Parapachymorpha pseudospinosa, Ho, 2020

Ho, Wai-Chun George, 2020, New taxa of Clitumninae from Vietnam (Phasmatodea: Phasmatidae), Zoological Systematics 45 (2), pp. 104-117 : 113-114

Parapachymorpha pseudospinosa sp. nov. ( Figs 21–22 , 69–71 )

Diagnosis. This new species is related to Parapachymorpha spinosa Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1893 , but can be separated by the presence of large spines on the lateral margins of mesonotum and metanotum, the presence of large second posterior spines on the second to fifth abdominal tergites, the unarmed anterodorsal carina of mesofemora and metafemora and the unarmed tibiae in the female.

Description. Female. Body slender, covered with small granulations. General colouration of body brown, legs brown with blackish markings. Head oval, longer than wide, gently tapering posteriorly behind compound eyes. Vertex convex. Occiput distinctly convex, with paired supra-orbital spines and occipital medial spines. Compound eyes small and rounded, its length about five times of genae. Antennae incomplete, scapus flattened, as long as combined length of pedicellus and third segment; and pedicellus shorter than third segment. Pronotum trapezoidal, gently expanded posteriorly, anterior margin gently incurved, posterior margin rounded, transverse and longitudinal sulci crossing at middle point, with paired posterior medial spines. Mesonotum parallel-sided, about four times length of pronotum; with paired pre-median medial, post-median medial and posterior medial spines; also with paired pre-median and post-median spines, lateral margins with a few spines. Metanotum with paired pre-median and posterior medial spines, lateral margins with a few spines. Mesopleurae and metapleurae with a supra-coxal spine. Abdomen cylindrical and tapering posteriorly, shorter than combined length of head and thorax, with a few enlarged granules. Median segment square, with paired posterior medial spines. Second to sixth tergites with paired posterior medial, posterior spines and second posterior spines, reduced in size on sixth tergum. Seventh tergum with rounded posterolateral expansions. Seventh tergum with a bifurcate praeopercular organ on posteromedian area. Ninth tergum shorter than eighth tergum, with a small crest on posteromedian area. Anal segment as long as ninth tergum, median longitudinal carina gently elevated, posterior margin with a small emargination, posterolateral angles rounded. Subgenital plate scoop-shaped, posterior apex pointed, reaching anterior area of anal segment. Cerci long, flattened, apices pointed and not surpassing posterior apices of anal segment. Legs slender and long. Femora thicker than corresponding tibiae. Profemora unarmed, curved basally. Posterodorsal, anteroventral and posteroventral carinae of mesofemora and metafemora with three to four serrations, anterodorsal carina unarmed. Tibiae longer than corresponding femora, unarmed.

Measurements. Length. Body, ♀ 75.0mm; head, ♀ 5.5 mm; pronotum, ♀ 4.0 mm; mesonotum, ♀ 15.5mm; metanotum, ♀ 9.0 mm; median segment, ♀ 3.5 mm; profemora, ♀ 33.0mm; mesofemora, ♀ 18.0mm; metafemora, ♀ 22.0mm; protibiae, ♀ 40.0 mm; mesotibiae, ♀ 20.0mm; metatibiae, ♀ 27.0 mm.

Material examined. Holotype ♀, Vietnam, Ninh Binh, Cuc Phuong, 16 May 2012, Liu Xingyue ( CAU).

Distribution. Vietnam.

Etymology. The specific epithet of this new species is derived from the similar morphology with the taxa of P. spinosa (Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1893) in the genus.

Figures

Figures 1–26. Clitumninae spp. 1–4. Interphasma lineatum sp. nov. 5–8. Medauroidea cattienensis sp. nov. 9–12. Medauroidea cornuta sp. nov. 13–16. Medauroidea fasciata sp. nov. 17–20. Neomedaura yokdonensis gen. & sp. nov. 21–22. Parapachymorpha pseudospinosa sp. nov. 23–26. Prosentoria vietnamensis sp. nov. 1, 7, 11, 15, 19, 25. Male end of abdomen, lateral view. 2, 8, 12, 16, 20, 26. Male end of abdomen, dorsal view. 3, 5, 9, 13, 17, 21, 23. Female end of abdomen, lateral view. 4, 6, 10, 14, 18, 22, 24. Female end of abdomen, dorsal view. Scale bars=5mm.

Figures 69–71. Parapachymorpha pseudospinosa sp. nov. 69. Female habitus. 70. Female abdomen, lateral view. 71. Female abdomen, dorsal view. Scale bars=5mm.