Pseudosermyle chorreadero, Conle, Oskar V., Hennemann, Frank H. & Fontana, Paolo, 2007

Conle, Oskar V., Hennemann, Frank H. & Fontana, Paolo, 2007, Studies on neotropical Phasmatodea V: Notes on certain species of Pseudosermyle Caudell, 1903, with the descriptions of three new species from Mexico (Phasmatodea: Diapheromeridae: Diapheromerinae: Diapheromerini), Zootaxa 1496, pp. 31-51 : 33-35

Pseudosermyle chorreadero n. sp.

( Figs. 1–3 , 15–16 )

HT, ♂: Mexico, Chiapas, El Chorreadero , 13.IX.1980, Coll. C.R.B. (UNAM). PT, Ψ: Mexico, Chiapas, El Chorreadero , 13.IX.1980, Coll. C.R.B. (UNAM).

Distribution: Mexico (Chiapas: El Chorreadero ).

Etymology: This new species is named after the type-locality El Chorreadero , a waterfall in the Chiapas district of Mexico.

Differentiation: ɗɗ are distinguished from the other species with forked cerci, P. incongruens (Brunner v. Wattenwyl, 1907), P. phalangiphora ( Rehn, 1907) and P. procera n. sp., by: the strongly reduced dextrolateral appendix of sternite IX, which does not projecting over the apex of the poculum; the strongly reduced dorsal arm of the right cercus, and the long mesofemora which are distinctly longer than the mesonotum. ΨΨ differ from P. phalangiphora ( Rehn, 1907) by: the more distinct spines of the head and thorax; longer mesofemora which are at least as long, or longer than the mesonotum, and the shorter, apically rounded cerci. From P. tolteca ( Saussure, 1859) ɗɗ differ by the lack of the four prominent spines on the pronotum and longer mesofemora which are at least as long, but usually longer than the mesonotum.

Description: The following descriptions of the Ψ and ɗ are based on the dried and pinned types, which probably lost their original colouration during the preservation. Therefore the colouration is only described briefly.

ΨΨ ( Fig. 16 ): Medium-sized (body length 70.3 mm) and rather robust for the genus. Complete body surface, but head and thorax in particular, densely covered with granules and small spines. General colouration of head and body brown or green. Legs brown to dark-brown with indistinct dark and pale patches. Antennae uniformly pale to mid brown in basal half and faintly annulated with yellow afterwards.

Head: Elongate, at best 1.5 x longer than wide, parallel-sided, oval in cross-section; vertex flat and covered with many minute spines. Between the eyes with two sharply pointed spines (length 0.5–1 mm). Eyes small, circular and strongly convex. Antennae distinctly longer than head and thorax combined (broken in the PT and probably reaching as far as to the posterior margin of tergite IV). Antennomeres very short and decreasing in length towards apices of antennae, densely covered by minute setae. Scapus dorsoventrally flattened, rectangular and about 2x longer than wide. Pedicellus cylindrical, broader than following antennomeres and about half the length of scapus.

Thorax: Complete surface densely covered with large granules and minute spines, longitudinal dorsomedian line very indistinct. Meso- and metathorax slightly broadened towards the posterior. Pronotum parallelsided, as wide but slightly shorter than the head, 1.3x longer than wide and slightly constricted medially. Transverse median depression very distinct, slightly curved and reaching to lateral margins of segment. Mesothorax elongate and round in cross-section, mesonotum about 4x longer than pronotum and 4– 5 x longer than wide. Metanotum 2x longer than wide, about half as long as mesonotum, parallel sided. Pro-, meso- and metasternum simple.

Abdomen: Hardly longer than head and thorax combined. Dorsal surface less distinctly granulose than thorax but with a distinct longitudinal dorsomedian carina reaching from the median segment to the anal segment. Otherwise, tergites with several longitudinal carinae. Transverse fissure between median segment and metanotum distinct and almost straight. Median segment transverse, about 2x wider than long, and about 1/3 the length of the metanotum. Segments II–III slightly increasing, IV–VII decreasing in width. Segments II– VII slightly increasing in length, II 1.2, VI 1.6x VII, and VII 1.7– 2 x longer than wide. Tergites VIII and IX about as wide as long, strongly convex and shorter than anal segment. VIII and IX the shortest and narrowest, III–V the longest and widest tergites. Anal segment longer than IX, parallel sided, with the median carina very distinct and the posterior margin rounded with a broad median incision. Lateral margins with a faint concave excavation near the bases of the cerci. Sternites II–VII simple and granulose. VII with an insdistinct praeopercular organ formed by a small medial notch at posterior margin. Supraanal plate short with the apex angulate and not reaching the posterior margin of anal segment. Subgenital plate small, flat and scoop-shaped, at best reaching half way along anal segment ( Fig. 3 ), minutely setose and with apex very sharply pointed. Cerci small, short, triangular in cross-section, tapered towards a blunt and rounded apex, not projecting over anal segment. Gonapophyses elongate, slender, apically up-curving, and completely covered by the subgenital plate.

Legs: All rather long and slender, profemora slightly longer than mesonotum, mesofemora at least as long as mesonotum, hind legs distinctly projecting over apex of abdomen. All distinctly carinated, destitute of teeth or spines and with all carinae minutely bristled. Profemora considerably compressed and curved basally. Mesofemora without sub-basal lobes on the ventral carinae (at least in the unique Ψ known).

ɗɗ ( Fig. 15 ): Medium-sized (body length 60.2 mm) rather slender and elongate. Body smooth and slightly shiny, head with two blunt tubercles between the eyes. General colouration of head and body dark brown with dark green longitudinal stripes along the lateral surfaces of the meso- and metathorax. Legs of same general colour as body, but with distinct yellow annulations. Antennae uniformly pale to mid brown in basal half, very indistinctly annulated with yellow in the apical half.

Head: As in female but smooth, without granules or spines and between the eyes with two low blunt tubercles. Eyes as in female. Antennae as in female, but relatively longer and possibly projecting the apex of the abdomen (broken in HT).

Thorax: Complete surface smooth and partly shiny. Meso- and metathorax round in cross-section and slightly constricted medially. Pronotum parallel-sided, slightly shorter and as wide as the head, 1.3–1.5x longer than wide, slightly constricted medially. Transverse median depression distinct, slightly curved and reaching lateral margins of segment. Mesonotum more slender and 5– 6 x longer than pronotum, 6– 7 x longer than wide, slightly widened at the posterior and anterior margins. Metanotum 4– 5 x longer than wide, about 2/ 3 the length of mesonotum and slightly widened at the posterior and anterior margins. Pro- meso- and metapleurae and sterna smooth and simple.

Abdomen: As long as head and thorax combined. Surface smooth and partly shiny. Transverse fissure between median segment and metanotum distinct and almost straight. Median segment hardly wider than long, ¼ the length of metanotum. Segments II–VII longest and most slender segment, parallel sided, 3– 5 x longer than wide. Tergite VIII wider than VII, slightly widened towards the posterior, about as long as wide. IX narrower than VIII, medially constricted and hardly longer than wide. Anal segment widest, strongly convex and prominently widened towards a broad, rounded posterior margin. Sternites II–VII smooth and shiny. Supraanal plate very small and hardly visible in dorsal aspect. Cerci very prominent and nearly equal in length to another, about as long as anal segment, triangular in cross-section and incurving ( Fig. 2 ). Left cercus forked at about two thirds the length, the dorsal branch directed somewhat dorsad and nearly as long as the other branch which is produced horizontally; covered with minute pale setae. Right cercus like left cercus, but dorsal branch reduced to a very small blunt heap. Vomer dark brown, longer than wide, elongate and longitudinally separated into two equal parts. Dextral appendix of sternite IX reduced to a very small conical apex, not projecting the poculum. Poculum of moderate size and slightly pointed towards the apex ( Fig. 1 ).

Legs: Generally as in female but more slender and mesofemora distinctly longer than mesonotum. Mesofemora without lobes.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 7. [scale = 1 mm] 1. Pseudosermyle chorreadero n. sp. ɗ, terminal abdominal segments (lateral view). 2. Pseudosermyle chorreadero n. sp. ɗ, cerci (dorsal view). 3. Pseudosermyle chorreadero n. sp. Ψ, terminal abdominal segments (lateral view). 4. Pseudosermyle claviger n. sp. ɗ, terminal abdominal segments (lateral view). 5. Pseudosermyle claviger n. sp. ɗ, cerci (dorsal view). 6. Pseudosermyle incongruens (Brunner v. Wattenwyl, 1907) ɗ, terminal abdominal segments (lateral view). 7. Pseudosermyle incongruens (Brunner v. Wattenwyl, 1907) ɗ, cerci (dorsal view).

FIGURES 15 – 20. [scale = 10 mm] 15. Pseudosermyle chorreadero n. sp. ♂, HT, (UNAM). 16. Pseudosermyle chorreadero n. sp. Ψ, PT, (UNAM). 17. Pseudosermyle claviger n. sp. ♂, HT, (UNAM). 18. Pseudosermyle incongruens (Brunner v. Wattenwyl, 1907) ♂, LT, (NHMW). 19. Pseudosermyle phalangiphora (Rehn, 1907) ♂, (coll. OC). 20. Pseudosermyle phalangiphora (Rehn, 1907) Ψ, (coll. OC).