule 01.02.14 [coll. OC, 0270–3] ; 1 ♂: Französisch Guyana: Commune de Roura, Montagne des Chevaux, RN2 PK22, 4°44’56“N - 52°26’28“W, alt. 75 m, S.E. A.G, Lichtfang, leg. Stéphane Brule 16.11.13 [coll. OC, 0270–4] ; 1 ♂: Französisch Guyana: Commune de Roura, Montagne des Chevaux, RN2 PK22, 4°44’56“N - 52°26’28“W, alt. 75 m, S.E. A.G, Lichtfang, leg. Stéphane Brule 04.01.2014 [coll. OC, 0270–5] ; 1 ♂: Französisch Guyana: Commune de Roura, Montagne des Chevaux, RN2 PK22, 4°44’56“N - 52°26’28“W, alt. 75 m, S.E. A.G, leg. Stéphane Brule 05.04.2014 [coll. OC, 0270–6] ; 1 ♂: Hirtuleius gibbosus ♂, 24.IV.1998 Guyane fr., Montagne de la Trinité, Inselberg 2, rec & leg. A. François, det. & coll. ASPER [ ASPER] ; 1 ♂: Guyane Française , Th. Rosant; 20.VIII.96, km30, Piste, Paul Isnard [coll. TR] .

Diagnosis. This rather small and stocky species most closely resembles H. granuliceps Conle et al., 2011 from Colombia but in general both sexes are more robust in shape and have comparatively stronger extremities. Females ( Figs. 27A–B ) may be separated from that species by the smaller size, strongly bulging posterior margins of the meso- and metanotum, the one of the metanotum which is protruded into a prominent transverse hump, very prominent hump with a bilobate excrescence on abdominal tergum VI ( Figs. 28F–G ) and much shorter gonapohysis VIII and subgenital plate, both of which project beyond the apex of the abdomen by no more than the length of the anal segment ( Figs. 28F–G ). Males are very similar to those of granuliceps but can mainly be differentiated by the distinctly bi-labiate posterior margin of the anal segment ( Fig. 28K ), which has the posteromedian indention notably narrower, narrowly bidentate apex of the vomer and less scoop-shaped and ventrally impressed apical portion of the cerci ( Fig. 28L ).

Description. ♂♂ ( Fig. 27D ): Small (body length 74.4–81.7 mm) and stocky for the genus, with a distinctly granulose head and thorax. Colouration a mixture of ochre and drab, the mesonotum basically ochre, the four terminal abdominal segments and legs in particular more or less lichenose and speckled with grey and black; metapleurae with conspicuous irregular whitish markings. Head, pronotum, posterior portion of mesopleurae and entire metapleurae with a slight olive hue. Metasternum with a very faint and washed green longitudinal median streak. Tegmina with apical half of anterior margin broadly white. Costal region of ale dark brown along anterior margin and with a pale cream to whitish marking one-third off the base; the radius marked by a washed olive longitudinal streak and the inner portion drab. All granules of the head and thoracic nota black, those of the sterna dark green. Basal portion of profemora pale orange interiorly. Antennae reddish brown basally and gradually darkening towards the apex.

Head ( Figs. 27G–H ): Ovoid, sub-globose with vertex roundly convex and set with a variable number of node-like granules; about 4–6 somewhat smaller granules on genae. Between bases of antennae with a distinct impression and frons with two slightly raised areas each of which bear 1–2 minute granules. Coronal line fairly distinct. Eyes large, circular in outline, projecting hemispherical and their diameter contained 1.3x in length of genae. Antennae reaching to posterior margin of median segment, scapus rectangular in dorsal aspect and longer than wide, pedicellus cylindrical and slightly shorter than scapus. Antennomere III shorter the preceding and the following ones gradually increasing in length.

Thorax: Pronotum irregularly set with node-like granules, rectangular in outline, slightly shorter and much narrower than head; about 1.4x longer than wide. Transverse median sulcus very slightly displaced towards the anterior, just very weakly curved and expanding over entire width of pronotum. Mesothorax moderately elongate, roughly uniform in diameter except for being widened posteriorly and 4x longer than pronotum. Entire mesothorax, metasternum and metapleurae irregularly set with node-like granules of fairly uniform size; more sparse on metasternum although. Mesosternum with a fine carina along each lateral margin ( Fig. 83G ). Tegmina basically oval in shape with the basal portion narrowed, the median hump fairly pronounced and obtusely conical. Alae reaching ± half way along abdominal segment VI.

Abdomen: Segment II slightly longer than II, IV–VII gradually decreasing in length and very slightly narrowing; III longest segment and about 3.3x longer than wide, VII shortest and of similar dimensions. Terga II–VII only with a very few very minute scattered granules, VI with a pair of obtusely conical or longitudinally ridge-like swellings at posterior margin ( Figs. 28 J-K). Sterna II–VII minutely granulose, but granules comparatively more pronounced and numerous than on terga. Terga VIII–X broader than all previous ones and together about 1.5x longer than VII. Tergum VIII trapezoidal and distinctly widened towards the posterior, IX notably constricted medially and almost equal in length to VIII, the lateral surfaces with a longitudinal bulge.Anal segment narrowed in the posterior portion with the posterior margin swollen and bi-labiate with a narrowly triangular median indention ( Fig. 28K ); ventral surfaces of swollen lateral portions minutely denticulate. Epiproct very small. Cerci round in cross-section at the base but with a conspicuous concave impression apico-ventrally. Vomer broadly rounded basally and with a narrow bidentate slightly upcurved apical hook. Poculum bulgy, roundly cup-shaped with the anterior margin somewhat labiate and slightly projecting over posterior margin of abdominal tergum IX ( Figs. 28J, L ).

Legs: All of moderate length and stocky, the meso- and metafemora in particular. All carinae of mid and hind legs minutely granulose. Anteroventral carina of mesofemora with a very slight expnasion about one-third off the base. Both outer ventral carinae of meso- and metafemora with a distinct triangular tooth-like lobe, the medioventral carina fine and sparsely set with minute granules. Basitarsi about as long as following three tarsomeres combined and only probasitarsus with dorsal carina very weakly rounded and deflexed.

Comments. The holotype ♀ in MNHN ( Figs. 27A–B ) lacks most of the antennae and has suffered damage from dermestid beetles, having most of abdominal segments II and IV destroyed. Eggs unknown. Measurements in table 10.

Figures

FIGURE 27. Hirtuleiodes gen. n.: A. H. gibbosus (Chopard, 1911) ♀ HT, habitus dorsolateral view [MNHN]; B. H. gibbosus (Chopard, 1911) ♀ HT, habitus dorsal view [MNHN]; C. H. granuliceps (Conle, Hennemann & Gutiérrez, 2011) ♂ HT, habitus dorsolateral view [MNHN]; D. H. gibbosus (Chopard, 1911) ♂, habitus dorsal view [coll. ASPER]; E. H. peruanus gen. n. sp. n. ♀ HT, dorsal view of head and prothorax [MNHN]; F. H. gibbosus (Chopard, 1911) ♀ HT, dorsal view of head and prothorax [MNHN]; G. H. granuliceps (Conle, Hennemann & Gutiérrez, 2011) ♀ PT, dorsolateral view of head and prothorax [ICN]; H. H. granuliceps (Conle, Hennemann & Gutiérrez, 2011) ♂ HT, dorsolateral view of head and [MNCN]; J. H. gibbosus (Chopard, 1911) ♂, dorsal view of head and prothorax [coll. OC]; K. H. peruanus gen. n. sp. n. ♀ HT, lateral view of right hind leg [MNHN]. Arrow in A and B points out the glossy posteromedian swelling of the metanotum).

FIGURE 28. Hirtuleiodes gen. n.: A. H. peruanus gen. n. sp. n. ♀ HT, habitus dorsal view [MNHN]; B. H. peruanus gen. n. sp. n. ♀ HT, habitus lateral view [MNHN]; C. H. peruanus gen. n. sp. n. ♀ HT, lateral view of terninalia [MNHN]; D. H. peruanus gen. n. sp. n. ♀ HT, dorsal view of terninalia [MNHN]; E. H. peruanus gen. n. sp. n. ♀ HT, ventral view of terninalia [MNHN]; F. H. gibbosus (Chopard, 1911) ♀ HT, lateral view of terninalia [MNHN]; G. H. gibbosus (Chopard, 1911) ♀ HT, dorsal view of terninalia [MNHN]; H. H. gibbosus (Chopard, 1911) ♀ HT, ventral view of terninalia [MNHN]; J. H. gibbosus (Chopard, 1911) ♂, lateral view of terninalia [coll. ASPER]; K. H. gibbosus (Chopard, 1911) ♂, dorsal view of terninalia [coll. ASPER]; L. H. gibbosus (Chopard, 1911) ♂, ventral view of terninalia [coll. ASPER].

FIGURE 83. Mesosternum: A. Cladomorpus rubus (Saussure, 1861) ♀ PLT [MHNG]; B. Cladomorphus phyllinus Gray, 1835 ♀ St. Catharina, Brazil [coll. FH]; C. Cladomorphus phyllinus Gray, 1835 ♂ St. Catharina, Brazil [ZMUH]; D. Hirtuleius laeviceps Stål, 1875 ♀ LT [NHRS]; E. Hirtuleius caudatus Chopard, 1911 ♂ Montagne de Chevaux, Commune de Roura, French Guiana [coll. OC]; F. Hirtuleiodes peruanus gen. n., sp. n., ♀ HT [MNHN]; G. Hirtuleiodes gibbosus (Chopard, 1911) ♂ Montagne de Chevaux, Commune de Roura, French Guiana [coll. FH]; H. Xylodus ceratocephalus (Gray, 1835) ♀ HT [MHNG]; J. Xylodus adumbratus Saussure, 1859 ♂ Espirito Santo, Brazil[ZMUH]; K. Otocraniella flagelloantennata Zompro, 2004 ♂ HT [MZUSP]. Not in scale.