Parastheneboea simianshanensis, 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 : 46-48

Parastheneboea simianshanensis n. sp.

( Figs. 7–9 )

HT, ♂: China, Chongqing, Jiangjin District, Mt. Simianshan 935 m, 19.VIII.2006, leg. Zhang Weiwei (INCA).

Etymology. Named after the type-locality, Mount Simianshan, in the Jiangjin district of Chongqing municipality.

Differentiation. Related to P. foliculata n. sp. from Yunnan Province and P. y e h i Brock, 1999 from Peninsular Malaysia. The ɗɗof the first species are not known but there are considerable differences concerning to the number and position of the spines of the head and body; they are more numerous and also present on abdominal tergites VI–IX in P. simianshanensis n. sp.. From P. yehi Brock it differs by: the larger size; more elongate mesothorax; only six spines on the vertex (at least 10 in yehi ); four instead of only posterior spines of the abdominal tergites; shorter, in-curving cerci and considerably less distinct teeth of the femora.

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

ɗ. Rather small (body length 44.0 mm) and moderately slender for the genus with the median portion of the mesothorax considerably swollen. General colouration of head, body and legs dull green, all over furnished with numerous irregular brown to blackish markings and speckles. Pronotum greenish straw laterally with the median portion broadly black. A faint straw longitudinal median lines runs from the median portion of the mesonotum towards the apex of the abdomen. The base of the posterior cluster of spines on the mesonotum is marked by a bold blackish spot and the median line of the metanotum and median segment is laterally accompanied by a bold blackish brown stripe. All sternites more less plain mid brown. Posterolateral angles of anal segment and cerci black. Three basal antennomeres pale brown, all following with the basal half pale yellowish. Teeth on the ventral carinae of the femora each marked by a greenish straw spot.

Head: Slightly longer than wide, globose with the vertex moderately swollen and convex. Vertex armed with four prominent paired occipital spines roughly arranged in a quadrangle. Two prominent supra-orbital spines present in front of the four coronals, directed laterally. Between the bases of the antennae with a minute pair of supra-antennal spines. Cheeks smooth except for a single minute tubercle. Eyes of moderate size, circular and projecting hemispherically; length contained about 2x in that of cheek. Antennae long and filiform, about as long as the body (45.0 mm). Scapus elliptical in cross-section, the lateral margis slightly carinate, parallel-sided and about 1.5x longer than wide. Pedicellus cylindrical, 2/3 the length of scapus and conspicuously club-like with the base constricted. III very elongate, much more slender than pedicellus and longer than scapus and pedicellus combined. IV less than half the length of III, following first gradually increasing, then decreasing in length towards apex of antennae.

Thorax: Pronotum of similar dimension like head, rectangular and about 1.3x longer than wide. Lateral margins in anterior half with a shallow concave excavation. Transverse median depression distinct, almost straight and reaching to lateral margins of segment. Anterior margin armed with two prominent, elongate spines. Posterior half behind the transverse depression set with a prominent pair of median spines, close to posterior margin with a small pair of inter-posterior spines and a slightly more decided postero-lateral spine at each angle. Mesothorax almost 3x longer than pronotum constricted in anterior 1/3, then gradually widened towards the posterior margin. Mesonotum strongly swollen and convex in the medial portion which is armed with six prominent spines in the centre; the anterior two not paired, the posterior pair largest and the outer pair directed laterad. Lateral surfaces of the swelling each armed with two further, prominent spines. Just in front of the swelling with a distinct pair of long and pointed pre-median mesonotals. Posterior portion of mesonotum with a prominent pair of post-median mesonotal spines and a minute pair of inter-posterior mesonotal spines, the latter positioned close to posterior margin. Lateral margins in posterior half armed with three distinct and elongate spines, the anterior half set with a few small tubercles. Metanotum roughly rectangular and about 12.4x longer than wide, its length contained about 3x in that of mesonotum. In the centre armed with four prominent spines on a common base, lateral margins each with a single but prominent median spines, and the posterior margin with four small tubercles interiorly and a small spine in each outer angle. Mesopleurae with a few small tubercles and two rather distinct meso-pleural spines. Metapleurae with two supra-coxal spines on a common base, the posterior one considerably smaller. Prosternum with a short longitudinal carina close to lateral margins, set with two small, blunt tubercles. Meso- and metasternum set with a very few small tubercles; the mesosternum with a pair of conspicuous rough, wart-like structures just in front of the coxae (these may represent sensory-areas or alike).

Abdomen: Median segment slightly shorter than metanotum, roughly rectangular and about 1.3x longer than wide; dorsally armed with median pair of distinct, pointed spines. Segments II–X together about as long as head and complete thorax combined; narrower than metathorax. II–IV parallel-sided, V–VII very gently tapering, 1.2–1.3x longer than wide. II–IV slightly decreasing in length, V and VI equal in length, VII shorter than previous. Tergites II–VII with the posterolateral angles deflexed to form an acute triangular tooth, which may extend by as much as 1/3 of the body width (indistinct on II). Posterior portion of II–VII dorso-medially armed with four prominent spines; the two anterior ones decidedly larger, the posterior ones in a wider distance to each other, placed very close to posterior margin and conspicuously directed posteriad. These spines gradually decrease in size from II–VII, the posterior pair being only represented as pointed tubercles on VII. Sternites II–VII smooth except for a median pair of tubercles near posterior margin. Tergites VIII and IX both with the lateral margins increasingly deflexed towards the posterior and terminating in a rounded triangular lobe, which is much less acute than the posterolateral lobes seen on II–VII. Both with a conspicuous longitudinal median carina and set with four small spines along the posterior margin, the median pair being rather more decided than the outer pair. VIII about ¾ the length of VII and widened towards the posterior, IX slightly longer than VIII and roughly rectangular (lateral expansions excluded). Anal segment 1.4x longer than IX, somewhat more slender, slightly tectiform and with a well decided median keel. Posterior margin with a broad triangular median excavation, the outer angles roundly deflexed and swollen ( Fig. 9 ); ventral surfaces armed with several minute, in-curving black teeth. Vomer well developed and sclerotised, rather broad, strongly flattened, rounded triangular in ventral aspect and terminating in a single, straight hook of moderate length. Cerci of moderate size and a banana-like appearance, being distinctly up-curved and bearing a conspicuous longitudinal keel ventrally; hidden underneath anal segment. Poculum bulgy, cup-like with the posterior margin gently flattened, deflexed and indented medially. Posterior portion covered with several tubercles and granules, in basal half with a conspicuous transverse carina ( Fig. 8 ).

Legs: All very long and moderately sender, profemora about as long as combined length of pro- and mesonotum, mesofemora projecting over posterior margin of abdominal segment III, metafemora reaching to tergite VIII and the metatibiae greatly projecting over apex of abdomen. All femora and tibiae trapezoidal in cross-section, the medioventral carina of the femora well decided and in the two posterior pairs set with a few small granules. Profemora slightly compressed interobasally. Posteroventral carina of profemora and both outer ventral carinae of meso- and metafemora each armed with four flat triangular teeth which strongly decrease towards the base of the femur. Dorsal carinae of all femora and complete tibiae unarmed. Tarsi slen- der and moderately elongate, about 1/3 the length of corresponding tibia. Basitarsus slightly longer than following three tarsomeres combined.

Measurements in table 1.

Comments. So far only known from the HT. ΨΨand eggs unknown.

Figures

FIGURES 7 – 9. Parastheneboea simianshanensis n. sp. (♂ HT). 7. Habitus. 8. Apex of abdomen, lateral view. 9. Apex of abdomen, dorsal view.