Cnipsomorpha yunnanensis, Xu & Jiang & Yang, 2023

Xu, Fangling, Jiang, Yingjie & Yang, Maofa, 2023, Descriptions of two new stick insect species of Cnipsomorpha Hennemann, Conle, Zhang & Liu (Phasmatodea) from China based on integrative taxonomy, ZooKeys 1176, pp. 37-53 : 37

Cnipsomorpha yunnanensis sp. nov.

Fig. 1

Type material.

Holotype. One Female. Fenshuiling Nature Reserve, Jinping County, China, alt. 2100 m, 18-19 May 2015, leg. Bin Yan. Specimen code: YNJP150517001. Specimen used for DNA extraction.

Differential diagnosis.

Cnipsomorpha yunnanensis sp. nov. is similar to Cnipsomorpha erinacea Hennemann, Conle, Zhang & Liu, 2008 ( Hennemann et al. 2008). In C. yunnanensis sp. nov., the vertex of the head has only two pairs of spines, where C. erinacea has more than two. In C. yunnanensis sp. nov., the mesonotum is not convex or swollen, and is armed with two pairs of spines and three pairs of tubercles, whereas in C. erinacea the mesonotum is convex, swollen, and armed with twelve prominent spines. Finally, in C. yunnanensis sp. nov., the middle parts of the terga II-IV are not raised and are armed with a single pair of spines in the posterior region while terga I-IX are expanded posterolaterally and are almost of the same length as the abdomen width; those of C. erinacea are raised and armed with several prominent spines, and shorter than the abdomen width.

Cnipsomorpha yunnanensis sp. nov. also similar to C. jinpingensis Ho, 2021. In C. yunnanensis sp. nov., the lateral margins of the pronotum possess a spine medially, and the posterior margin of the anal segment exhibit a large trapezoidal concave edge. But in C. jinpingensis , the lateral margins of pronotum are without a spine medially, and the posterior margin of anal segment bear two to three small emarginations ( Ho 2021).

Description.

Female (Fig. 1 ). Apterous. Body slender, with some sparse, small granules. General color of specimen in alcohol is yellow. Expanded terga I-IX are curved and spine-like. Legs with serrations.

Head oval, with irregular granules, without distinct tubercles. Compound eyes are spherical and protruding. There is one pair of spines on the vertex of the head, the apex leans forward. Occiput significantly reduced, with one pair of spines. Antennae filamentous, distinctly segmented, 18 segments, bristly, shorter than profemora, scapus oval, strongly compressed basally, longer than the third segment, third segment longer than the pedicellus, and apical segment roughly the same as the third segment.

Thorax slender, midline distinct, with sparse granules and spines. Pronotum shorter than head, midline distinct, and slight bulge on both sides of the midline, one pair of spines in the posterior region, interspersed with one or two spine-like tubercles. Mesonotum longer than the head and pronotum combined, with one pair of small tubercles in the anterior region, two pairs of spines in the posterior region, one pair of tubercles near both sides in the middle region, and one pair of spine-like tubercles in the posterior region. Metanotum shorter than the mesonotum, anterior margins lacking spines, middle region with two pairs of thorns, posterior region with one pair of thorns tilted backward, and rear edge near both sides with one pair of small thorns. Meso- and metapleurae with granules, and each with one spine before the base segment of the mesocoxa. Meso- and metasternum with granules.

Abdomen slender, with sparse granules, terga with spines, apex of these spines towards the apex of abdomen, terga II-IX with expanded posterolateral angles (Fig. 1C, D ). Median segment shorter than metanotum, and width greater than length. Terga I-V with one pair of spines posteromedially. The 1st-5th pairs of spines gradually increase. Fifth pair of spines smaller than the 2nd pair of spines but larger than the 1st pair of spines. Terga II-VIII with expanded posterolateral angles, gradually increasing in size from the 2nd-4th pair, the 5th-7th gradually decreasing in size, 8th pair larger than the 7th pair but smaller than the 6th pair, 9th pair distinctly expanded, the shape of spine-like tubercles. Sternum VII with an indistinct preopercular organ (Fig. 1D, F ). Anal segment longer than tergum IX and shorter than tergum VIII, posterior margins with a large trapezoidal concave edge, apex rounded. Cerci flat, leaf-shape, apex rounded (Fig. 1E ). Subgenital plate with one spine-like tubercle, extending approximately to the posterior margin of tergum IX (Fig. 1E ).

Legs slender and with serrations. Profemora incurved basally, with two serrations of the anterdorsal carina, without serrations of the posterodorsal carina, with three serrations of the antero- and posteroventral carina. Antero- and posterodorsal carina with three serrations of the mesofemora, middle serration the largest, antero- and posteroventral carina with three serrations roughly the same size. Antero- and posterodorsal carina with three serrations of the metafemora, middle serration the largest, antero- and posteroventral carina with three serrations, middle serration the largest. All tibial anterodorsal and ventral carina unarmed. Posterodorsal carina of protibiae with six serrations, gradually smaller towards the apex, interspersed with large spines occasionally. Posterodorsal carina of meso- and metatibiae with two serrations. Mesobasitarsus shorter than the rest combined, pro- and metabasitarsus longer than the rest combined.

Male and eggs unknown.

Measurements are provided in Table 3 .

Distribution.

Jinping, Yunnan, China.

Etymology.

This species is named after the province type locality, Yunnan, China.

Comments.

Only known from one female; the specimen is now missing the mesofemur due to DNA extraction. This new species is flatter than other species in this genus, which may have been caused by insufficient nutrition prior to being collected.

Figures

Figure 1. Features of Cnipsomorpha yunnanensis sp. nov. Female A body, lateral view B body, dorsal view C hind part of abdomen, dorsal view D hind part of abdomen, ventral view E end of abdomen, dorsal view F end of abdomen, lateral view. Scale bars: 10 mm (A-C); 1 mm (D-F).