Andeocalynda banosense, Hennemann & Conle, 2020

Hennemann, Frank H. & Conle, Oskar V., 2020, Studies on Neotropical Phasmatodea XXIV: Andeocalynda n. gen., a new genus of Andean stick insects, with the descriptions of nine new species from Colombia and Ecuador (Phasmatodea: “ Anareolatae ”: Diapheromeridae: Diapheromerinae), Zootaxa 4896 (3), pp. 301-341 : 309-311

Andeocalynda banosense n. gen., n. sp.

( Fig. 5 )

HT, ♂: Ecuador, Tungurahua Prov. Baños 1850 m, VIII.1990, AJE. Harman; A. Harman M. Salton Coll. [ NHMUK] .

PT, ♂: Equateur, Baños , 1800 m, 1935 [ MHNG] .

PT, ♂: Ecuador, Banos , 1800 m, IX-38 (Clarke MacIntyre) [ ANSP] .

Diagnosis: ♂♂ of this new species are similar to A. decorata n. sp., A. viridipes n. sp. and A. carrikeri ( Hebard, 1919) in sharing the spiniform central protuberance of the poculum. From the first they differ by: the somewhat smaller size; shorter and more slender cerci; more bulgy poculum; shorter anal segment; lack of a sub-basal ventral expansion of the meso- and metafemora and less distinctly annulated legs. With the second species they also share the red bases of the meso- and metafemora, but the less bulgy poculum, which has the central projection smaller and less acutely pointed, and annulated legs readily distinguish it. From the third species ♂♂ of A. banosense n. sp. differ by: the considerably more convex poculum; much shorter and higher anal segment, which is not flattened towards the apex, and notably more slender cerci.

Etymology: Named after the type-locality Baños, a small town at roughly 1850 m in the southern Tungurahua Province of Ecuador and well known for its hot springs.

♂♂ ( Figs. 5 A–B): Moderately sized (body length 65.7–68.0 mm) for the genus. Body surface shiny. General colour mid brown (holotype) or ochre with the lateral margins of the meso- and metanotum dull greyish; sometimes with a slight greenish wash (paratypes). Lower lateral portions of head pale cream, the genae with a faint, longitudinal dark postocular streak ( Fig. 5C ). Lateral margins of abdominal tergum IX pale cream. Bases of profemora pale red interiorly and bases of meso- and metafemora red. Meso- and metafemora each with two faint but broad pale grey or straw transverse bands. Antennae ochre to mid brown and becoming slightly darker towards the apex.

Head: Sub-cylindrical, slightly narrowed towards the posterior and about 1.6x longer than wide. Vertex flattened with a fine and impressed coronal line ( Fig. 5D ). Between the bases of the antennae with three small swellings. Eyes strongly projecting and their diameter contained about 2.5x in length of genae ( Fig. 5C ). Antennae reaching to abdominal segment V. Scapus flattened, roundly rectangular in dorsal aspect and about 1.4x longer than wide. Pedicellus round in cross-section and about 2/3 the length of scapus ( Fig. 5D ).

Thorax: Pronotum of similar dimensions as head, roundly rectangular with the lateral margins weakly rounded and about 1.3x longer than wide. Surface with an impressed longitudinal median furrow, transverse median sulcus distinct and almost reaching lateral margins of segment ( Fig. 5D ). Mesothorax almost 3.5x longer than head and pronotum combined; very indistinctly widened in posterior portion. Mesosternum gently tectinate longitudinally. Mesopleurae with a few small, yellow granules in anterior portion.

Abdomen: Median segment short and only about ¼ the length of metanotum, roughly 2x longer than wide and slightly constricted medially. Segment II about 1.5x longer than the median segment but very slightly shorter than III–V; the latter roughly equal in length and about 4x longer than wide. VI as long as II and VII only 4/5 the length of VI. Terga III–VI with a small and blunt posteromedian swelling. All sterna smooth. Tergum VIII less than 2/3 the length of VII and slightly widened towards the posterior; IX 1.3x longer than VIII with the lateral margins just very weakly rounded ( Figs. 5 F–E). Both with a pronounced longitudinal bulge on lateral surfaces ( Fig. 5F ) and a faint dorso-lateral longitudinal carina. Anal segment about half the length of IX, strongly tectiform and with the lateral surfaces slightly convex ( Fig. 5H ), almost quadrate in lateral aspect and the posterior margin widely rounded in the lower portion ( Fig. 5F ); the two lateral portions of the posterior margin somewhat swollen, facing each other and interiorly set with several small, black denticles ( Fig. 5E ). Vomer slender and with a very short, up-curving terminal hook. Cerci moderately elongate, slender, arched inwards, ventral directed and a little shorter than the anal segment ( Fig. 5E ). Poculum almost reaching to posterior margin of tergum IX ( Fig. 5G ), strongly convex, angular and with a spiniform basal protuberance ( Figs. 5 F–E); the posterior margin carinate medially ( Fig. 5G ).

Legs: All long and moderately slender, entirely unarmed and all carinae minutely setose. Profemora slightly longer and the mesofemora slightly shorter than mesothorax, metafemora almost reaching posterior margin of abdominal segment VI and metatibiae projecting considerably over apex of abdomen.All basitarsi considerably longer than remaining tarsomeres combined.

Comments: The holotype is somewhat darker in overall colour what might have been caused by the preservation technique. The paler colouration of the two paratypes appears to be the more natural colour of the live insects. ♀♀ and eggs unknown.

Distribution: Central Ecuador, Tungurahua Province (Baños, 1800–1850 m).

Figures

FIGURE 5. Andeocalynda banosense n. sp. ♂. A. HT [NHMUK], habitus dorsolateral view; B. PT [MHNG], habitus dorsal view; C. Head of PT in lateral view [MHNG]; D. Head, prothorax and basal portion of mesothorax of HT in dorsal view [NHMUK]; E. Apex of abdomen of PT in lateral view [MHNG]; F. Apex of abdomen of PT in lateral view [ANSP]; G. Apex of abdomen of PT in ventral view [ANSP]; H. Apex of abdomen of PT in dorsal view [ANSP].