Diapherodes laevicollis (Redtenbacher, 1908)

Frank H. Hennemann, Oskar V. Conle & Daniel E. Perez-Gelabert, 2016, Studies on Neotropical Phasmatodea XVI: Revision of Haplopodini Günther, 1953 (rev. stat.), with notes on the subfamily Cladomorphinae Bradley & Galil, 1977 and the descriptions of a new tribe, four new genera and nine new species (Phasmatodea: “ Anareolatae ”: Phasmatidae: Cladomorphinae), Zootaxa 4128 (1), pp. 1-211 : 102-105

Diapherodes laevicollis (Redtenbacher, 1908)

( Figs. 183–189 , 372 )

Diapherodes laevicollis Redtenbacher, 1908: 434 . HT, ♀: Coll. Br. v. W., Jamaica, Staudinger; det. Br. v. W. Diapherodes laevicollis ; 18.887 [NHMW, No. 839].

Moxey, 1972: 106 (in litt.).

Brock, 1998a: 38.

Otte & Brock, 2005: 121.

Aplopus (?) laevicollis, Rehn & Hebard, 1938: 52 .

Further material [1 ♂]:

JAMAICA:

1 ♂: Jamaica: Saint Andrew, Parrish, Hard war Gap, 26–27-VII-1985, C.B. & H.V. Weems, G.B. Edwards [ FSCA].

Diagnosis: Differing from the other two species in the jamaicensis species-group by the strongly laterally expanded abdominal tergum VII ( Fig. 186 ) and strongly swollen, transverse abdominal segments II–IV of ♀♀, as well as the black scapus and pedicellus of ♂♂. It is closely related to D. jamaicensis (Drury, 1773) but in addition to these characteristic features distinguished by: the broader body (♀♀ in particular); more robust legs and longer alae of both sexes; more blunt cephalad humps of ♀♀ as well as the broader abdominal tergum VIII ( Fig. 188 ) and much longer terminal hook of the vomer of ♂♂ ( Fig. 372 ).

Description: ♀ ( Figs. 183–184 ). Medium-sized (body length including subgenital plate 84.0–110.0 mm) and very massive member of the jamaicensis species-group with a distinctly widened mesothorax and abdominal segment VII; tegmina (7.0–10.0 mm) and alae (7.0–11.0 mm) rather well developed. Colour bright apple green, the meso- and metapleurae ochre with a white longitudinal stripe along lower margin. Meso- and metasternum dull green with a brownish wash, ventral surface of abdomen mostly whitish. Tegmina and costal region of alae bright green with the anterior margin broadly brown and interiorly bordered by a rather narrow, weakly defined yellow stripe. Anal region of alae plain pink. Antennae ochre dorsally and black ventrally. Eyes pale ochre. Tips of the anterior mesonotal spines dark brown.

Head: Indistinctly longer than wide, strongly globose, the cheeks ± parallel-sided. Vertex convex and covered with several differently sized tubercles; in centre with two prominent, conical humps, the dextral carinate and the sinistral one considerably smaller. Posterior of head with a transverse row of four distinct tubercles. Eyes of moderate size, sub-circular and their length contained just a little more than 2x in that of cheeks. Antennae broken in the holotype.

Thorax: Pronotum about as long but narrower than head, 1.5x longer than wide and gently narrowing towards the posterior. Transverse median depression distinct, curved and almost reaching lateral margins of segment. Surface unarmed except for a pair of very low tubercles in anterior portion and a pair of short spines just before posterior margin. Mesothorax about 1.5x longer than head and pronotum combined, constricted anteriorly and strongly gradually widened towards the posterior. Mesonotum with a very faint longitudinal median carina and widened towards the posterior with posterior margin almost 3x wider than anterior margin ( Fig. 184 ); surface sparsely granulose, with a distinct anterior pair of spines and a longitudinal row of small tubercles along lateral margins. Mesopleurae with a marginal row of 10–15 spiniform tubercles or short spines; metapleurae merely with a few granules. Pro-, meso- and metasternum smooth. Tegmina broadly ovate, indistinctly longer than wide, reaching about 1/3 the way along median segment and with the central protuberance very shallow. Alae slightly longer than tegmina and reaching to posterior margin of median segment.

Abdomen: Median segment longer than metanotum, about 1.3x longer than wide and very gently widening towards the posterior; smooth. Abdomen strongly swollen sub-basally with segment II widening towards the posterior, III widest, IV–V gradually narrowing and VI almost parallel-sided. II–V wider than long, II trapezoidal and longer than III–V; these equal in length with III 2x wider than long. VI hardly wider than VIII–X and about 1.4x wider than long. Tergum VII greatly laterally deflexed with the lateral margins rounded and almost 2x wider than VI ( Fig. 186 ). Tergites II–IV with two irregular converging carinae, V–VII with four roughly parallel, longitudinal carinae which are most decided on VII ( Fig. 186 ). Sternites II–VII smooth except for a fine carina along lateral margins. Praeopercular organ formed by an elongate brown tubercle close to posterior margin of sternum VII. Tergites VIII–X narrowest segments and roughly of uniform width. VIII about ¾ the length of VII and very slightly constricted medially, about 1.3x longer than wide; IX quadrate. Anal segment a little longer than IX, with a slight longitudinal median carina and flattened towards the posterior; posterior margin rounded and entire ( Fig. 186 ). Epiproct small and semi-circular with a keel dorsally ( Fig. 186 ). Cerci very small, round in crosssection and tapered towards a pointed apex. Subgenital plate elongate, lanceolate, keeled longitudinally and projecting over apex of abdomen by more than the length of anal segment ( Figs. 186–187 ).

Legs: Profemora and mesofemora shorter than mesothorax, metatafemora reaching to posterior margin of abdominal segment IV. Medioventral carina of profemora with three small spines, of meso- and metafemora with five rather strong and back-curving spines. Posteroventral carina of meso- and metafemora with one, the anteroventral carina with two sub-apical spines. Tips of all femoral spines black. Dorsal carinae of meso- and metafemora each with a low triangular sub-apical elevation. Anterodorsal carina of protibiae slightly lamellate and undulate, in meso- and metatibiae with a shallow rounded elevation sub-basally. Basitarsi about as long as following two tarsomeres combined. Dorsal carina of probasitarsus very gently rounded.

♂ ( Fig. 185 ). Fairly small (body length 69.0 mm) and robust for the jamaicensis species-group, body surface sub-glabrous, with very long alae (42.0 mm) that reach as far back as the posterior margin of abdominal tergum VIII. General colouration bright green, the dorsal surface of the anal segment and lateral margins of the pronotum yellow. Head yellow with a broad green postocular streak. Anterior margin of tegmina and the basal portion of the same region of the alae white, otherwise pale green with the veins mid green. Anal region of alae pale translucent pink. Eyes mid brown. Antennae ochraceous and becoming slightly darker towards the apex, scapus and pedicellus black. Anterior spines of the mesonotum black, cerci and tarsi pale creamish brown.

Head: Globose, hardly wider than long, otherwise generally as in ♀♀ but cephalad tubercles less distinct. Eyes prominent and projecting hemispherically, their length contained hardly 1.5x in that of cheeks. Antennae projecting over posterior margin of abdominal segment II and moderately robust; with about 53 antennomeres. Scapus oval in cross-section, about 1.2x longer than wide and with the lateral margins rounded. Pedicellus cylindrical and about 2/ 3 the length of scapus, III shorter than pedicellus.

Thorax: Pronotum about equal in length but slightly narrower than head, roundly rectangular and about 1.6x longer than wide; median transverse depression distinct, very gently curved and almost reaching lateral margin of segment. Surface smooth except for a very few minute granules; a slightly more distinct pair of granules before transverse median depression and another near posterior margin. Mesothorax 1.8x longer than head and pronotum combined. Mesonotum in front with a pair of distinct, forward-pointing spines and behind with two longitudinal rows of four spiniform tubercles which decrease in size towards the posterior; a row of small granules is present along lateral margins. Mesopleurae with a marginal row of about 10 small tubercles; metapleurae with a few small granules. Mesosternum with a few scattered granules in anterior portion, metasternum smooth. Tegmina oval and with a longitudinal central protuberance and reaching more than half way along median segment. Alae ± reaching to posterior margin of abdominal tergum VIII ( Fig. 185 ).

Abdomen: Segments II–VII roughly of uniform width and slightly decreasing in length, all rectangular; II 2.5x and VII only about 2.2x longer than wide. Sternites II–VII smooth. Tergum VIII about ¾ the length of VII and with the lateral margins distinctly expanded and rounded ( Fig. 188 ). IX a little shorter than VIII and very slightly narrowing towards the posterior. Anal segment about as long as IX, roughly parallel-sided, the posterior margin bilobate with a distinct median emargination ( Fig. 188 ). Vomer with the basal portion fairly small and the terminal hook very long, slender, slightly up-curving and distinctly longer than basal portion ( Fig. 372 ). Cerci almost as long as anal segment, slender, cylindrical and gently in-curving with the apex blunt. Poculum moderately convex, cymbiform and longitudinally carinate; roughly reaching to posterior margin of tergum IX ( Fig. 189 ).

Legs: Shape and armature generally as in ♀♀, but dorsal carinae of meso- and metafemora entirely smooth and tibiae not elevated sub-basally.

Comments: Redtenbacher (1908: 434) described Diapherodes laevicollis based on a unique ♀ in NHMW. The fact that only four specimens have been recorded so far suggests this distinctive species is apparently rare and considerably less abundant than the sympatric D. jamaicensis (Drury, 1773) . Based on the record of a museum specimen, Moxey (1972: 10) stated H. laevicollis to be found on the endemic Eugenia alpina (Myrtaceae) which might thus be a natural food-plant in Jamaica. Moxey (1972: 106, in litt.) recorded body lengths of 84.0–110.0 mm based on two ♀♀ in NHMJ. Eggs unknown.

Distribution: Jamaica: Portland, Summit of Blue Mountain Peak [NHMJ; Moxey, 1972: 106, in litt.] & Saint Andrew [FSCA]). Endemic.

Number of specimens examined: 2

Figures

FIGURES 183 – 189. Diapherodes laevicollis (Redtenbacher, 1908). 183. ♀ HT: Jamaica (dorsolateral view) [NHMW, No. 839]; 184. ♀ HT: Jamaica (dorsal view) [NHMW, No. 839]; 185. ♂: Jamaica, Saint Andrew, Parrish [FSCA]; 186. ♀ HT: Apex of abdomen (dorsal view—apex of subgenital plate reconstructed based on ♀ in NHMJ) [NHMW, No. 839]; 187. ♀ HT: Apex of abdomen (lateral view—apex of subgenital plate reconstructed based on ♀ in NHMJ) [NHMW, No. 839]; 188. ♂ apex of abdomen (dorsal view) [FSCA]; 189. ♂ apex of abdomen (dorsal view) [FSCA].

FIGURES 365 – 372. Ventral view of anal segment of ♂♂ showing the vomer. 365. Diapherodes angulata (Fabricius, 1793) ♂: Guadeloupe [MNHN]; 366. Diapherodes dominicae Rehn & Hebard, 1938 V: Guadeloupe, Picard River track [coll. ASPER]; 367. Diapherodes gigantea saintluciae n. ssp. ♂ PT: Saint Lucia, Barre de l’Isle Trail [coll. ASPER]; 368. Diapherodes gigantea gigantea (Gmélin, 1789) ♂: captive reared from Grenada [coll. FH, No. 0359 - 34]; 369. Diapherodes martinicensis Lelong & Langlois, 2005 ♂: captive reared from Martinique [coll. FH, No. 0750 - 5]; 370. Diapherodes achalus (Rehn, 1904) ♂: Puerto Rico, Parador, Casa Grande [FSCA]; 371. Diapherodes jamaicensis (Drury, 1773) ♂: Jamaica, Portland [FSCA]; 372. Diapherodes laevicollis Redtenbacher, 1908, ♂: Jamaica, Saint Andrew [FSCA].