Sinophasma guangdongensis, Ho, George Wai-Chun, 2012

Ho, George Wai-Chun, 2012, Notes on the genera Sinophasma Günther, 1940 and Pachyscia Redtenbacher, 1908 (Phasmatodea: Diapheromeridae: Necrosciinae), with the description of four new species from China, Zootaxa 3495, pp. 57-72 : 64-66

Sinophasma guangdongensis sp. nov.

( Figs. 10–16 )

Chen & Chen, 1997: 97, figs. 8–9. [Identified as S. pseudomirabile Chen & Chen, 1996 based on specimens from Guangdong]

Type-material. Holotype 3, Yueyun, Shaoguan, Guangdong Province, China, 20.VII.2008, Ho Wai-Chun George (SEM, ex coll. GH); Paratypes 33, 2ƤƤ, Yueyun, Shaoguan, Guangdong Province, China, 20.VII.2008, Ho Wai- Chun George (SEM, ex coll. GH & GH).

Diagnosis. Medium Sinophasma . This new species is similar to S. pseudomirabile Chen & Chen, 1996 [Guangxi, China] but differs by the strongly furcate cerci and triangularly emarginated hind margin of the anal segment in male. The female is similar to S. mirabile Günther, 1940 [Type from Fujian, also Guangdong, Guangxi, Hong Kong, Hunan and Zhejiang, China] but differs by pale white anal region of alae.

Description. Male ( Figs. 10–12 , 15 ). Body very slender and slim, more slender than the female. General colouration of body, legs, tegmina and costal region of alae green.

Head: Green. Smooth, oval, longer than wide, dorsal-ventrally flattened. Occiput flat. Median furrow distinct. Eyes dark brown, oval, longer than the first antennal segment. Antennae brown, long, exceeding apices of forelegs; the first segment almost as long as third segment.

Thorax: Green. Pronotum rectangular, shorter than head, with transverse and longitudinal sulcus crossing before middle, granulations indistinct. Mesonotum long and slender, parallel-sided, 4.8 x length of pronotum, sparsely covered with small granules, medially carinate, with one distinct lateral carina. Mesopleurum, mesosternum and metasternum with few mini granules. Metapleurum with few granules along lateral carina. Metanotum 1.3 x longer than median segment.

Abdomen: Green, with brownish longitudinal band. Smooth. Slender and long. Parallel-sided from second tergum to seventh tergum. Eighth tergum gradually expanded posteriorly, hind margin incurved. Ninth tergum slightly as long as eighth tergum, postero-lateral angles elongate and projecting over the antero-lateral angles of the anal segment. Anal segment slightly broader than ninth tergum, with triangular notch at hind margin, lateral angles of hind margin rounded. Poculum elongate, exceeding beyond base of the anal segment, apex pointed. Cerci orange brown, flattened, strongly furcate, antler-shaped composed by two equal-length tines, apex of interior bifurcation rounded, and exterior bifurcation pointed.

Legs: All femora and tibiae uniformly green. All coxae pale orange. Very slender and long. Unarmed, but with sparse bristles.

Wings: Tegmina oval and green, longer than pronotum, elevated angle blunt and black, with bright yellow longitudinal stripe being laterad of the elevation. Alae reaching anterior margin of sixth tergum, costal region uniformly green, anal region pale white.

Female ( Figs. 13–14 , 16 ). Longer and broader than the male. Green with brown abdomen.

Head: Green, genae with broad pinkish postocular band reaching back of head. Oblong, longer than wide, smooth. Occiput slightly convex. Eyes oval, dark brown. Antennae brown, long, reaching end of fourth abdominal tergum.

Thorax: Lateral margins of pronotum and mesonotum along with a pinkish longitudinal band. Pronotum rectangular, 1.5 x longer than wide. Mesonotum densely granulated, median carina distinct. Mesosternum brown, with darker markings, densely granulated. Metapleurum grassy green, with indistinct granulations. Metasternum brown, with darker markings, granules indistinct.

Abdomen: Brown, with darker markings. Smooth. Narrowing posteriorly. From second tergum to fifth tergum almost equal in length. The apical three tergites equal in length. Anal segment notched at hind margin, lateral angles rounded. Supra-anal plate distinct, apex rounded, projecting over the lateral angles of anal segment. Subgenital plate short, reaching base of ninth tergum. Gonapophyses exposed, reaching middle of ninth tergum. Cerci straight, non-cylindrical, broad at base, tapering towards the apex, slightly constricted medially.

Legs: All femora ad tibiae green. Coxae brown. Unarmed. Profemora curved basally, as long as metafemora. Sparsely covered with brownish bristles.

Wings: Tegmina short, longer than pronotum, generally green with pinkish markings. Alae reaching anterior of sixth tergum, costal region green with broad pinkish longitudinal band at anterior margin, anal region pale white. Measurements in table 3.

Notes. Chen and Chen (1997: 97) provided a description for the female of S. pseudomirabile Chen & Chen, 1996 based on specimens from Guangdong. These however represent a distinct species here recognized as S. guangdongensis sp. nov.

Distribution. Guangdong (Shaoguan), China.

Etymology. This new species is named after the type locality, the Guangdong Province.

Figures

FIGURES 10 – 14. Sinophasma guangdongensis Ho sp. nov. [scale bar 3 mm]. 10. Male, apex of abdomen, dorsal view. 11. Male, apex of abdomen, lateral view. 12. Male, apex of abdomen, posterior view. 13. Female, apex of abdomen, dorsal view. 14. Female, apex of abdomen, lateral view.

FIGURES 15 – 16. Habitus of Sinophasma guangdongensis sp. nov. 15. S. guangdongensis Ho sp. nov., HT male (SEM, ex coll. GH). 16. S. guangdongensis Ho sp. nov., PT female (SEM, ex coll. GH).