Neohirasea hilli hilli, hilli, 2018

Ho, Wai-Chun George, 2018, The genus Neohirasea Rehn (Phasmatodea: Diapheromeridae: Necrosciinae) from Vietnam, Zoological Systematics 43 (1), pp. 37-51 : 43-44

Neohirasea hilli hilli sp. nov. & subsp. nov. ( Figs 24–27 , 57–60 )

Diagnosis. This new species is similar to N. biserrata sp. nov., but can be diagnosed by small size and more robust body in both sexes, a pair of spines on pronotum and unarmed median segment in male and hump-like praeopercular organ on seventh abdominal sternum in female.

Description. Male. Head oval, longer than pronotum. Vertex flat. Posterior margin of occiput with indistinct swellings. Median and lateral longitudinal furrows distinct. Compound eyes rounded and small. Antennae incomplete, sparsely covered with short bristles; scapus flattened at base, 2 times as long as pedicellus, roughly as long as third segment. Thorax rough, with sparse granules and short wrinkles. Pronotum rectangular, longer than wide, anterior margin incurved, posterior margin truncate; transverse and longitudinal sulci crossing at middle area, with a pair of straight spines on anterior margin. Mesonotum rough, more than 3 times as long as pronotum, gently expanded posteriorly in second half; median longitudinal carina distinctly elevated, with spines anteriorly, pre-medially, post-medially and posteriorly. Mesopleurae with a short supra-coxal tubercle. Metanotum longer than median segment. Metapleurae with a supra-coxal spines. Median segment square and unarmed. Eighth tergum as long as ninth tergum. Anal segment wider than long, longer than ninth tergum, lateral margins gently elevated pre-medially, with a small emargination on posterior margin. Poculum cup-shaped, posterior margin rounded and not surpassing anterior margin of anal segment. Cerci short, flattened, apices rounded and not surpassing end of anal segment. Legs slender and long, sparsely covered with short bristles. All femora thicker than corresponding tibiae, anterodorsal, posterodorsal, anteroventral and posteroventral carinae indistinctly waved. Profemora curved basally, posteroventral and anteroventral carinae with a small serration near apices. Posteroventral and anteroventral carinae of mesofemora and metafemora with 2 small serrations near apices. Tibiae unarmed.

Female. Similar to male, but distinctly larger and more robust. Head oval. Occiput and vertex flat. Posterior margin of head with 6 small swellings. Median longitudinal furrow distinct. Compound eyes rounded. Antennae incomplete, apices not surpassing apices of protarsi, filiform and long, sparsely covered with short bristles; scapus flattened basally, roughly as long as third segment; pedicellus shorter than scapus. Thorax rough, with wrinkles and granules. Pronotum shorter than head, anterior margin with a pair of short tubercles, apices pointing forwards, transverse and longitudinal sulci crossing at middle area. Mesonotum constricted anteriorly and posteriorly, indistinctly swollen medially; median longitudinal carina distinct, with paired short tubercles anteriorly, medially and posteriorly; lateral margins with small and short tubercles. Metanotum longer than median segment, median longitudinal carina distinct, with paired short tubercles near middle area. Mesopleurae and metapleurae with a few short tubercles. Abdomen wrinkled, also with sparse small granules, tapering posteriorly. Fifth to ninth tergites with a small obscure crest posteromedially. Seventh sternum with an obscurely elevated hump-like praeopercular organ posteromedially. Ninth tergum shorter than eighth tergum. Anal segment longer than ninth tergum, constricted posteriorly, with a small indistinct emargination on posterior margin. Supra-anal plate small, posterior margin rounded. Subgenital plate mediolongitudinally carinate, scoop-shaped, apex pointed and reaching middle area of anal segment. Cerci small, flattened, apices pointed and not surpassing posterior margin of anal segment. Legs covered with short bristles. All femora thick-built, thicker than corresponding tibiae. Profemora curved basally. Anterodorsal, posterodorsal, anteroventral and posteroventral carinae of all femora with 2 small indistinct serrations near apices.

Measurements. Length. Body, ♂ 33.0 mm, ♀ 48.0 mm; head, ♂ 3.5 mm, ♀ 5.0 mm; pronotum, ♂ 2.5 mm, ♀ 4.0 mm; mesonotum, ♂ 8.0 mm, ♀ 11.0 mm; metanotum, ♂ 3.0 mm, ♀ 3.5 mm; median segment, ♂ 1.5 mm, ♀ 2.0 mm; profemora, ♂ 9.0 mm, ♀ 11.0 mm; mesofemora, ♂ 7.0 mm, ♀ 9.0 mm; metafemora, ♂ 10.0 mm, ♀ 12.0 mm; protibiae, ♂ 10.0 mm, ♀ 11.0 mm; mesotibiae, ♂ 7.0 mm, ♀ 10.0 mm; metatibiae, ♂ 12.0 mm, ♀ 15.0 mm.

Material examined. Holotype ♂, North Vietnam, Ba Be National Park, 1° forest Nam Giai (22°23'N, 105°37'E; elev. 600 m), 28 October 1996, M.J. Hill, BB P12, F3309.39 ( MMUE). Paratype. 1♀, same data as holotype, BB P13, F3309.40 ( MMUE) .

Distribution. Vietnam.

Remarks. The antennae of holotype and paratype are incomplete and its measurements are insufficiently provided.

Etymology. It is named in honour of M. J. Hill for his discovery of this new species.

Figures

Figures 1–37. Neohirasea spp. 1–5. N. biserrata sp. nov. 6–10. N. bispina bispina sp. nov. & subsp. nov. 11–12. N. bispina babeensis subsp. nov. 13–17. N. catbaensis sp. nov. 18–23. N. coomani sp. nov. 24–27. N. hilli hilli sp. nov. & subsp. nov. 28–29. N. hilli nahangensis subsp. nov. 30–32. N. hilli vietnamensis subsp. nov. 33–37. N. maerens pseudomaerens subsp. nov. 1, 6, 11, 13, 22, 24, 28, 30, 33. Male end of abdomen, lateral view. 2, 7, 12, 15, 23, 25, 29, 32, 34. Male end of abdomen, dorsal view. 3, 8, 14, 31, 35. Male vomer, ventral view. 4, 9, 16, 18, 26, 36. Female end of abdomen, lateral view. 5, 10, 17, 19, 27, 37. Female end of abdomen, dorsal view. 20. Female end of abdomen, ventral view. 21. Female mesonotum, dorsal view. Scale bars: 1–2, 4–7, 9–13, 15–30, 32– 34=5mm; 3, 8, 14, 31, 35=1mm.

Figures 57–68. Neohirasea spp. 57–60. N. hilli hilli sp. nov. & subsp. nov. 61, 63. N. hilli nahangensis subsp. nov. 62, 64. N. hilli vietnamensis subsp. nov. 65–68. N. maerens pseudomaerens subsp. nov. 57, 61–62, 65. Male habitus. 58, 66. Female habitus. 59, 63– 64, 67. Male head and thorax, dorsolateral view. 60, 68. Female head and thorax, dorsolateral view. Scale bars=5mm.