Parasinophasma bresseeli, Ho, George Wai-Chun, 2017

Ho, George Wai-Chun, 2017, Contribution to the knowledge of Oriental Phasmatodea I: A taxonomic study of the genus Parasinophasma (Phasmatodea: Necrosciinae), Journal of Orthoptera Research 26 (2), pp. 181-194 : 182

Parasinophasma bresseeli sp. n. Figs 1-4, 28-35

Type material.-

Holotype ♂, 21°31'N, 105°33'E, Tam Dao National Park, Vietnam, 25-30.VII.2011, Joachim Bresseel and Jerome Constant (RBINS); Paratypes 2♂ and 3♀, 21°31'N, 105°33'E, Tam Dao National Park, Vietnam, 25-30.VII.2011, Joachim Constant and Jerome Bresseel (RBINS).

Diagnosis.-

Parasinophasma bresseeli sp. n. is closely related to P. henanense (Bi & Wang, 1998), but can be separated by its large and bulky body in both sexes, lack of elongate posterolateral angles on the ninth abdominal tergum in males and sparsely granulated mesonotum in females.

Description.-

Male (Figs 1-2, 28-30, 34): Medium-sized. Smaller and more slender than female. Head oblong, longer than wide, longer than head. Lacking granulation. Vertex flat, lacking ocelli. Occiput convex, with distinct median and lateral longitudinal furrows. Compound eyes big and rounded, length about one-and-a-half times that of genae. Antennae filiform, reaching fifth abdominal tergum, densely covered with short bristles; scapus flattened basally, longer than pedicellus; third segment as long as scapus. Pronotum lacking granulation, rectangular, longer than wide, shorter than head; anterior margin curved inwards, posterior margin rounded, transverse and longitudinal sulci crossing before middle point. Mesonotum sparsely granulated, shorter than combined length of pronotum, metanotum and median segment, moderately expanded posteriorly, median longitudinal line distinct. Mesopleurae and mesosternum with inconspicuous small granules. Metapleurae and metasternum lacking granulation. Abdomen lacking granulation. Parallel-sided from second to seventh tergites. Eighth tergum gently expanded posteriorly. Ninth tergum swollen, gently constricted posteriorly, longer than eighth tergum, lacking posterolateral angles. Anal segment roughly as long as eighth tergum, tapering posteriorly, with a small indistinct notch on posterior margin. Poculum cup-shaped, posterior margin rounded and reaching anterior margin of anal segment. Cerci short, tapering posteriorly, apices pointed, curved upwards and not surpassing posterior margin of anal segment. Legs sparsely covered with short bristles. Unarmed. Profemora curved basally, longer than combined length of pronotum and mesonotum. All tibiae roughly as long as corresponding femora. Tegmina oval, longer than or as long as head, posterior margin rounded. Alae long, posterior apices reaching posterior margin of sixth or seventh abdominal tergum.

Coloration: Head brown with blackish brown longitudinal stripes. Antennae dark brown. Thorax black, with brown longitudinal stripes. Abdomen black with brownish yellow maculations. Legs orange brown. Tegmina blackish brown, with yellowish brown veins. Costal region of alae blackish brown, with yellowish brown veins, anal segment uniformly gray.

Female (Figs 3-4, 31-33, 35): Medium-sized. Body elongate and slender, distinctly larger and more robust than male. Head oblong, longer than wide, lacking granulation. Vertex flat, lacking ocelli. Occiput conically convex, with distinct median and lateral longitudinal furrows. Compound eyes small and rounded, length about three times that of genae. Antennae filiform, reaching third abdominal tergum, densely covered with short bristles; scapus flattened basally, shorter than third segment, longer than pedicellus. Pronotum lacking granulation, rectangular, longer than wide, shorter than head; anterior margin curved inwards, posterior margin rounded, transverse and longitudinal sulci crossing before middle point. Mesonotum sparsely covered with a few small black granules; as long as combined length of metanotum and median segment, parallel-sided, median longitudinal line distinct. Mesopleurae with a few small black granules marginally. Mesosternum sparsely and inconspicuously covered with minute granules. Metapleurae and metasternum lacking granulation. Abdomen cylindrical, tapering posteriorly, lacking granulation. Seventh tergum shorter than combined length of eighth and ninth tergites. Seventh sternum with an indistinct crest-like praeopercular organ posteromedially. Eighth tergum longer than ninth tergum. Anal segment longer than ninth tergum, with a small notch on posterior margin. Supra-anal plate small, posterior margin rounded. Subgenital plate scoop-shaped, apex reaching anterior area of anal segment. Gonapophyses not distinctly exposed, apex reaching anterior area of anal segment. Cerci short, cylindrical, apices pointed and surpassing posterior margin of anal segment. Legs sparsely covered with short bristles. Unarmed. Profemora curved basally, as long as combined length of pronotum and mesonotum. All tibiae roughly as long as corresponding femora. Tegmina oval, longer than or as long as head, posterior margin rounded. Alae long, posterior apices reaching middle area of sixth abdominal tergum.

Coloration: General color of body brown. Head brown with black maculations. Antennae dark brown. Legs generally brown to greenish brown, profemora with darker maculations, mesofemora and metafemora uniformly colored. Tegmina and costal region of alae brown with grayish brown maculations. Anal region of alae gray with pale white spots.

Measurements.-

(mm) Holotype ♂, Body length: 69, head: 3.5, antennae: lost, pronotum: 3, mesonotum: 9, metanotum including median segment: 8.5, profemora: 14, mesofemora: 10, metafemora: 15, protibiae: 13, mesotibiae: 9.5, metatibiae: 15, tegmina: 4, alae: 35. Paratypes ♂, Body length: 61-62, head: 3.5, antennae: 42-47, pronotum: 3, mesonotum: 9, metanotum including median segment: 8.5, profemora: 15, mesofemora: 11-12, metafemora: 17, protibiae: 15, mesotibiae: 11, metatibiae: 17-18, tegmina: 3.5-4, alae: 34-36. Paratypes ♀, Body length: 78-87, head: 5-5.5, antennae: 42-43, pronotum: 4, mesonotum: 11-12, metanotum including median segment: 11-13, profemora: 15-16, mesofemora: 11, metafemora: 15-16, protibiae: 14-16, mesotibiae: 9-10, metatibiae: 14-16, tegmina: 5-6, alae: 43-44.

Distribution.-

Vietnam.

Notes.-

The antennae of the holotypic male are lost and its measurements are insufficiently provided.

Etymology.-

It is named in honor of Joachim Bresseel (Brussels, Belgium) for his discovery of this new species.