Baculonistria alba ( Chen & He, 1990 )

Qian, Yu-Han, Xie, Chong-Xin, Wen, Jun & Wang, Yu, 2023, Review of stick insects (Insecta: Phasmatodea) from Yintiaoling Nature Reserve of China, with description of two new species, Zootaxa 5257 (1), pp. 17-39 : 26-27

Baculonistria alba ( Chen & He, 1990) ( Figures 12–15 )

- Chen S.C. & He Y.H., 1990. Journal of Beijing Forestry University. 12(4): 54 .

- Chen S.C. & He Y.H., 1997. Insects of the Three Gorge Reservoir area of Yangtze River. 114.

- Hennemann, Conle & Zhang W., 2008. Zootaxa. 1735: 8.

- Chen S.C. & He Y.H., 2008. Phasmatodea of China. 347.

- Hennemann & Conle, 2008. Zootaxa. 1906:87.

Material examined. 1 female and 10 eggs, China, Chongqing, Wuxi County, Yintiaoling National Nature Reserve, Hongqi management station, 994 m, 15–16 Aug. 2022, Leg. Chong-Xin Xie ; 1 male, Yintiaoling Nature Reserve, Matang Village , 1,400 m, 13 Aug. 2022, Leg. Chong-Xin Xie ; 1 female, Yintiaoling Nature Reserve, Linkouzi management station, 1,270 m, 14 Aug. 2022, Leg. Chong-Xin Xie ; 1 male, Yintiaoling Nature Reserve, Yanping management station, 1,784 m, 19 Aug. 2022, Leg. Chong-Xin Xie .

Description. Eggs. Capsule long elliptic, grayish brown, with irregular dark brown mottling. Micropylar plate obcordate shaped, central area brown and with a small bump, outside with slightly convex wide carina. Micropylar cup dark brown and distinct, followed by a weakly thin median line. Collar brown and distinct. Operculum almost circular, central with a capitulum. Capitulum nearly hexagonal, jutted out in the center of operculum. Capitular stalk weak, covered by capitulum. Polar apex slightly concave, with two off-white bumps.

Measurements. Female. Body length 165.0–176.0; head length 7.5–8.2; pronotum length 5.1–6.2; mesonotum 26.9–31.2; metanotum 23.0–26.2; median segment 3.2–4.2; profemora 40.5–44.3; mesofemora 24.4–25.1; metafemora 28.1–29.8; protibiae 45.1–53.2; mesotibiae 26.0–27.2; metatibiae 31.0–32.3. Male. Body length 128.0–132.0; head length 4.5–5.1; pronotum length 4.3–4.6; mesonotum 25.1–27.1; metanotum 21.4–22.3; median segment 2.9–3.2; profemora 39.1–40.2; mesofemora 23.9–24.6; metafemora 27.9–28.8; protibiae 50.2–53.2; mesotibiae 27.5–28.2; metatibiae 37.1–38.6. Egg. Length 3.4–3.6, width 2.0–2.2, height 2.2–2.5.

Distribution. China (Chongqing, Hubei).

Remarks. Baculonistria alba was recorded as a pest by Chen & He (2008). This species can wreak havoc on forests and crops, such as tung-oil tree, oriental white oak, and corn.

Figures

FIGURE 12 Baculonistria alba, female, A–H. A. habitus, dorsal view; B. habitus, ventral view; C. habitus, lateral view; D. head, dorsal view; E. head, lateral view; F. terminalia, dorsal view; G. terminalia, lateral view; H. terminalia, ventral view.

FIGURE 13 Baculonistria alba, male, A–H. A. habitus, dorsal view; B. habitus, ventral view; C. habitus, lateral view; D. head, dorsal view; E. head, lateral view; F. terminalia, dorsal view; G. terminalia, lateral view; H. terminalia, ventral view.

FIGURE 14 Baculonistria alba, egg, A–D. A. dorsal view; B. lateral view; C. top view; D. polar view.

FIGURE 15 Baculonistria alba in the wild. A. mating in the wild; B. female.