Diapherodes jamaicensis

Frank H. Hennemann, Oskar V. Conle & Daniel E. Perez-Gelabert, 2016, Studies on Neotropical Phasmatodea XVI: Revision of Haplopodini Günther, 1953 (rev. stat.), with notes on the subfamily Cladomorphinae Bradley & Galil, 1977 and the descriptions of a new tribe, four new genera and nine new species (Phasmatodea: “ Anareolatae ”: Phasmatidae: Cladomorphinae), Zootaxa 4128 (1), pp. 1-211 : 89

5.4. 2. The jamaicensis species-group

Characteristics: The three known members of the jamaicensis species-group are restricted to the two Greater Antillean islands of Jamaica and Puerto Rico ( Fig. 375). They are of moderate size for the genus (body lengths: ♂♂ 60.0–94.0 mm, ♀♀ including subgenital plate 84.0– 164.5 mm) with ♀♀ ranging from rather slender to moderately robust. Body surface of ♂♂ sub-glabrous to glabrous. Colouration of both sexes usually bright green (♀♀ more rarely brown or with brown markings). Pronotum without anterior spines; at best sparsely tuberculate. Mesonotum of ♂♂ entirely unarmed or with 2–6 paired anterior spines. Meso- and metasternum smooth (♂♂), mesosternum may have a few minute granules in ♀♀. Meso- and metapleurae of ♂♂ unarmed, of ♀♀ with a marginal row of granules or spiniform tubercles. Alae of ♀♀ ± as long as tegmina; anal region of both sexes plain pink to purple. Abdomen of ♀♀ broadened sub-basally with segment III broadest. Tergites IV–VII of ♀♀ ± decidedly multicarinate; VII ± strongly laterally expanded or with a triangular posterolateral lobe. Epiproct of ♀♀ large, triangular to shield-shaped and distinctly projecting over anal segment. All carinae of legs unarmed, except for spines on medioventral carina and sub-apical spines on the two outer ventral carinae of the meso- and metafemora. Dorsal carinae of meso- and metafemora may bear a ± tooth or lobe sub-apically. Eggs small to moderately sized (capsule length <5.0 mm), micropylar plate small and usually <1 / 3 the length of capsule. For a detailed comparison with the gigantea species-group see Table 10.