Paragongylopus (Paragongylopus) sinensis pingbianensis, Ho, George Wai-Chun, 2017

Ho, George Wai-Chun, 2017, Contribution to the knowledge of Oriental Phasmatodea II: A taxonomic study of the genus Paragongylopus (Phasmatodea: Pachymorphinae: Gratidiini), Journal of Orthoptera Research 26 (2), pp. 195-203 : 196

Paragongylopus (Paragongylopus) sinensis pingbianensis subsp. n. Figs 15-16, 18

Type material.-

Holotype ♀, Yuping, Pingbian, Yunnan, China, 8.IX.2016, George Ho Wai-Chun (HKES).

Diagnosis.-

Paragongylopus (Paragongylopus) sinensis pingbianensis subsp. n. is similar to the nominate Paragongylopus (Paragongylopus) sinensis sinensis Chen & He, 1997 s. str., but can be distinguished by erect spine-like horns on vertex of head and comparatively enlarged armature on legs.

Description.-

Female (Figs 15-16, 18): As in nominate race, body cylindrical, slender and elongate, covered with short dense bristles. General color of body and legs brown. Head as in nominate race, but vertex with a pair of erect spine-like horns between compound eyes. Antennae and compound eyes as in nominate race. Thorax as in nominate race. Abdomen as in nominate race, but median segment to seventh tergites with more distinct paired lamella-like elevations on posterior margin, strongly enlarged as a pair of humps on fifth tergum, varied in size on other tergites. Posteromedial area seventh sternum with a small hump-like praeopercular organ as in nominate race. Legs slender and long. Anterodorsal and posterodorsal carinae of femora and tibiae distinctly armed with four to eight serrations of varied sizes. Anteroventral and posteroventral carinae of protibiae and mesotibiae unarmed. Anteroventral and posteroventral carinae of metatibiae waved.

Measurements.-

(mm) Holotype ♀, Body length: 43, head: 3, antennae: 2.5, pronotum: 2.5, mesonotum: 8, metanotum: 6, median segment: 1, profemora: 13, mesofemora: 8, metafemora: 10, protibiae: 13, mesotibiae: 8, metatibiae: 10.

Habitats.-

This species inhabits the low level of evergreen mountainous broadleaf forests.

Distribution.-

China (Yunnan).

Notes.-

The male is unknown. No food plant eaten by the collected specimen was observed.

Etymology.-

This new species is named after the type locality, Pingbian (Yunnan, China).