Hemisosibia yintiaolingensis Qian & Xie, 2023

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 : 30-34

Hemisosibia yintiaolingensis Qian & Xie sp. nov. ( Figures 19–22 )

Material examined. Holotype female, China, Chongqing, Wuxi County, Yintiaoling National Nature Reserve, Matang Village , 1,400 m, 13 Aug. 2022, Leg. Chong-Xin Xie . Paratype. 1 male and 10 eggs, same data as holotype .

Description. Female. Pterygote. The general coloration of the body is grayish brown. Head. Rounded, longer than pronotum, with irregular maculation, vertex and occiput rather convex. Antennae filiform, much longer than forelegs. Compound eyes, rounded and prominent, with one ocellus between compound eyes. Thorax. Unarmed, with irregular maculation. Pronotum rectangular, longer than broad, with transverse and longitudinal sulci crossing the middle area. Mesonotum gradually broad posterior, about 4 times as long as pronotum, longitudinal carina distinct, each side with 5–6 black granules. Tegmina squamiform, the middle area with a black band. Alae extending to the posterior of the 4 th abdominal tergum. Abdomen. Cylindrical, unarmed, with some irregular maculation. Terga 2–6 slightly thick, tergum 7 to anal segment gradually narrowed and shorter in dorsal view. Sternum 7 with a short mediolongitudinal carina and apical dichotomous in posterior. Tergum 8 as long as tergum 9 and anal segment combined in lateral view. Tergum 9 slightly shorter than anal segment. Anal segment, median carina distinct, posterior margin rounded and median notched. Subgenital plate scaphoid, reaching 2/3 of the anal segment. Cerci basiconic shaped, straight and surpassing the tip of the abdomen. Legs. Slender and long, unarmed, bluish green, with some black strips, all femora about as long as corresponding tibiae, profemora broad and distinctly curved basally.

Male. Pterygote, smaller than female. The general coloration of the body is grayish brown. Head. Rounded, slightly longer than pronotum, vertex and occiput rather convex, a black band behind eyes and some faint banding and maculation. Antennae filiform, much longer than forelegs. Compound eyes rounded and prominent, 3 ocelli between compound eyes. Thorax. Unarmed. Pronotum rectangular, longer than broad, with transverse and longitudinal sulci crossing the middle area, anterior of transverse sulci with a T-shaped black band, posterior with an inverted V-shaped black band. Mesonotum with irregular maculation, the finest at 3/4 and gradually broader posterior, about 4.5 times as long as pronotum, longitudinal carina distinct. Tegmina squamiform, the middle area with a black band. Alae extending to the anterior of the 6 th abdominal tergum. Abdomen. Cylindrical, unarmed, with some irregular maculation. Terga 2–9 mediolongitudinal carina distinct. Tergum 7 to anal segment shorter than other abdomen segments. Tergum 8 as long as tergum 9. Anal segment about 4/5 length of tergum 9, median carina distinct, with a small triangular notch in the middle of the posterior margin. Poculum spoon-shaped, rounded posteriorly in ventral view, reaching to the posterior margin of tergum 9. Cerci cylindrical, with a tapering apical. Legs. Slender and unarmed. Profemora distinctly curved basally. Pro- and mesofemora nearly as long as corresponding tibiae, metafemora shorter than corresponding metatibiae.

Eggs. Capsule elliptical, black and smooth. Micropylar plate long, band-shaped. Anterior and posterior apex rounded, median slightly broader. Micropylar cup distinct, followed by a short median line. Collar distinct. Operculum oval, slightly raised, central with a protruding capitulum.

Measurements. Female. Body length 82.8; head length 4.6; pronotum length 3.3; mesonotum 13.6; metanotum and median segment 11.6; profemora 10.5; mesofemora 10.3; metafemora 14.2; protibiae 13.2; mesotibiae 8.7; metatibiae 14.8. Male. Body length 56.5; head length 2.7; pronotum length 2.4; mesonotum 9.4; metanotum and median segment 7.5; profemora 14.8; mesofemora 9.5; metafemora 15.1; protibiae 15.3; mesotibiae 10.0; metatibiae 15.6. Egg. Length 3.7–4.0, width 2.3–2.5, height 2.8–3.0.

Etymology. The specific name is derived from the type locality, Yintiaoling Nature Reserve.

Distribution. China (Chongqing).

Diagnosis. This new species belongs to Hemisosibia that by the following characteristics: with ocellus; profemora broad, shorter than mesonotum, distinctly curved basally; pterygote, tegmina squamiform, alae development; posterior margin of anal segment notched; subgenital plate with carina.

The new species is similar to Hemisosibia incerta Redtenbacher, 1908 , but female of the new species has rounded posterior margin; male tergum 8 as long as tergum 9, anal segment about 4/5 length of tergum 9; egg elliptical and smooth, micropylar plate long and band-shaped. While H. incerta female has truncatus posterior margin ( Seow-Choen, 2019); male tergum 8 shorter than tergum 9, anal segment about 1/2 length of segment 9 (SeowChoen, 2017); each side of egg has deep, narrow longitudinal groove, micropylar plate small, oval and recessed ( Bragg, 2001). And, the new species is also similar to H. thoracica Chen & He, 2008 from Hainan of China, but distinguished by female with a single ocellus, alae extending to the posterior of the 4 th abdominal tergum, while H. thoracica female with 3 ocelli, alae extending to the middle of the 5 th abdominal segment ( Chen & He, 2008).

Figures

FIGURE 19 Hemisosibia yintiaolingensis sp. nov., holotype, 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 20 Hemisosibia yintiaolingensis sp. nov., paratype, 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 21 Hemisosibia yintiaolingensis sp. nov., paratype egg, A–D. A. dorsal view; B. lateral view; C. top view; D. polar view.

FIGURE 22 Hemisosibia yintiaolingensis sp. nov. in the wild. A. female; B. mating in the wild.