Parhaplopus evadne (Westwood, 1859) Westwood, 1859

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 : 156-160

Parhaplopus evadne (Westwood, 1859) n. gen., n. comb.

( Figs. 298–309, 355, 379– 398)

Haplopus evadne Westwood, 1859: 85 , pl. 18: 6, 6a & b (♂). HT, ♂: Type, St. Dom. 55.1., Haplopus Evadne Westw., St. Domingo , evadne Westw. Mon. Phasm. Pl. 18 fig. 6, Haplopus evadne Westwood , HT; BMNH (E) # 844943 [ NHMUK]. Brock et al., (in press)

Kirby, 1904 a: 363.

Redtenbacher, 1908: 432.

Otte & Brock, 2005: 151.

Diapherodes evadne, Moxey, 1972: 97 (in litt.).

[Not: Haplopus evadne Caudell, 1904: 949 , figs. 1 & 2 (♀)— misidentification. Later described as Aplopus mayeri Caudell, 1905 = A. scabricollis (Gray, 1835) ]

Further material [6 ♂♂, 1 ♀]: HISPANIOLA ( HAITI):

1 ♂: Gonaive Is., Haiti, Aug., Eyerdam coll.; wO 130 [ ANSP]; 1 ♂: Haiti: Dept. Sud'est, Formond, alrededores Kay, Michel 2026684 mN, 603254 mE, 1100 m, 4–8 February 2006, coll. R. Bastardo; 33514 ( MHND) [ USNM]; 1 ♀: Haiti: Department du Sud, Formon, alrededores de Kay Michel, 1100 m, 603254 mE, 2026684 mN, 9.II. 2006, R. Bastardo; 35424 ( MHND) [ USNM]; 1 ♂: Haiti: Department du Sud, Formon, alrededores de Kay Michel, 1100 m, 603254 mE, 2026684 mN, 9.II. 2006, R. Bastardo; 35403 ( MHND) [ USNM]; 1 ♂: Haiti: Department du Sud, Formon, alrededores de Kay Michel, 1100 m, 603254 mE, 2026684 mN, 9.II. 2006, R. Bastardo; 38600 ( MHND) [ USNM]; 1 ♂: Haiti: Department du Sud, Formon, alrededores de Kay Michel, 1100 m, 603254 mE, 2026684 mN, 9.II. 2006, R. Bastardo; 33594 ( MHND) [ USNM]; 1 ♂: Haiti: Department du Sud, Formon, alrededores de Kay Michel, 1100 m, 603254 mE, 2026684 mN, 9.II. 2006, R. Bastardo; 35484 ( MHND) [ USNM].

Diagnosis: Males readily differ from the other two species in the genus by: the large size; much more prominent cephalad horns; pale green colouration and yellow tegmina and alae which have all longitudinal veins broadly marked with bright green. Females resemble those of P. n av a r roi n. sp. but differ by: the larger size; much more prominent cephalad horns; more prominently spinose pronotum and mesothorax; more decided spines of the metapleurae; larger, semi-circular and shield-shaped epiproct and slender apically pointed subgenital plate.

Description: The colouration is described from photos of live specimens taken at Parc National Pic Macaya, Massif de la Hotte.

♀ ( Fig. 298). Fairly large (body length including the subgenital plate 149.0 mm) and fairly slender for the genus. Colour greenish mid brown all over mottled with irregular dark brown markings. Abdominal tergites III–VI with a pale cream roughly square marking anteriorly. Legs dull greenish brown. Entire thoracic armature tipped with black. Antennae dark reddish to greenish brown with most antennomeres, except for the scapus, dull brown to black apically. Eyes cream with reddish brown mottling. Tegmina and costal region of alae dull ochraceous with faint darker mottling. Anal region of alae transparent grey with all major longitudinal and transverse veins broadly marked with black.

Head: Ovoid, about 1.3 x longer than wide; vertex gently convex and armed with a pair of fairly large conical, apically pointed and black tipped cephalad horns; the dextral one bifid in the only specimen at hand. A further pair of spiniform tubercles towards the frons and two pairs of low spiniform tubercles in the posterior portion. Cheeks with two small granules ( Fig. 303). Eyes rather small, circular in outline and contained almost 2.5 x in length of cheeks. Antennae reaching about half way along median segment. Scapus some 1.5 x longer than wide with the lateral margins gently rounded. Pedicellus less than half the length of scapus and about equal in length to III, roughly cylindrical.

Thorax: Pronotum slightly longer and somewhat narrower than head, 1.6 x longer than wide, roughly rectangular and with the lateral margins very gently emarginated medially ( Fig. 303). Transverse median sulcus distinct, gently curved and almost expanding over entire width of segment. Anterior portion with two pairs of blunt spines, the anterior pair being larger and more distant than the posterior pair; a further pair of small spiniform tubercles on anterior margin. Posterior half with ten almost equally sized paired spines. Profurcasternum with two black-tipped spiniform tubercles at lateral margins and two tubercles near posterior margin. Mesothorax about 2.2 x longer than head and pronotum combined, slender and somewhat constricted in the anterior portion. Mesonotum all over armed with numerous spines of variable sizes and a longitudinal row of about 12 pointed spines along lateral margins. Mesopleurae armed with a longitudinal row of about 16 medium sized spines and metapleurae with a marginal row of about 8–9 short spines. Mesosternum with roughly 12 fairly distinct spiniform tubercles and the metasternum sparsely tuberculose. Tegmina broadly ovate, coriaceous, with the venation very distinct, dense and irregularly disposed; slightly projecting posterior margin of metanotum; the median protuberance shallow. Alae some 1.3 x longer than tegmina and almost reaching to posterior margin of median segment.

Abdomen: Median segment 1.6 x longer than wide and roughly rectangular, surface smooth. Tergites I–IV each with posteromedian pair of small retrorse spines, which are most prominent on II; remaining segments unarmed. Segments II–VII roughly equal in length and about 1.3 x longer than wide. II–III somewhat widening, IV roughly parallel-sided and V–VII very slightly but gradually narrowing. Tergum VII with the lateral margins very gently rounded ( Fig. 308). Sternum II with a pair of granules posteromedially, remaining sterna smooth. Praeopercular organ formed by a shallow, longitudinal median granule in posterior portion of sternum VII ( Fig. 309). Tergum VIII somewhat less than ¾ the length of VII and roughly 1.5 x longer than wide. IX almost rectangular and about half the length of VIII. Anal segment parallel-sided with posterior portion narrowed and the posterior margin with aconcave median emargination; epiproct small almost semi-circular and shield-shaped with a fine longitudinal median carina ( Fig. 308). Cerci very small, conical and scutely pointed; hardly projecting over posterior margin of anal segment. Subgenital plate very long, naviculate, longitudinally carinate and gradually narrowing towards an acute apex; extending over abdomen by more than the combined length of tergites VIII–X ( Figs. 307–309).

Legs: Pro- and mesofemora shorter than mesothorax and metafemora almost reaching half way along abdominal segment III. Medioventral carina of profemora with six small spines, in mesofemora armed with four and on metafemora with five rather prominent spines. Anterodorsal carina of profemora and tibiae strongly raised, the latter slightly undulate. Anteroventral carina of meso- and metafemora with two, the posteroventral carina with one sub-apical spine. Both dorsal carinae slighty elevated sub-apically. Anterodorsal carina of mesotibiae gently rounded sub-basally and sub-apically. Probasitarsus about as long as the following three tarsomeres combined, the dorsal carina gently rounded. Meso- and metabasitarsi simple and slightly shorter than following three tarsomeres combined.

♂ ( Figs. 299–300, 379– 398). Large (body length 89.0– 99.2 mm) and fairly slender for the genus with well developed alae (length>36.0–49.0 mm). Colour of body and legs pale yellowish green, the mesonotum, metanotum and three basal abdominal tergites pale creamish brown; body surface slightly glabrous. Cheeks with a faint yellow postocular stripe, eyes pale creamish brown and the antennae drab to pale ochraceous. All spines of thorax with black tips. Metapleurae with a white longitudinal stripe along upper margin and lateral margins of abdominal tergites VIII and IX broadly yellow. Cerci cream to pale brown and greenish basally. Tegmina and costal region of alae bright yellow with five bright green longitudinal streaks along the main veins. Anal region of alae plain transparent orange. Tarsi pale greenish brown.

Head: Ovoid and about 1.3 x longer than wide, vertex slightly convex and armed with a pair of obtuse tubercles to acutely pointed spines; usually two small granules behind these ( Figs. 301–302). Eyes sub-circular, projecting hemispherically and their length contained less than 2 x in that of cheeks. Antennae moderately robust and reaching to anterior of abdominal segment III; consisting of about 56 segments.

Thorax: Pronotum about equal in length but narrower than head, roughly rectangular and with the lateral margins gently concave; surface smooth ( Figs. 301–302). Transverse median depression moderately distinct, slightly rounded and not reaching lateral margins of segment. Mesothorax about 2.3 x longer than head and pronotum combined. Mesonotum armed with 9–12 rather distinct, obtusely conical spines which are roughly arranged in two longitudinal rows along anterior 2 / 3 of dorsal surface; either black-tipped or almost completely black. Mesopleurae with a longitudinal row a minute granules, metapleurae unarmed. Mesosternum with about four low spines in anterior portion and a few small tubercles behind; metasternum smooth. Tegmina oval and reaching about 1 / 3 along median segment, central protuberance rather distinct, roundly conical and positioned premedially. Alae very long and projecting over posterior margin of abdominal segment V.

Abdomen: Segments II–IV roughly of equal length and about 4 x longer than wide. V–VII gradually decreasing in length with VII only about ¾ the length of II–IV and no more than 3.5 x longer than wide. All tergites and sternites smooth, tergites II–VII parallel-sided. VIII about 3 / 5 the length of VII and gradually widening towards the posterior; IX very slightly shorter than VIII and narrowed towards the posterior. Anal segment with a faint longitudinal median carina, slightly converging towards the posterior and posterior margin with a roundly triangular median emargination ( Fig. 305); on ventral surface armed with several small, black in-curving denticles. Epiproct very small and fully concealed by anal segment. Vomer with a broad and rounded base and a short but acutely pointed terminal hook ( Fig. 355). Cerci elongate, a little longer than anal segment, laterally compressed, carinate dorsally and ventrally ( Fig. 355) and gradually constricted towards a narrow apex ( Figs. 304–306). Poculum moderately convex, scoop-like and with a small, rounded tubercle at the base ( Fig. 304); posterior portion longitudinally carinate and the posterior margin indented medially ( Fig. 355).

Legs: Profemora a little longer and mesofemora slightly shorter than mesothorax, metafemora reaching about 2 / 3 the way along abdominal segment IV. Medioventral carina of profemora with three small spines in apical portion, of meso- and metafemora armed with five strong spines. Anteroventral carina of meso- and metafemora with two, the posteroventral carina with one sub-apical spine. Basitarsi a little longer than following three tarsomeres combined.

Variability: Males show variability in the number and size of the mesothoracal spines as well as the size and shape of the cephalad horns. The mesonotal spines range from 9–12 in number and are mostly black-tipped but may be almost completely black in specimens which have them strongly developed. The cephalad horns are rather blunt and conical in shape ( Fig. 301) but in some specimens at hand are prominent, elongate and acutely pointed with the tip if the dextral horn black ( Fig. 302).

Comments: Westwood (1859: 85, pl. 18: 6) originally described and illustrated this species based on a unique ♂ from Santo Domingo ( Dominican Republic) in NHMUK. Eggs unknown.

Distribution ( Fig. 379): Hispaniola. Dominican Republic: Santo Domingo [ NHMUK]; Departamento de Vida Silvestre [photograph taken by Eladio Fernández]. SE-Haiti: Parc National Pic Macaya, Massif de la Hotte, Formon, alrededores de Kay Michel 1100 m [ USNM]. Gonaive Island [ ANSP].

Number of specimens examined: 8