Baculonistria longicornis ( Bi & Wang, 1998 ) Hennemann & Conle, 2008

Hennemann, Frank H. & Conle, Oskar V., 2008, Revision of Oriental Phasmatodea: The tribe Pharnaciini Günther, 1953, including the description of the world's longest insect, and a survey of the family Phasmatidae Gray, 1835 with keys to the subfamilies and tribes (Phasmatodea: " Anareolatae ": Phasmatidae), Zootaxa 1906, pp. 1-316 : 91-92

Baculonistria longicornis ( Bi & Wang, 1998) comb. nov.

(Fig. 369)

Phobaeticus longicornis Bi & Wang, 1998: 10 , figs. 5 & 6 (♂). HT, ♂: China, Henan Province, Luanchan County, Longyuwan, 10.VII.1996 leg. Liu Zurao, Zhang Weinian & Yin Haisheng (SIES). Otte & Brock, 2005: 269.

Baculonistria longicornis, Hennemann et al., 2008: 9 .

Diagnosis: Differing from ♂♂ of B. alba ( Chen & He, 1990) by: the relatively longer antennomeres; antennae with only 15 segments; medioventral carina of meso and metafemora without a distinct sub-apical spine and posterolateral surface of the profemora, as well as the antero- and posterolateral surfaces of the meso- and metafemora with a longitudinal row of pale elliptical spots.

Etymology: The specific name longicornis is a composition of the Latin words “longus” (= long) and “cornus” (= horn or antenna) and refers to the elongate antennomeres of this species.

Description: The following is an improved translation of the original description provided by Bi & Wang (1998: 10), which was kindly provided by Weiwei Zhang (Chonqing, China).

♂♂: Rather robust. General colouration yellowish brown, slightly shiny. Lateral surfaces of head pale yellow. Legs straw the posterolateral surface of the profemora, as well as the antero- and posterolateral surfaces of the meso- and metafemora with a longitudinal row of pale elliptical spots.

Head: Oval, the posterior slightly truncate and with a pair of small tubercles between the eyes. Eyes rather small, strongly convex and with a brown longitudinal median line. Dorsal surface of head with two small pits, a fine, impressed coronal line and two short longitudinal impressed lines posteriorly. Two further, deep impressions between the bases of the antennae. Antennae about 2/3 the length of the profemora and consisting of 15 segments. Scapus almost 2x, III almost 3x and IV 2x longer than pedicellus; remaining antennomeres elongate.

Thorax: Pronotum shorter than the head, rectangular and with an impressed longitudinal median line. Transverse median depression not reaching lateral margins of segment. Mesothorax moderately broadened posteriorly. Mesonotum as long as combined length of metanotum and median segment, smooth and with a faint longitudinal line which becomes more distinct towards the posterior of segment. Mesopleurae with a few minute granules anteriorly. Metathorax slightly broadened posteriorly.

Abdomen: Median segment very short, slightly broader than wide and less than 1/7 the length of metanotum. Segments II–VII almost cylindrical, tergite IX and posterior part of VIII broader. Anal segment laterally compressed, strongly keeled and split, forming two moderately elongate, apically triangular semi-tergites. These strongly laterally compressed towards the apex and covered with minute black teeth on their interior surfaces. Poculum small, convex, cup-shaped and extending about half way along tergite IX. Posterior margin flattened and slightly truncate. Cerci distinct, oval in cross-section, slightly incurving apically and densely bristled.

Legs: Bases of profemora curved. Profemora longer than mesonotum, mesofemora almost as long as mesonotum and tibiae longer than corresponding femora. Anterodorsal carina with 8 irregularly placed distinct serrations, ventral carinae unarmed. Protibiae entirely unarmed. Meso- and metafemora as well as the tibiae with all three ventral carinae dentate. Teeth identical in number and arrangement on mid and hind legs. Basitarsi with a few minute teeth ventrally.

Comments: The pair of tubercles between the eyes, short antennae, which consist of only 15 segments, and very short median-segment place this species in Baculonistria gen. nov.. Unfortunately, the unique HT in SIES could not be examined for the present study, but the quite detailed original description of Bi & Wang (1998: 10) allows identification and differentiation of this species. With quite some probability B. longicornis is the ♂ of B. yuexiensis (Chen & He) described from a ♀ from the Anhui Province. This is however impossible to decide without seeing the type specimens of both species, and having material of both sexes from the same locality available for examination. This is the northernmost distributed species of the entire tribe Pharnaciini . Eggs unknown.

Distribution (Fig. 369): Eastern Central China (Henan Province, Luanchan County, Longyuwan).

Number of specimens examined: None

* according to Bi & Wang (1998)