Ceroys (Miroceroys) indicattii, Crispino & Ghirotto & Engelking, 2022

Crispino, Edgar B., Ghirotto, Victor M. & Engelking, Phillip W., 2022, Contributions to the knowledge of Ceroys (Miroceroys) Piza, 1936 (Phasmatodea Heteronemiidae): two new mossy stick insects from the Atlantic Forest of Brazil, Zootaxa 5134 (1), pp. 34-60 : 46-47

Ceroys (Miroceroys) indicattii sp. nov.

( Figs 10–17 )

Holotype, 1♀: MZUSP V0641 , Brasil, Rio de Janeiro, Petrópolis, Cascatinha district. Atlantic Forest , near Pico do Couto , 22°27'56.8"S, 43°17'23.5"W, 1650m of altitude, 30.XI.2021., V. M. Ghirotto, M. Gomes & R. P. Indicatti coll. [ MZUSP].

Paratype, 1♂: MZUSP 0529 , Brasil, Rio de Janeiro, Parque Nacional da Serra dos Órgãos, Núcleo Teresópolis , 22°27'14"S, 42°59'32"W, 1200–1300m of altitude, 5-6.XII.2015, P. I. Chiquetto-Machado & A. Z. Ramin col.

Etymology. The specific name is a patronym in honour of Dr. Rafael Prezzi Indicatti, an expert Brazilian arachnologist and exemplary researcher. He acted as a mentor for VMG in some of VMG's first taxonomic practises while an undergraduate in biology at UNESP, working with mygalomorph spiders. Furthermore, he always supports Projeto Phasma - a freestanding phasmid research group of which all the authors are part of. Besides insightful institutional and research advice, he is frequently skilfully collecting specimens of stick insects when possible and organizing and aiding in fieldtrips with Projeto Phasma members, as the one which resulted in the collection of the new species. This comes in form of our sincerely gratefulness for kindly helping us and supporting research on Phasmatodea in Brazil.

Diagnosis. Ceroys (Miroceroys) indicattii sp. nov. resembles Ceroys (Miroceroys) saevissimus and differs from all remaining species of the genus by the conspicuous dorsolateral medial widening of the mesonotum ( Fig. 10B , 13B ) and overall pattern of ornamentation, such as lateral and dorsal expansions in abdominal segments and several strong spines in the thorax ( Fig. 10B ), less prominent in males ( Fig. 13 ). It differs from females of Ceroys (Miroceroys) saevissimus by the shorter and less deflexed posterior margin of tergite X (anal segment) and shorter sternite VIII (subgenital plate), with both not forming a duck-bill shape ( Fig. 12B ) as in C. saevissimus , the larger dorsal expansions on tergites IV, V and IX ( Figs 10B , 12B ) and by the tergite VIII slightly wider than IX and X, not constricted ( Fig. 10A ). Males are recognized by the straight mesonotum in lateral view, smaller, less jagged triangular thoracic projections and less spiny body with abdomen segments without lateral spines in both anterior and posterior margins ( Fig. 13 ).

Figures

FIGURE 10. A–B. Recently deceased female holotype V0641 of Ceroys (Miroceroys) indicattii sp. nov., from Petrópolis, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. A. Habitus in dorsal view. B. Body in dorsal, lateral and ventral view. Scale bar: 5 mm.

FIGURE 11. A–D. Head and metathorax morphology of female Ceroys (Miroceroys) indicattii sp. nov., holotype V0641. A–C. Head; A, dorsal view; B, lateral view; C, ventral view. D. Metathorax in dorsal view. Abbreviations. Bs1, prothoracic basisterna; Cx, coxa; Cxp, coxopleurite; Eye, compound eye; Fc, frontal convexity; Fem, femur; Gl, glossa; Md, mandible; Mds, median segment; Msn, mesonotum; Mtn, metanotum; Pd, pedicellus; Pgl, paraglossa; Plb, labial palpus; Pmx, maxillary palpus; Prn, pronotum; Sc, scapus; Tg, tergite. Scale bars: A–C = 0.5 mm; D = 1 mm.

FIGURE 12. A–F. Abdomen morphology of female Ceroys (Miroceroys) indicattii sp. nov., holotype V0641, end of the abdomen: A. Dorsal view; B. Lateral view; C. Ventral view; D. Terminalia, lateral view; E. Dorsal view, detail of apex; F. Ventral view, detail of praeopercular organ. Abbreviations. Ce, cercus; Ep, epiproct; Gap8-Gap9, gonapophysis 8 and 9; Gng, gonangulum; Gpl, gonoplac; Pre, praeopercular organ; Sp, subgenital plate; St, sternite; Tg, tergite. Scale bars: 1 mm.

FIGURE 13. A–B. Male paratype MZUSP 0529 of Ceroys (Miroceroys) indicattii sp. nov., from Teresópolis, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. A. Habitus in dorsal view. B. Body in dorsal, lateral and ventral view. Scale bar: 5 mm.

FIGURE 14. A–D. Head and metathorax morphology of male Ceroys (Miroceroys) indicattii sp. nov., paratype MZUSP 0529. A–C. Head; A, dorsal view; B, lateral view; C, ventral view. D. Metathorax in dorsal view. Abbreviations. Bs1, prothoracic basisterna; Cx, coxa; Cxp, coxopleurite; Eye, compound eye; Fc, frontal convexity; Fem, femur; Md, mandible; Mds, median segment; Msn, mesonotum; Mtn, metanotum; Pd, pedicellus; Prn, pronotum; Sc, scapus; Tg, tergite. Scale bars: A–C = 0.5 mm; D = 1 mm.

FIGURE 15. A–E. Abdomen morphology of male Ceroys (Miroceroys) indicattii sp. nov., paratype MZUSP 0529, end of the abdomen: A. Dorsal view; B. Lateral view; D. Ventral view; E. Dorso-posterior view, detail. Abbreviations. Ce, cercus; Po, poculum; St, sternite; St9a, anterior part of sternite 9; Tg, tergite; Tp, thorn pad. Scale bars: A–C = 1 mm; D = 0.5 mm.

FIGURE 16. A–F. Egg of Ceroys (Miroceroys) indicattii sp. nov., from the female holotype. A–B. Lateral view. C, F. Detail of micropylar plate in dorsal view. D–E. Dorsal view. Abbreviations. Mcup, micropylar cup; Mip, micropylar plate; MLi, micropylar line; Opc, operculum. Scale bars: 1 mm.

FIGURE 17. Live habitus of the female holotype V0641 of Ceroys (Miroceroys) indicattii sp. nov., in situ when found in Petrópolis, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Image not to scale.