Dianphasma yui, Ho, 2017

Ho, George Wai-Chun, 2017, Contribution to the knowledge of Chinese Phasmatodea V: New taxa and new nomenclatures of the subfamilies Necrosciinae (Diapheromeridae) and Lonchodinae (Phasmatidae) from the Phasmatodea of China, Zootaxa 4368 (1), pp. 1-72 : 6-7

Dianphasma yui sp. nov.

(Figs. 3–4, 19–21, 23, 270–271)

Types. Holotype: ♀, 1300–1400m, Fenshuiling, Jinping, Yunnan, China, 4.IX.2016, George Ho Wai-Chun (HKES); Paratypes: 1♀ & 8 eggs (6 eggs extracted from abdomen of holotype ♀ & 2 eggs naturally laid by holotype ♀), 1300–1400m, Fenshuiling, Jinping, Yunnan, China, 4.IX.2016, George Ho Wai-Chun (HKES).

Diagnosis. Dianphasma yui sp. nov. [ China (Yunnan)] is similar to D. cheni Ho, 2013 [ China (Guangxi)], but can be separated by a pair of humps on anterior area of sixth abdominal tergum, fifth to sixth abdominal tergites with a posteromedial tubercle and emarginated posterior margin of anal abdominal segment.

Description. Female (Figs. 3–4, 19–21, 23). Body light brown to brown and slender. Head, thorax and legs covered with dense short bristles, abdomen with sparse short bristles.

Head: Oval, constricted posteriorly after compound eyes, longer than pronotum, sparsely covered with small granules. Vertex flat, with a small, rounded and shallow depression between bases of antennae. Median longitudinal furrow distinct. Occiput flat, with four small swellings. Compound eyes rounded and small. Antennae filiform, longer than forelegs; scapus longer than pedicellus; pedicellus as long as third segment.

Thorax: Sparsely granulated. Pronotum rectangular, longer than wide, transverse and longitudinal sulci crossing before center of segment. Mesonotum slender and elongate, longer than all femora, weakly constricted posteriorly, anterior margin roughly longer than posterior margin, with distinct median longitudinal carina. Mesopleurae, metapleurae, mesosternum and metasternum with sparse and small granules.

Abdomen: Sparsely granulated. Mediolongitudinally and laterolongitudinally carinate dorsally, wrinkled ventrally. Cylindrical and tapering posteriorly. Median segment longer than wide, shorter than metanotum. Fifth to sixth tergites with a short tubercle posteromedially. Sixth tergum with a pair of small and obscure humps on anterior area, posteriorly following with a moderately elevated carina. Seventh sternum lacking noticeable praeopercular organ. Anal segment as long as ninth tergum, posterior margin with a small V-shaped emargination. Subgenital plate scoop-shaped, apex obtuse and reaching middle area of anal segment. Cerci straight, flattened, apices rounded and surpassing end of anal segment.

Legs: Unarmed, with blackish markings. All femora almost as long as its corresponding tibiae.

Wings: Tegmina indistinct. Alae small and scale-like, posterior apices not reaching anterior margin of median segment.

Male. Unknown.

Measurements in Table 1.

Eggs (Figs. 270–271). Capsule brown with dark brown markings, oblong, wrinkled, ventral surface smooth. Micropylar plate short, anterior apex obtuse, posterior apices rounded. Micropylar cup placed near middle area of micropylar plate. Median line about one-third of micropylar plate. Operculum brown, oval, flat, centrally with an apically rounded elevation, marginally with fringes.

Measurements. Length 3.4 mm, width 1.3 mm, height 1.3 mm.

Distribution. China (Yunnan).

Notes. The description, illustrations and measurements of eggs are based on the naturally laid eggs which were laid by holotypic female.

Etymology. This species is named in honour of Yu Zhi-Yong (Fenshuiling Nature Reserve, Yunnan, China) who helped me in many ways during the collecting trips in Fenshuiling Nature Reserve (Yunnan, China).