Malacomorpha macaya, Conle & Hennemann & Perez-Gelabert, 2008

Conle, Oskar V., Hennemann, Frank H. & Perez-Gelabert, Daniel E., 2008, Studies on neotropical Phasmatodea II: Revision of the genus Malacomorpha Rehn, 1906, with the descriptions of seven new species (Phasmatodea: Pseudophasmatidae: Pseudophasmatinae), Zootaxa 1748 (1), pp. 1-64 : 33-35

Malacomorpha macaya n. sp.

( Figs. 39–43 , 87 )

HT, ♂: Haiti, Camino a Pic le Ciele, 1484m, 60°32'89''mE, 20°28'515'mN, 7.II.2006, Bajo piedra y tronco podrido, leg. R. Bastardo ( ZSMC) .

PT, 3 ♂♂, 5 ♀♀, 2 nymphs: Haiti, Camino a Pic le Ciele, 1484m, 60°32'89''mE, 20°28'515'mN, 7.II.2006, Bajo piedra y tronco podrido,leg. R. Bastardo ( USNM) .

PT, 2 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀: Haiti, Camino a Pic le Ciele, 1484m, 60°32'89''mE, 20°28'515'mN, 7.II.2006, Bajo piedra y tronco podrido,leg. R. Bastardo (OC) .

Distribution: Hispaniola, Haiti (Pic Le Ciele). Known only from the type-locality.

Etymology: Named after the type-locality Parc National Pic Macaya.

Differentiation: Easily recognized and distinguished from all other known species in the genus by the plain yellow tibiae which only have the base and apex brown. Otherwise similar to M. minima n. sp. from Hispaniola and M. sanchezi n. sp. from Puerto Rico.

Description: ºº ( Figs. 39 & 87 ): Small (body length 37.0–41.0mm), typical for the genus with a rather bulgy abdomen. Legs slender and relatively long in comparison to the body, distinctly carinated; all carinae and tarsi covered with minute setae. Antennae slender but short, reaching abdominal tergite IV. Body surface smooth and shiny, except mesonotum bearing several tubercles roughly arranged in four longitudinal rows. Ventral surface of thorax and abdomen smooth and shiny. Basic colouration of body pale brown to greyish with a prominent, black longitudinal dorsomedian line running along the complete dorsal surface of the head and body. Ventral side of thorax bearing a yellow longitudinal dorsomedian line running along the prosternum to the metasternum. Praeopercular organ of sternite VII black. Head coloured as the body, but showing some further longitudinal cream and dark lines as well as a dark postocular line. Basal quarter of antennae black, remaining parts yellowish. Eyes brown to greyish with yellow marbling. Mandibles, maxillas, clypeus and labrum yellowish to reddish. Femorae and tarsi dark brown, indistinctly overlaid with a few paler spots and patches. Tibiae black in the first eight at the base, then pale yellowish for the next six eights and black again in the last eight at the apical end.

Head: Large, hardly longer than wide, oval in cross-section and slightly flattened dorsally, smooth. Minute rudiments of ocelli present. Eyes small, roughly circular, projecting hemispherical, their length contained 2x in that of cheek. Antennae slender and short, reaching to abdominal tergite IV. Scapus 1.3x longer than wide, compressed dorsoventrally, roughly rectangular and slightly carinated. Pedicellus 1.2x longer than wide, distinctly narrower and about 0.7x as long as scapus, but wider than following antennomeres. Third antennomere as long as scapus, IV distinctly shorter. Remaining antennomeres increasing in length towards apices of antennae.

Thorax: Oval in cross-section. Pronotum shorter and more slender than the head, 1.2x longer than wide, parallel-sided. Anterolateral angles with a conspicuous, rounded excavation for the defensive glands. Transverse median depression distinct and displaced to anterior third of segment. Mesonotum wider and 1.8–1.9x longer than pronotum, 1.5–1.6x longer than wide, broadened towards the posterior. Bearing several tubercles roughly arranged in two dorsolateral and two lateral longitudinal rows in the anterior half. Metanotum and median segment as wide as posterior of mesonotum and combined about the same length. Metanotum rectangular, 1.7–2x wider than long, as long as median segment. Transverse fissure between metanotum and median segment distinct and almost straight. Pro-, meso- and metasternum and pro-, meso- and metaepisternum simple and smooth.

Abdomen: 1.4x longer than head and complete thorax combined, bulgy and gradually tapered towards the apex. Median segment as long as metanotum, about 1.7–2x wider than long, rectangular and slightly longer than the following segments. Tergites II–IV widest, V–VII longest, X narrowest and shortest. II–X transverse, increasing in length towards tergite VII, II–V 4x, VI–VII 2.5–3x, VIII–IX 2x, anal segment 1.2x wider than long. Anal segment tapered towards apex, narrower than IX, with a distinct longitudinal median carina. Lateral margins with a faint concave excavation near the bases of the cerci. Supraanal plate very small with angulate apex not visible. Sternites II–VII simple and smooth. VII bearing a small apically rounded praeopercular organ. Subgenital plate relatively small and spoon-shaped, not reaching to posterior margin of tergite X, smooth except for minute setae, apex pointed. Cerci small, straight, cylindrical, gradually constricted towards the apex, slightly broadened at the base and finely bristled.

Legs: Rather slender and long, distinctly carinated, unarmed and with all carinae minutely bristled. Profemora slightly longer than mesothorax, metafemora reaching to posterior margin of abdominal tergite V, and hind legs considerably projecting over apex of abdomen. Profemora rather indistinctly compressed and curved basally. Basitarsus 2x longer than second tarsomere.

ďď ( Figs. 40 & 87 ): Similar to ♀♀, but smaller and much more slender (body length 24.1–27.0 mm), abdominal segments II–VII parallel-sided. General body surface and coloration as in ♀♀.

Head: Generally as in ♀♀ but antennae reaching over abdominal tergite V.

Thorax: As in ♀♀, but mesonotum 1.8x longer than wide and metanotum 1.2x wider than long.

Abdomen: Sub-cylindrical in cross section, about 1.5x longer than head and thorax combined. Surface and granulation as in ♀♀. Median segment 1.2 x wider than long. Tergites II–VII parallel-sided, VIII and IX broadening towards the posterior and broader than previous. II–IX transverse to rectangular, II–III 1.5x wider than long, IV–VII rectangular, VIII–IX 1.5–1.8x wider than long. Anal segment broader than previous tergites, about 2x wider than long. Posterior margin rounded, laterally constricted. Sternites II–VII simple and smooth. Cerci as in ♀♀.

Poculum small and rather flat, slightly spoon-like and hardly projecting the posterior margin of tergite IX, posterior margin rounded with a distinct median indentation. Vomer 1.5x longer than wide, hardly constricted towards apex, nearly parallel-sided, tip of apex rounded.

Legs: Generally as in ♀♀.

Comments: Eggs unknown.

Figures

FIGURES 39–43. Malacomorpha macaya n. sp. 39) ♀ PT (OC), 40) ♂ PT (OC), 41) ♂ apex of abdomen in lateral view, 42) ♂ vomer, 43) ♀ apex of abdomen in lateral view.

FIGURE 86–90. 86. Malacomorpha jamaicana (Redtenbacher, 1906) couple; 87. Malacomorpha macaya n. sp. several couples; 88. Malacomorpha multipunctata n. sp. couple; 89. Malacomorpha obscura n. sp. couple; 90. Malacomorpha sanchezi n. sp. couple.