Mycovartes, Bresseel & Constant, 2024

Bresseel, Joachim & Constant, Jérôme, 2024, Stick insects from Vietnam: The new genus Mycovartes gen. nov., with two new species and two new species of Neooxyartes Ho, 2018 (Phasmida: Lonchodidae: Necrosciinae), European Journal of Taxonomy 965, pp. 1-50 : 3-5

Genus Mycovartes gen. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:12A97A86-5338-4814-9E20-C74D61465863

Type species

Mycovartes montanus gen. et sp. nov, by present designation.

Etymology

The prefix ‘myco-’ is derived from Ancient Greek μύκης (‘múkēs’, ‘mushroom or fungus’) and refers to the mushroom-like structures on the eggs of all species in the genus, the ending ‘ artes ’ refers to the phenotypical resemblance of the new genus with Oxyartes . Gender masculine.

Diagnosis and differentiation

Elongate, slender and cryptically coloured Necrosciinae , superficially resembling the genus Oxyartes . Oxyartes males differ by the deep, cup-shaped poculum; females lack the elongate and tapering anal segment and the eggs have a capitular structure on the operculum. The new genus is most closely related to Neooxyartes and Nuichua . From Neooxyartes it is easily distinguished by the absence of “prosternal sensory organs” ( Bresseel & Constant 2018: fig. 9) and the armature on the legs. From Nuichua it is separated by the cryptic body colour, the strongly laterally compressed mesofemora, the raised and undulate posteroventral carina of the metafemora, the presence of small colourful alae and the shape of the female’s anal segment which is pointed and apically incised.

Differing from other Necrosciinae by the combination of the following characters:

1) Elongate and slender body.

2) Very small, colourful, rounded alae without distinct venation.

3) Tegmina very small to absent.

4) Prosternum without “sensory area” sensu Bresseel & Constant (2018).

5) Anal segment of females tapering towards the posterior with distinctly incised apex, giving it an arrowhead impression in dorsal view.

6) Male poculum shallow, only slightly projecting over posterior margin of tergum IX and rounded posteriorly.

7) Variable posteromedian protuberance at least on terga VI–VII and sometimes on II–VII, often spine-like.

8) Posteroventral carina of the metafemora somewhat raised and undulate; meso- and metafemora with few apical teeth ventrally.

9) Vomer tapering towards the posterior, apex bifurcate.

10) Sternum VII without distinct praeopercular organ, but medially with three longitudinal carinae which are straighter and somewhat thicker posteriorly.

11) No specialised egg deposition method with eggs simply dropped, egg capsule oval to sub-oval, operculum without distinct capitular structure.

12) Egg capsule reticulated with minute mushroom-like structures/protuberances.

Description

Male and female

Medium-sized (body length up to 10 cm), typically stick-shaped insects similar to the genus Oxyartes . Shape fairly slender with rugose bodies and with small colourful alae in both sexes, ranging from yellow to orange; alae not reaching halfway on the median segment. Body colouration cryptic, showing a wide variation but usually consisting of different shades of brown, sometimes ornamented with green or white parts; in rare cases predominantly white.

Sexual dimorphism with ♂♂ smaller and much slenderer than ♀♀, otherwise very similar.

Head longer than wide, approximately rectangular in dorsal view and rugose. Antennae filiform, distinctly shorter than body. Thorax rugose with pro-, meso- and metanotum nearly parallel-sided. Pronotum about as long as head; mesonotum elongated, cylindrical in cross-section; metanotum short. Micropterous, tegmina, if present, scalelike, reaching bases of alae; alae present in all species with outer margin broadly rounded, inner margin straight (when wings are folded). Legs comparatively short with femora and tibiae laterally flattened. Median and abdominal segments rugose, abdominal terga with variable posteromedial armature. Females anal segment arrowhead-shaped in dorsal view, apex narrow, pointed, but distinctly incised posteromedially. Subgenital plate shallow, short, with a distinct mediolongitudinal carina. Male anal segment posteromedially indistinctly notched; ventral portion armed with minute blackish spines/tubercles near posterior margin. Poculum shallow, scoop-shaped, reaching to/slightly projecting over, the posterior margin of tergum IX; rounded posteriorly. Vomer well developed, approximately triangular; basal portion broad, narrowing toward the posterior; apicomedially split into two teeth.

Species included

Mycovartes khoii gen. et sp. nov. [ Vietnam, Chu Yang Sin N.P.; Vietnam, Ta Dung N.P.]

Mycovartes montanus gen. et sp. nov. [ Vietnam, Chu Yang Sin N.P. and Bidoup-Nui Ba N.P.] Mycovartes vietnamensis ( Ho, 2018) gen. et comb. nov. [ Vietnam, Kon Chu Rang N.R. and Kon plong]

Keys to the species of Mycovartes gen. nov.

1. Anterior margin of mesonotum unarmed, anal area of hind wing yellow ( Fig. 16E ) ........................ .................................................................................... M. vietnamensis Ho, 2018 gen. et comb. nov.

– Anterior margin of mesonotum armed with several spines, anal area of hind wing orange ( Figs 6E , 13C ) .................................................................................................................................................. 2

2. Tegmina micropterous, reaching base of alae ( Fig. 13C ) ..................... M. montanus gen. et sp. nov

– Tegmina indistinct ( Fig. 6E ).......................................................................... M. khoii gen. et sp. nov

Distribution

The genus is restricted to the Truong Son Range with Mycovartes vietnamensis gen. et comb. nov. from the Kontum Plateau and Mycovartes khoii gen. et sp. nov. and Mycovartes montanus gen. et sp. nov. from the Dac Lac Plateau ( Fig. 1 ).

Figures

Fig. 16. Mycovartes vietnamensis (Ho, 2018) gen. et comb. nov. A. ♂, dorsal view. B. ♀, dorsal view. C. ♂, head and thorax, dorsal view. D. ♀, head and thorax, dorsal view. E. ♂, wings. F. Newly hatched nymph. Photographs ©T. Bollens.

Fig. 6. Mycovartes khoii gen. et sp. nov. A. ♂, dorsal view. B. ♀, dorsal view. C. ♀ terminalia, dorsal view. D. ♀ terminalia, dorsolateral view. E. ♀ wings. F. Newly hatched nymph. Photographs ©T. Bollens.

Fig. 13. Mycovartes montanus gen. et sp. nov. A. ♂, dorsal view. B. Maiting pair. C. Wings. D. Newly hatched nymph. Photographs ©T. Bollens.

Fig. 1. Mycovartes gen. nov., distribution map.