Asceles maculatus, Ho, 2018

Ho, Wai-Chun George, 2018, New taxa of Necrosciinae from Vietnam (Phasmatodea: Diapheromeridae), Zoological Systematics 43 (2), pp. 178-189 : 180-181

Asceles maculatus sp. nov. ( Figs 5–8 , 26–27 )

Diagnosis. This new species is similar to A. hirsutus sp. nov., but can be easily separated by maculated wings and legs, lacking long hairs on legs and long alae in both sexes. The female of this new species is also similar to A. brevicollis Redtenbacher, 1908 , but can be separated by large size, distinctly tuberculate swellings on posterior margin of head, two pairs of spines on anterior area of mesonotum and maculated wings and legs.

Description. Female. Body cylindrical, more robust and larger than male. General colour of body dark brown. Legs and wings brown with light brown markings. Head oval, flattened, longer than pronotum, with short acute granules and spinelike tubercles. Vertex flat. Occiput flat with distinct median and indistinct lateral longitudinal furrows, posterior margin elevated with 4 tuberculate swellings. Compound eyes small and oval, about 4 times as long as genae. Antennae long and filiform; scapus flattened basally, about 2 times as long as pedicellus, as long as third segment. Pronotum, mesonotum, mesopleurae, and metapleurae with small acute granules and interspersed with short spine-like tubercles, mesosternum and metasternum with inconspicuous granulations. Pronotum rectangular, longer than wide, with longitudinal and transverse sulci crossing before middle area, anterior margin weakly curved inwards, posterior margin rounded, with 2 pairs of spines placed before transverse sulcus. Mesonotum medially constricted posteriorly, with distinct median longitudinal line, with 2 pairs of spines placed at anterior area. Abdomen cylindrical, tapering posteriorly, dorsal surface wrinkled and with inconspicuous granulations, ventral surface lacking granulations. Seventh sternum lacking praeopercular organ. Eighth tergum longer than ninth tergum. Anal segment as long as eighth tergum, with a small emargination on posterior margin. Supra-anal plate small, posterior margin rounded and surpassing posterolateral angles of anal segment. Subgenital plate scoop-shaped, posterior margin with a small U-shaped emargination and reaching middle area of anal segment. Cerci long, cylindrical, apices obtuse. Legs unarmed, slender and long. Profemora and metafemora as long as corresponding tibiae, mesofemora longer than mesotibiae. Profemora incurved basally, anterodorsal and posteroventral carinae raised basally. Tegmina oval, tapering anteriorly, longer than head. Alae long, posterior apices reaching anterior area of sixth abdominal tergum.

Male. Body slender and elongate, distinctly much slender than female. General colour of body brown. Legs and wings brown with dark brown and black markings. Head with sparse and small granules, oval, flattened, slightly longer than pronotum. Vertex and occiput flat, with distinct median longitudinal furrow, posterior margin elevated with 4 distinct swellings. Compound eyes small and oval, about 2 times as long as genae. Antennae long and filiform; scapus flattened basally, longer than pedicellus, shorter than third segment. Thorax with a few small granules. Pronotum rectangular, longer than wide, anterior margin curved inwards, posterior margins rounded, longitudinal and transverse sulci crossing before middle area. Mesonotum broadly emarginated medially, with distinct median longitudinal line, with a black V-shaped marking on anterior area and post-medial area respectively. Abdomen lacking granulations. Eighth tergum roughly as long as ninth tergum. Ninth tergum with posterolateral angles, apices pointed. Anal segment slightly shorter than ninth tergum, with a small emargination on posterior margin. Poculum cup-shaped, flattened, posterior margin rounded and not surpassing posterior margin of ninth tergum. Cerci cylindrical, long, apices obtuse. Legs unarmed, slender and long. All femora roughly as long as corresponding tibiae. Profemora incurved basally. Tegmina oval, tapering anteriorly, with a spine near middle area. Alae long, apices reaching posterior margin of sixth abdominal tergum.

Measurements. Length. Body, ♀ 85.0 mm, ♂ 60.0 mm; antennae, ♀ 84.0 mm, ♂ 58.0 mm; head, ♀ 7.0 mm, ♂ 3.5 mm; pronotum, ♀ 5.0mm, ♂ 3.0 mm; mesonotum, ♀ 18.0 mm, ♂ 11.0 mm; metanotum (including median segment), ♀ 12.0mm, ♂ 8.0 mm; profemora, ♀ 24.0mm, ♂ 20.0 mm; mesofemora, ♀ 16.0 mm, ♂ 13.0 mm; metafemora, ♀ 16.0 mm, ♂ 19.0 mm; protibiae, ♀ 24.0 mm, ♂ 18.0 mm; mesotibiae, ♀ 14.0 mm, ♂ 11.0 mm; metatibiae, ♀ 24.0 mm, ♂ 20.0 mm; tegmina, ♀ 8.0 mm, ♂ 4.5mm; alae, ♀ 36.0 mm, ♂ 33.0 mm.

Material examined. Holotype ♀, Vietnam, Gia Lai, c. 40km N of K’ Bang Town, Kon Chu Rang Nature Reserve (14°30'19''N, 108°32'28''E; elev. 1020 m), 24 May–2 June 2016, Abramov A.V., F3476.26 ( MMUE). Paratype. 1♂, same data as holotype, F3476.27 ( MMUE) .

Distribution. Vietnam.

Etymology. The specific epithet of this new species is derived from the maculated wings and legs in both sexes.

Figures

Figures 1–23. Necrosciinae spp. 1–4. Asceles hirsutus sp. nov. 5–8. A. maculatus sp. nov. 9–12. Lamachodes brocki sp. nov. 13– 16. Marmessoidea alata alata sp. nov. & subsp. nov. 17–18. M. liuxingyuei sp. nov. 19–23. Neooxyartes zomproi gen. nov. & sp. nov. 1, 5, 9, 15, 19. Female end of abdomen, lateral view. 2, 6, 10, 16, 20. Female end of abdomen, dorsal view. 3, 7, 11, 13, 17, 21. Male end of abdomen, lateral view. 4, 8, 12, 14, 18, 22. Male end of abdomen, dorsal view. 23. Vomer, ventral view. Scale bars: 1–22=5mm; 23=1mm.

Figures 24–29. Necrosciinae spp., habitus. 24–25. Asceles hirsutus sp. nov. 26–27. A. maculatus sp. nov. 28–29. Lamachodes brocki sp. nov. 24, 26, 28. Female. 25, 27, 29. Male. Scale bars=5mm.