Parastheneboea foliculata, Hennemann, Frank H., Conle, Oskar V., Zhang, Weiwei & Liu, Ye, 2008

Hennemann, Frank H., Conle, Oskar V., Zhang, Weiwei & Liu, Ye, 2008, Descriptions of a new genus and three new species of Phasmatodea from Southwest China (Insecta: Phasmatodea), Zootaxa 1701, pp. 40-62 : 43-46

Parastheneboea foliculata n. sp.

( Figs. 1–6 )

HT, Ψ: SW-China, Yunnan Province, Gongshan County, Dulongjiang Xiang, Village Maku, 1814 m, 30.VIII.2006, leg. Liu Ye (IZCAS, in alcohol).

PT, 7 eggs (laid by HT) [in alcohol]: same data as HT (deposited as follows): 1 egg (IZCAS); 2 eggs (INCA); 2 eggs (coll. FH, No. 0623-E); 2 eggs (coll. LY).

Etymology. The name (lat. foliculus = small leaf) refers to the conspicuous paired foliaceous appendages of the abdominal sternites IV–VII of ΨΨ. Feminine.

Differentiation. Closely related to P. y e h i Brock, 1999 from Peninsular Malaysia with which it shares the conspicuous paired, foliacous lobes of the abdominal sternites. It is however distinguished by: the longer and more slender mesothorax which is about 4x longer than the pronotum (2.75x in yehi ); less spiny thorax; distinctly apically tapered anal segment; shorter subgenital plate which does not extend over the apex of the abdomen and much less distinct lobes of the femora.

Description. The colouration is described from photos of the live HT taken at the type-locality. Provisional conservation in alcohol has discoloured all green parts of the body to dull yellow.

Ψ( Figs. 1 & 2 ). Rather small (body length 55.0 mm) and robust for the genus, with the median portion of the mesothorax and base of the abdomen considerably swollen. General colouration of head, body and legs green. All-over furnished with many irregular pale green, straw or brown markings and speckles, giving the insect a moss or lichen-like appearance. Head with three indistinct and very faint longitudinal brown postocular lines. Between the eyes with a distinct, semi-circular white line, which is anteriorly and posteriorly accompanied by a bold, roughly triangular marking; the posterior ones broader and each with a small pale spot in the centre. Section between the bases of the antennae dark blackish brown. Anterior portion of mesonotum with a fine longitudinal straw median line which widens to a bold longitudinal staw median stripe in posterior portion of that segment and metanotum. This stripe continued and even broader on abdominal tergites II–V, on these segments medially divided by a very fine, longitudinal brown line. A pale oval spot in the anterolateral angles of the mertanotum. Median segment with a distinct and well defined, slender and oval, straw marking at lateral margins, interiorly accompanied by a weakly defined, bold brown patch. Abdominal tergites II–VII laterally with a large roughly semi-circular, bright pale green marking, which is interiorly defined and bordered by a fin a black line. V–VII dorsally with four ± defined blackish spots. Posterolateral expansions of tergites II–VII dark brown. Some of the larger spines of the meso- and metasternum with whitish tips. Legs irregularly annulated and marmorated with brown and pale green. Scapus, pedicellus and basal half of 3rd segment of antennae dark brown, remaining straw basally and gradually becoming mid brown towards the apex.

Head: Slightly longer than wide and globose with the vertex prominently swollen and convex. Between the eyes with a slight semi-circular transverse carina marked by a white line. Vertex armed with ten prominent paired occipital spines; six medial ones and two on each side of these, being directed laterally. Cheeks with a very few small tubercles. Eyes of moderate size, circular and projecting hemispherically; length contained about 2x in that of cheek. Antennae long and filiform, about as long as body and almost reaching to tip of abdomen (53.0 mm). Scapus and pedicellus cylindrical in cross-section, length of pedicellus almost contained 1.5x in that of scapus. III elongate, considerably more slender but slightly longer than pedicellus. IV about half the length of III, following first gradually increasing, then decreasing in length towards apex of antennae.

Thorax: Pronotum somewhat shorter and considerably narrower than the head, anterior margin slightly deflexed, about 1.3x longer than wide. Transverse median depression distinct, very weakly curved and almost reaching lateral margins of segment. Surface set with a pair of rather distinct anterior pronotals just in front and a very small pair of medial tubercles just behind the transverse median depression; a pair of inter-posterior pronotals present close to posterior margin of pronotum, but very indistinct. Mesothorax about 4x longer than pronotum constricted in anterior 1/3, then suddenly widened, very gently constricted and finally weakly widened towards the posterior margin. Mesonotum strongly swollen and convex pre-medially. This portion armed with four paired spines in the centre, the anterior pair very prominent and composite being accompanied by several small spines at their bases, the posterior pair considerably smaller and simple. Laterally of these with a prominent spine and a cluster of three small tubercles. Posterior portion of mesonotum with a very prominent, composite pair of post-median mesonotal spines and a considerably smaller and simple pair of inter-posterior mesonotal spines. Just in front of the swelling with a prominent pair of pointed but simple pre-median mesonotals, these directed cephalad. Lateral surface between these two pairs of these with a single prominent spine. Postero-lateral mesonotals small. Close to lateral margins of mesonotum some spine-like tubercles and a pointed spine roughly in the middle, which are arranged in an irregular longitudinal line. Metanotum roughly quadrate and gently constricted medially, its length contained 4x in that of mesonotum. Set with a small pair of antero-lateral metanotal spines and a more distinct pair of inter-posterior spines. Meso- and metapleurae with a few tubercles and one pointed, supra-coxal spine posteriorly. Meso- and metasternum armed with several paired tubercles and blunt spines, along lateral margins with a longitudinal row of more decided, but short conical spines.

Abdomen: As long as head and complete thorax combined. Median segment roughly equal in length to metanotum, slightly wider than long, anterior margin gently rounded, surface set with a rather distinct pair of posterior spines and a few small paired tubercles in anterior portion. Segments II–IV conspicuously broadened and broader than thorax, III widest; V–VII gently narrowing. II 1.5x longer than median segment, roughly quadrate and longer than remaining segments; III–VI wider than long, VII as wide as long. Tergites II–VII gently constricted medially and with the posterolateral angles considerably elevated to form a distinct rounded triangular lobe. II–IV each with a prominent pair of median posterior spines and a smaller pair of posterolateral spines, anterior portion with a few small tubercles; V–X unarmed. Sternites set with a few tubercles a variable sizes, II and III close to posterior margin armed with a pair of prominent blunt spines. On IV–VII these are increasingly enlarged, laterally compressed and leaf-like. Praeopercular organ formed by such a pair of foliacous lobes on a common basis ( Fig. 4 ). Tergite VIII as long as but narrower than VII, about 1.3x longer than wide and slightly deflexed towards the posterior; dorsally with a distinct longitudinal median carina. IX 2 /3 the length of VIII, wider than long, rectangular and with a distinct median keel. Anal segment indistinctly longer than IX, keeled dorsally and strongly tapered towards a blunt tip; roughly triangular in dorsal aspect. Each posterolateral angle of apex expanded into a small, rounded lobe ( Fig. 3 ). Cerci elongate, club-like with a rounded apex and slightly longer than anal segment, projecting considerably over its apex; bristled. Subgenital plate slightly convex, impressed basally and reaching 2/3 the way along anal segment; apex obtuse with a median notch ( Fig. 4 ) and the outer margins thickened and angled upward. Lateral surfaces with a distinct, ledge-like longitudinal keel.

Legs: All very long and moderately slender, profemora about as long as pronotum and mesonotum combined, mesofemora reaching to posterior margin of abdominal segment III and metafemora reaching half way along segment VII; hind legs prominently projecting over apex of abdomen. All femora and tibiae trapezoidal in cross-section. Profemora curved and compressed basally. Posteroventral carina of profemora and both outer ventral carinae of meso- and metafemora with a few very faint and flat, roughly triangular elevations; dorsal carinae unarmed. Medioventral carina fine and apically armed with 3 minute spines. Tibiae completely unarmed. Tarsi very elongate and more than half the length of corresponding tibia. Basitarsus longer than following three tarsomeres combined; all bristled.

Measurements in table 1.

Eggs ( Figs. 5 & 6 )

The following description is based on eggs that were laid by the HT and thus fully developed.

Medium-sized, capsule oval, almost 2x longer than wide and ventral surface with a large, oval and welldefined flattened area. Operculum inserted with an angle of about +30°. Surface of capsule very minutely granulose and shiny. Operculum circular, slightly convex and with a slight, circular central impression. Micropylar plate weakly defined, elongate, the anterior end almost touching the outer margin of the operculum; length contained almost 2x in total length of capsule. Central portion roundly elevated, anterior end club-like. Micropylar cup small and placed close to posterior end of capsule. No median line.

General colouration pale yellowish with conspicuous brown markings and speckles which form a flowerlike structure to surround the micropylar plate on the dorsal egg surface. Lateral surfaces furnished with more decided and numerous brown speckles, which are towards the dorsal surface well separated by a “3-shaped” brown line. Central portion of micropylar plate brown, lower part of median elevation pale straw; outer margin broadly yellowish. Most portions of operculum brown, except for the circular central impression and a bold trapezoidal marking anteriorly; these pale yellowish.

Measurements [mm]: length 2.75, width 1.75, height 1.60, length of micropylar plate. 1.75.

Comments. So far only known from the type specimens. ɗɗunknown.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 6. Parastheneboea foliculata n. sp. 1. Habitus of ΨHT, lateral view. 2. Habitus of ΨHT, dorsal view. 3. Apex of abdomen, lateral view (ΨHT). 4. Apex of abdomen, ventral view (ΨHT). 5. Egg, dorsal view [scale = 1 mm]. 6. Egg, lateral view [scale = 1 mm].