Dianphasma sparsigranulatum, 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

Dianphasma sparsigranulatum sp. nov.

(Figs. 1–2, 16–18, 22)

Type. Holotype: ♀, 1300–1400m, Dashahe , Daozhen, Guizhou, China, 7.VII.2015, George Ho Wai-Chun ( HKES).

Diagnosis. Dianphasma sparsigranulatum sp. nov. [ China (Guizhou)] is similar to D. microptera Chen & He, 1997 [ China (Yunnan)], but can be separated by the sparsely granulated thorax, non-granulated fifth abdominal tergum to the anal segment, presence of a posteromedial tubercle on fifth and sixth abdominal tergites and acute apex of abdominal subgenital plate.

Description. Female (Figs. 1–2, 16–18, 22). Body brown and slender. Medium-sized.

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

Thorax: Sparsely granulated. Pronotum rectangular, longer than wide, transverse and longitudinal sulci crossing before center of segment. Mesonotum longer than all femora, parallel-sided, with distinct median and lateral longitudinal carinae. Mesopleurae, metapleurae, mesosternum and metasternum with sparse and small granules.

Abdomen: Cylindrical and wrinkled. Median segment to fourth tergites with a few small granules, other tergites lacking granulation. Fourth tergum with a large granule posteromedially. Fifth to sixth tergites with a short tubercle posteromedially. Seventh sternum lacking noticeable praeopercular organ. Anal segment longer than ninth tergum, posterior margin rounded. Subgenital plate scoop-shaped, apex pointed and reaching posterior margin of anal segment. Cerci straight, flattened, apices rounded and surpassing end of anal segment.

Legs: Unarmed, densely covered with long bristles. All femora as long as its corresponding tibiae.

Wings: Tegmina minute and granule-like. Alae small and scale-like, posterior apices reaching anterior margin of median segment.

Male. Unknown.

Measurements in Table 1.

Distribution. China (Guizhou).

Etymology. The specific epithet of this new species is derived from the character of sparse granulations on the thorax.