Paragongylopus (Planoparagongylopus) nabanheensis, Ho, George Wai-Chun, 2017

Ho, George Wai-Chun, 2017, Contribution to the knowledge of Oriental Phasmatodea II: A taxonomic study of the genus Paragongylopus (Phasmatodea: Pachymorphinae: Gratidiini), Journal of Orthoptera Research 26 (2), pp. 195-203 : 198-200

Paragongylopus (Planoparagongylopus) nabanheensis sp. n. Figs 9-10, 24-25

Paragongylopus plaumanni Ho, 2014: 13. [misidentification]

Type material.-

Holotype ♀, Nabanhe, Xishuangbanna, Yunnan, China, 10.VII.2003, Hu Jia-Yao and Tang Liang (SNUC).

Diagnosis.-

Paragongylopus (Planoparagongylopus) nabanheensis sp. n. is similar to Paragongylopus (Planoparagongylopus) lii sp. n., but can be easily distinguished by non-granulated body, rectangular mesonotum, square metanotum and lacking noticeable elevation on legs.

Description.-

Female (Figs 9-10, 24-25): Small size. Body flattened and slender. General color of body and legs rufous brown. Head rounded in dorsal view, dorsoventrally flattened. Vertex flat and unarmed. Occiput flat. Median longitudinal furrow distinct. Compound eyes small and oval, its length about two times that of genae. Antennae short, with three distinct segments; scapus oval in dorsal view, more or less triangle-shaped in cross section, larger than compound eyes, about four times longer than pedicellus; pedicellus minute and indistinct, knob-like, smaller than compound eyes; third segment generally cylindrical, apices blunt, tapering basally, about four times longer than scapus, inner margin elevated medially, first half of inner margin with minute spine- like bristles. Thorax lacking granulation. Pronotum square, as long as and parallel to head, sparsely pitted; anterior margin weakly incurved, posterior margin truncate, lateral margins thickened; transverse and longitudinal sulci crossing at middle area. Mesonotum rectangular, longer than wide, as long as mesofemora, sparsely pitted, median longitudinal carina distinct. Metanotum square, wider than pronotum, parallel to mesonotum, sparsely pitted, median longitudinal carina distinct. Abdomen flattened, tapering posteriorly. Distinctly carinate mediolongitudinally. With minute pits along lateral margins. Median segment narrow, wider than long. Second to sixth tergites parallel to mesonotum and metanotum, seventh tergum to anal segment tapering posteriorly. Seventh sternum lacking noticeable praeopercular organ. Eighth tergum longer than ninth tergum. Anal segment as long as ninth tergum, constricted posteriorly, posterior margin rounded. Supra-anal plate indistinct. Subgenital plate scoop-shaped, short, flattened, posterior margin rounded, reaching anterior margin of anal segment. Cerci cylindrical, straight, apices rounded and surpassing posterior margin of anal segment. Legs slender and long. Sparsely covered with minute bristles. Femora roughly as long as corresponding tibiae. Profemora incurved basally. Anterodorsal, posterodorsal, anteroventral and posteroventral carinae of femora and tibiae lacking elevation.

Measurements.-

(mm) Holotype ♀, Body length: 20, head: 2, antennae: 2, pronotum: 1.5, mesonotum: 5, metanotum: 3, median segment: 1, profemora: 7, mesofemora: 4.5, metafemora: 6, protibiae: 7, mesotibiae: 5, metatibiae: 6.

Distribution.-

China (Yunnan).

Notes.-

The male is unknown. This species is the smallest phasmid in China.

Etymology.-

This new species is named after the type locality, Nabanhe (Yunnan, China).