Tirachoidea westwoodii ( Wood-Mason, 1875 ), 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 : 249-252

Tirachoidea westwoodii ( Wood-Mason, 1875) stat. rev.

( Figs. 140, 211, 303, 403, 407–411)

Phibalosoma westwoodii Wood-Mason, 1875: 216 . LT [by present designation], ♀: Assam, Samaguting in Assam, leg. J. Butler (depository unknown); PLT, ♀: Assam, Nazeerah, leg. Foster (depository unknown).

Wood-Mason, 1877a: 161.

Phibalosoma westwoodi, Wood-Mason, 1877b: 347 , pl. 3: 1a–d (♀ terminal abdominal segments & head). [Unjustified emendation].

Tirachoidea westwoodi, Kirby, 1904a: 359 .

Pharnacia westwoodi, Redtenbacher, 1908: 451 .

Brock, 1996: 27.

Otte & Brock, 2005: 265.

[Not: Pharnacia westwoodi, Giglio-Tos, 1910: 43 (♀ from Java). Misidentification = Pharnacia sumatrana (Brunner v. Wattenwyl, 1907)]

[Not: Tirachoidea westwoodi, Qi & Liu, 1992: 250 —description of presumed ♂ from Yunnan Province, S-China.

Misidentification = T. jianfenglingensis ( Bi, 1994) ]

[Not: Pharnacia westwoodi, Chen & He, 2007: 351 , figs. 317 a-d. Misidentification relating either to T. jianfenglingensis ( Bi, 1994) or T. siamensis spec. nov.]

Further material: [4 ♂♂]:

2 ♂♂: N-Myanmar, Tenasserim Highland , 18.III.–19.IV.1996, leg. Lehmann (coll. FH, No’s 0211-1 & 2) ; 2 ♂♂: N- Myanmar, Tenasserim 5.1995 – 18.3.1996 (coll. OC) .

Diagnosis: This species is closely related to T. jianfenglingensis ( Bi, 1994) ♀♀ differing by: the lack of dark transverse stripes in the posterior portion of the vertex; slightly shorter mesothorax; posteromedian tubercle of abdominal tergite VII (Fig. 407); shape of the anal segment (Fig. 408) and longer subgenital plate, which slightly extends over the apex of the abdomen (Fig. 407). ♂♂ are easily distinguished from those of T. jianfenglingensis by: more elongate body and legs; relatively longer body segments; less convex vertex with the pair of humps decidedly less distinct (Fig. 303); more slender tergite VIII; slightly shorter and sharply truncate semi-tergites of the anal segment (Fig. 228); more elongate and distinctly in-curving cerci; more numerous triangular serrations of the anterodorsal carina of the profemora; greater number of serrations of the anterodorsal carina of the protibiae; more numerous and minute spines of the mid- and hind legs as well as the not rounded but uniformly raised dorsal carina of the meso- and metabasitarsi.

Etymology: Dedicated to Dr. John Obadiah Westwood, one of the greatest English entomologist at that time.

Description, ♀♀: These are only known from the very brief and insufficient original diagnosis (Wood- Mason, 1875: 216) and a set of very accurate drawings of the head and apex of the abdomen provided by Wood-Mason subsequently (1877b, pl. 3: 1a–d, here reproduced as Figs. 407–411). The body length cited in the original description is ca. 240.0 mm. Wood-Mason (1875: 216) stated T. westwoodii to be closely related to T. cantori ( Westwood, 1859) and to differ from this species by the larger lateral lobes of abdominal tergite VII and shape of the head, which has the vertex convex and with two rounded humps of unequal size. Since Wood-Mason made no mention of any conspicuous leg armature, this must be presumed to be rather regular and similar to T. cantori , lacking any enlarged teeth or lobes.

The following brief diagnosis is based on the set of measurements attached to the original descriptions and illustrations of the head and apex of the abdomen provided by Wood-Mason (1877b). Head about 1.4x longer than wide with the vertex distinctly conically raised and set with two unequal blunt humps; the dextral one being decidedly larger than the sinistral (Figs. 409–411). Eyes circular and moderately sized, their length contained about 3.5x in that of the cheek. Antennae reaching about two thirds the way along the mesothorax. Scapus about 2.3x longer than wide and flattened dorsoventrally. Pedicellus cylindrical and about 1/3 the length of scapus. Mesothorax about 1.7x longer than the head and pronotum combined. Abdominal tergite VII with a distinct , blunt median tubercle at posterior margin (Fig. 407). Lateral margins of tergite VII greatly elevated and in posterior half forming a large rounded lobe, which extends laterally by about half of body width (Fig. 408). Tergite VIII slightly longer than VII and longer than IX and X combined , gently constricted medially and about 2.3x longer than wide. Anal segment indistinctly longer than wide and dorsally with four conspicuous rounded swellings. Posterior margin with a shallow and widely triangular excavation. Supraanal plate very small and transverse (Fig. 408). Subgenital plate strongly keeled and boat-shaped, strongly convex in the median portion and projecting over apex of abdomen by about half the length of the anal segment (Fig. 407).

♂♂ ( Fig. 140): Very long (body length 164.0–165.0 mm) and very slender for the genus with long alae (70.0– 70.5 mm), body of uniform width (± 2.5 mm). General colouration of body and legs more or less uniformly greyish to greenish mid brown, mesonotum mid to dark brown. Metasternum with a slight greenish wash. Complete spination of the legs ochre with black points. Tegmina greenish brown, with an very faint pale diagonal band and a longitudinal white marking in the basal half of the anterior margin. Costal region of alae brown with a slight greenish wash and dull greenish brown veins, anterior margin with a bold white longitudinal line which terminates about 1/3 off the base. Anal region transparent greyish brown with dark brown veins. Antennae mid to dark brown. Eyes reddish mid brown irregularly marbled with darker brown.

Head (Fig. 303): Oval, 1.5x longer than wide, vertex slightly convex and with two very indistinct low humps. Between the eyes with an oval, slightly raised and smooth area. A very fine impressed transverse line between the bases of the antennae. Eyes prominent, circular and projecting hemispherically from head capsule; their length contained about 2.3x in that of cheek. Antennae with all segments densely bristled and at least projecting over posterior margin of metanotum (broken in all examined specimens). Scapus flattened dorsoventrally, about 3x longer than wide, very gently constricting towards the base and with a distinct longitudinal depression ventrally. Pedicellus less than ¼ the length of scapus, cylindrical. III longer than pedicellus, IV strongly shortened, V to X increasing in length. Following antennomeres very elongate.

Thorax: Pronotum about 1.5x longer than wide, rectangular, shorter and narrower than head. Median line distinct and impressed. Median transverse depression distinct, curved but very short and not reaching lateral margins of segment. Mesonotum 3x longer than head and pronotum combined, smooth. Mesosternum with a distinct and acute longitudinal median carina. Metasternum very slightly tectiform. Tegmina oval, constricted basally and with an acute, conical hump in the centre. Alae reaching about half way along abdominal tergite V.

Abdomen: Median segment 2.5x longer than wide and distinctly longer than metanotum, slightly narrowing towards the posterior. Segments II–VI 6.5–7x longer than wide, all slightly constricted medially. Tergites V and VI with a small, scale-like posteromedian tubercle. Segment VII slightly more than 2/3 the length of previous and gently widening towards the posterior; posterior margin about 1.5x broader than anterior margin. Tergite VIII slightly longer than wide, strongly swollen and gradually broadening towards the posterior; posterior margin 2x broader than posterior margin of VII. IX about 1.5x longer but narrower than VIII, 3x longer than wide and strongly constricted medially. Anal segment as long as VIII, laterally compressed and strongly tectiform. Semi-tergites short with the apex acutely truncate and the lower corner slightly elevated (Fig. 211). Interior surfaces densely covered with minute blackish brown teeth. Cerci elongate, oval in cross-section, gradually tapered and with the apical portion distinctly in-curving; apex pointed. Poculum strongly convex, reaching about half way along tergite IX and with a blunt, transverse central spine (Fig. 211).

Legs: All very long and slender, with all carinae of mid and hind legs minutely but densely serrate, but lacking any enlarged teeth or lobes. Profemora longer than head, pro- and mesonotum combined, mesofemora about as long as combined length of pro- and mesonotum, metafemora reaching half way along abdominal segment V and metatibiae slightly projecting over apex of abdomen. Anterodorsal carina of profemora with 25–30 distinct and triangular black serrations; posteroventral carina with a similar number of small but acute teeth. Anterodorsal and posteroventral carinae of protibiae densely but minutely serrate, other carinae smooth. Medioventral carina of meso- and metafemora indistinct and armed with 4–6 distinct but elongate and needlelike spines. Occasionally a slightly enlarged, triangular median tooth is present on the posterodorsal carina of meso- and metatibiae. Probasitarsus distinctly longer than remaining segments combined, with all carinae slightly elevated and unarmed. Meso- and metabasitarsi slightly longer than remaining segments combined, dorsal carina gently raised and almost of uniform height, all carinae minutely dentate.

Comments: Wood-Mason (1875: 216) described Phibalosoma westwoodii as being closely related to T. cantori ( Westwood, 1859) . He based his description on two ♀♀ collected in the Naga Hills of NE-India (close to the border to Myanmar), one from Nazeerah and one from Samaguting. Although extensive research in collections world-wide has not traced Wood-Mason’s types, the latter specimen is here selected as the lectotype in order to fix Wood-Mason’s species. The type specimens were presumed in NZSI by most subsequent authors, but research has revealed there are no types of Phasmatodea in Calcutta at all (personal communication Dr. M. S. Shishodia, NZSI). Inquiries to the museum in New Dehli have received no reply. Should they not be in New Dehli, both specimens must be presumed lost and a neotype designated. Although the original diagnosis is very brief and insufficient, Wood-Mason’s very accurate illustrations of the head and last abdominal segments of the ♀ (1877b, pl. 3: 1a–d) well identify this species.

The presumed ♂ was described and illustrated by Qi & Liu (1992: 250) based on specimens collected in the Yunnan Province of China. These are however clearly misidentified and represent T. jianfenglingensis ( Bi, 1994) . Hence China can be regarded an erroneous record.This presumably also concerns to the specimens referred to as " Pharnacia westwoodi " by Chen & He (2007: 350).

Four ♂♂ from the Highland of Tenasserim (N-Myanmar) in the author’s collections appear to represent the so far unknown opposite sex of T. westwoodii . This is indicated by the large size, elongate body and shape of the head .

Eggs unknown.

Distribution (Fig. 403): NE-India (Naga Hills: Nazeerah & Samaguting) and N-Myanmar (Highland of Tenasserim).

Number of specimens examined: 4