Cryptophyllium faulkneri gen. et, 2021

Cumming, Royce T., Bank, Sarah, Bresseel, Joachim, Constant, Je ́ ro ̂ me, Tirant, Stephane Le, Dong, Zhiwei, Sonet, Gontran & Bradler, Sven, 2021, Cryptophyllium, the hidden leaf insects - descriptions of a new leaf insect genus and thirteen species from the former celebicum species group (Phasmatodea, Phylliidae), ZooKeys 1018, pp. 1-179 : 1

Cryptophyllium faulkneri gen. et sp. nov. Figure 31

Material examined.

Holotype ♂: "VIETNAM: Quang Ngai Province, Bato Mt. 900 m. elv: May 2015 (Coll RC 16-114)". Molecularly sampled within our analysis. Deposited in the Montreal Insectarium (IMQC).

Paratypes (2♂): 1 ♂: "Ngoc Linh, Kon Tum Prov. Vietnam, 1700 m, VI.2016, leg. Luong coll. TB-05-134' (Coll TB) • ♂ nymph: "VIETNAM: Lam Dong, Bao Lam, Da Tom: March 2016 (Coll RC 16-236)", molecularly sampled within our analysis (Coll RC).

Remarks.

This large species was immediately identified as distinct by the size and additionally by the large, prominent tubercles of the mesopleura, which are not as distinct in males of other Cryptophyllium gen. nov. species. Despite several expeditions to southern Vietnam by the RBINS expedition members, no possible female for this species has been located to date, despite the fact that the female is likely a very large phylliid. Hopefully future expeditions reveal the female so the morphology to congenerics can be compared.

Differentiation.

Females are presently unknown. Male Cryptophyllium faulkneri sp. nov. are most morphologically similar to Cryptophyllium limogesi sp. nov. due to the large size and thorax spination and Cryptophyllium animatum sp. nov. due to the superficially similar appearance of a slender abdomen and large overall size. Cryptophyllium faulkneri sp. nov. can be differentiated from Cryptophyllium animatum sp. nov. by the mesopleura spination (as Cryptophyllium faulkneri sp. nov. has meseopleurae with four large protruding tubercles and five smaller interspersed nodes; Fig. 31A ) vs. Cryptophyllium animatum sp. nov. which has six small sized tubercles and six or seven small nodes interspersed (Fig. 10C ). Additionally, Cryptophyllium faulkneri sp. nov. has a rather average interior profemoral lobe serration pattern with irregular sized and spaced teeth (Fig. 31B ), vs. Cryptophyllium animatum sp. nov. which has teeth all evenly spaced and sized (Fig. 10B ). Cryptophyllium faulkneri sp. nov. can be differentiated from Cryptophyllium limogesi sp. nov. by the narrower abdomen (rather broad and spade-shaped in Cryptophyllium limogesi sp. nov.), a lack of small exterior tibial lobes (as Cryptophyllium limogesi sp. nov. has distinct small exterior tibial lobes), and the interior protibial lobe shape which in Cryptophyllium limogesi sp. nov. is weighted towards the anterior ⅓ in a scalene triangle, vs. Cryptophyllium faulkneri sp. nov. which has the lobe evenly weighted with the widest portion in the middle as an isosceles triangle.

Distribution.

Presently only known from central and southern Vietnam, no other specimens are presently known. The two Vietnamese provinces that this species is known from are Quang Ngai and Lam Dong Provinces.

Male.

Coloration. Coloration description based on the dried holotype specimen, not on living individuals which are likely a more vibrant green. Overall coloration is pale green with variable patches of yellow throughout due to the drying of the specimen (Fig. 31B ). Compound eyes are rust red (Fig. 31A ). There are no hints of natural brown coloration on the holotype and there are no eye spots present on the abdomen.

Morphology. Head. Head capsule slightly longer than wide, with a vertex that lacks granulation; posteromedial tubercle notable as the only feature on the posterior half of the head capsule (Fig. 31A ). Frontal convexity stout, with a somewhat broad point, and with numerous short setae throughout the surface. Compound eyes large but not overly bulbous, occupying slightly> ⅓ of the head capsule lateral margins (Fig. 31A ). Between the compound eyes are three well-developed ocelli. Antennal fields are slightly wider than, and approximately as long as the scapus. Antennae. Antennae (including the scapus and pedicellus) consists of 28 segments. The scapus and pedicellus are mostly bare but with few very short setae throughout, segments III-XXV are covered in dense, thin, pale setae that are as long as or longer than the antennae segment is wide. The terminal three segments have dense short setae throughout that are notably shorter than the segments are wide. Thorax. Pronotum with anterior margin gently concave and lateral margins that are slightly convex and converge to a straight posterior margin that is ca. ½ the width of the anterior rim (Fig. 31A ). Anterior and lateral margins of the pronotum have distinct rims and the posterior margin lacks a rim (Fig. 31A ). Face of the pronotum is marked by a smooth surface, distinct sagittal furrow on the anterior half, a pit just posterior to the center, and a moderate perpendicular furrow just anterior to the central pit (Fig. 31A ). Prosternum only has minimal small granulation on a mostly smooth surface, the mesosternum surface on the anterior half is heavily granulose and the posterior half is wrinkled to smooth (Fig. 31C ). The metasternum lacks granulation but has a smooth wrinkled surface throughout. Prescutum narrow, longer than wide, with lateral margins that are straight and marked with four or five large smooth tubercles of almost equal size with few smaller nodes interspersed between them, spaces between the prominent tubercles relatively smooth (Fig. 31A ).The surface of the prescutum is slightly raised along the sagittal plane which is marked with nine or ten, smooth nodes of slightly varying size, with the remainder of the prescutum surface lacking nodes, but with a slightly wrinkled surface instead (Fig. 31A ). Prescutum anterior rim with a slightly lumpy surface and a moderately formed central tubercle that rises above the prescutum slightly (Fig. 31A ). Mesopleura narrow on their anterior ⅓, then gradually diverging with straight margins on the posterior ⅔ (Fig. 31A ). Lateral margin with five or six large protruding tubercles and five or six smaller nodes interspersed throughout (Fig. 31A ). Face of the mesopleura smooth but slightly wrinkled and with two distinct pits, one near the anterior and one on the posterior ⅓. Wings. Tegmina moderate length, extending ½ through abdominal segment III. Tegmina venation: the subcosta (Sc) is the first vein, is simple, and terminates the earliest ca. ⅖ of the way through the overall tegmina length. The radius (R) spans the entire length of the tegmina with the first radius (R1) branching just proximal to the midline and terminating just distal to the midline, followed by the branching and termination of the second radius (R2) near the distal ⅓ of the wing, and then the radial sector runs to the wing apex. The media (M) also spans the entire length of the tegmina with the first media posterior (MP1) branching off just proximal to the midline, and then the second media posterior (MP2) branches just posterior to the midline, and the media anterior (MA) runs to the wing apex. The cubitus (Cu) runs along the edge of the wing as the two media posterior veins fuse with it and as the cubitus reaches the apex it fades. The first anal (1A) vein terminates upon reaching the cubitus ca. ⅓ of the way through the wing length. Alae well-developed in an oval fan configuration, long, reaching ⅔ of the way through abdominal segment VIII. Alae venation: the costa (C) is present along the entire foremargin giving stability to the wing. The subcosta (Sc) is long, spanning slightly <⅔ of the wing length and is fused with the radius in the beginning but terminates when it meets the costa. The radius (R) spans the entire wing and branches ca. ⅖ of the way through into the first radius (R1) and radial sector (Rs) which run gently diverging for most of their length and then converge at the apex of the wing where they terminate near each other but not touching. The media (M) branches early, ca. ⅙ of the way through the wing into the media anterior (MA) and the media posterior (MP) which run parallel with each other throughout the wing until the distal quarter of the wing where the media posterior fuses with the media anterior which then run fused together to the wing apex where they terminate near the radial sector. The cubitus (Cu) runs unbranched and terminates at the wing apex. Of the anterior anal veins, the first anterior anal (1AA) fuses with the cubitus near the point where the media branches into the media anterior and media posterior and then the first anterior anal branches from the cubitus ⅔ of the way through the wing length where it uniformly diverges from the cubitus until it terminates at the wing margin. The anterior anal veins two-seven (2AA-7AA) have a common origin and run unbranched in a folding fan pattern of relatively uniform spacing to the wing margin. The posterior anal veins (1PA-6PA) share a common origin separate from the anterior anal veins and run unbranched to the wing margin with slightly thinner spacing than the anterior anal veins. Abdomen. Abdomen is a narrow dagger-like shape. Abdominal segment II with parallel-sided margins, III with gently diverging margins, the anterior half of segment IV gently diverging to the widest point of the abdomen. The remainder of segment IV through the apex are converging uniformly with straight margins to the apex. Genitalia. Poculum broad and rounded, ending in a straight margined apex that passes onto segment X. Cerci not exceptionally long, with only ca. ½ of their length protruding from under the terminal abdominal segment. The cerci are relatively flat, not strongly cupped, covered in a granulose surface and numerous short setae throughout. Vomer broad and stout with straight sides evenly converging to the apex which is armed with two upwards turning hooks. Legs. Profemoral exterior lobe a rounded arc, about as wide as the interior lobe (ca. 3 × the width of the profemoral shaft at its widest), and with the anterior half marked by five small, rounded teeth (Fig. 31B ). Profemoral interior lobe an obtusely rounded triangle with six, serrate, anteriorly pointing teeth arranged in pairs with looping gaps between them (in the holotype the middle pair of teeth are uneven in size, one notably larger than the other; Fig. 31B ). Mesofemoral exterior lobe arcs end to end but with the widest portion slightly distal to the midline, and the widest point slightly wider than the interior lobe. The mesofemoral exterior lobe is marked with six or seven small serrate teeth distal to the widest point, with the proximal portion of the lobe smooth. The mesofemoral interior lobe is approximately the same width as the mesofemoral shaft with five or six small serrate teeth on the distal half only. Metafemoral exterior lobe thin, lacks dentation, and has a straight margin along the metafemoral shaft. Metafemoral interior lobe smoothly arcs end to end with nine or ten small serrate teeth on the distal half only. Protibiae lacking exterior lobe, interior lobe reaching end to end in a smooth evenly weighted triangle two and a half times as wide as the protibial shaft (Fig. 31B ). Meso- and metatibiae simple, lacking lobes.

Measurements of holotype male [mm]. Length of body (including cerci and head, excluding antennae) 87.0, length/width of head 5.4/4.9, antennae 49.4, pronotum 4.4, mesonotum 5.9, length of tegmina 27.3, length of alae 60.8, greatest width of abdomen 19.7, profemora 19.5, mesofemora 17.4, metafemora 20.0, protibiae 12.9, mesotibiae 10.7, metatibiae 14.0.

Etymology.

Patronym. Dedicated to David Faulkner, California, United States. Forensic entomology mentor to RTC and dear friend.

Figures

Figure 10. Holotype Cryptophyllium animatum gen. et sp. nov., photographs by RTC A habitus, dorsal B details of the protibial and profemoral lobes C details of the head and thorax, dorsal D genitalia, ventral E head-thorax, lateral.

Figure 31. Holotype Cryptophyllium faulkneri gen. et sp. nov., photographs by RTC A details of the base of antennae, head, and thorax, dorsal B habitus, dorsal C details of thorax, ventral D details of head and thorax, lateral.