Oncotophasma aurantiaviridiata Murcia, Cadena-Castañeda and Silva, 2020

Murcia, Andres David, Cadena-Castañeda, Oscar J. & Silva, Daniela Santos Martins, 2020, A new species of Oncotophasma Rehn, 1904 (Phasmida: Diapheromeridae) from Colombia, Insecta Mundi 2020 (819), pp. 1-7 : 2-5

Oncotophasma aurantiaviridiata Murcia, Cadena-Castañeda and Silva , new species

( Fig. 1−3 )

http://lsid.speciesfile.org/urn:lsid: Phasmida .speciesfile.org:TaxonName:510732

Diagnosis. Body coloration green, orange and brown and without minute rudiments of tegmina ( Fig. 1 ). Mesofemur is distinctly wider than the metafemur and has eleven ventral spines with two very prominent ventroapical spines ( Fig. 2C ). Cerci as long as tergite X with several hairs, round, with a curved apex and abruptly widened ( Fig. 2E ).

This new species is distinguished from other congeneric species by its green, orange, and brown coloration ( Fig. 1 ); in contrast to the other species, the mesofemur is noticeably wider than the metafemur and has eleven ventral spines with two very prominent ventroapical spines. The metafemur has several less conspicuous ventral spines, which are present in other species of the same genus. Unlike similar species, such as O. martini and O. limonense , the new species does not have the posterior region of the metanotum abruptly widened, like a hump ( Fig. 2C ).

Oncotophasma coxatum is the closest species in terms of morphology, sharing with O. aurantiaviridiata new species the posterior region of the metanotum without humps or tubercles, and with parallel lateral margins ( Fig. 1 , 2C ). Furthermore, despite being similar, their body coloration still has a different color pattern. The ventral spines of the legs of O. coxatum are not as large as in the new species ( Fig. 2C ).

Holotype. ♂. Colombia, Santander, Santa Helena del Opón. 6.342511, -73.610764 ( CTNI).

Description. ♂. The general coloration of body is bright-green, orange, and brown. Head, prothorax, anterior and posterior margins of meso- and metathorax, coxae, apical area of the femora are orange, as is the proximal area of tibiae. Antenna with orange scape, remainder dark brown. Completely smooth body, without tubercles or granules ( Fig. 1 , 2 ). Head. Globose, longer than wide, with an oval-shaped impression at base of antennae, antennae projected beyond last abdominal tergite. Scape dorsally broad and rectangular, dorsoventrally compressed; pedicel cylindrical, as long as scape, third antennal segment slightly longer than the scape, the rest of the antennal segments irregular in length. Spherical and prominent eyes ( Fig. 1A, B ). Thorax. Pronotum rectangular, longer than wide, shorter and narrower than head, with longitudinal midline and with u-shaped suture at middle of pronotal disc ( Fig. 2B ). Mesonotum elongated, approximately 6.5 times longer than pronotum, slightly widening towards posterior margin. Metanotum with half-length of mesonotum ( Fig. 2C ). Prosternum approximately two times wider than long and very small compared to other sternal segments of the thorax; mesosternum smooth and elongated; metasternum short with half-length of mesosternum. Legs. Forelegs longer and thinner than remaining. Profemur basally slightly compressed, having four edges and with soft ventromedial carina. Mesofemora very wide, having four thorny and trapezoidal edges in cross section, bearing elevated ventromedial carina armed with 11 spines, with two prominent ventroapical spines ( Fig. 2C ). Metathoracic legs slightly shorter than mesothoracic legs. Metafemur with smoothly serrated edges and multiple spines on its margins, with a single conspicuous ventroapical spine. All tibiae longer than femora, with four serrated edges and with an elevated ventromedial carina. First tarsomere elongated, longer than the other combined tarsomeres; remaining tarsomeres reducing in size from first to fourth. Abdomen. Mid-segment quadrangular in dorsal view and with half-length of abdominal tergite II; abdominal segments longer than wide and smooth; tergites II - VI similar in length, tergite VII shorter than VI, tergite VIII brown abruptly, widening from anterior to posterior border; tergite IX laterally slightly compressed, tergite X with soft suture from anterior to posterior margin, shorter and narrower than other abdominal tergites. Cerci gradually widens from base to apex and the apex is conspicuously wider and globose compared to the base ( Fig. 2D, E ). Sternites II-VII smooth with similar length, sternite VIII convex, smooth, half the length of sternite VII. Poculum convex slightly longer than sternite VIII, posterior margin extending to anterior border of tergite X. Vomer wide, triangular shaped and exposed in ventral view.

Female. Unknown.

Measurements (mm). ♂ TL: 73, Pr: 3, Ms: 20, Mt: 10, MSeg: 2, Pf: 28, Mf: 19, Hf: 26, Pt: 34, Mt: 21, Ht: 30, Ant: 85.

Etymology. The name refers to the specimen’s characteristic coloration, which highlights orange (aurantia) and green (viridis), mixing the two Latin words and adjusting suffix to feminine to agree with the genus name.

Comment. The prothoracic legs described belong to the holotype. The legs are separated from the body of the specimen, but they have been attached on a paper under the specimen.

Additional specimen studied. A second specimen of this new species found in the Amazon foothills of Colombia, from the Department of Caquetá, Yurayaco inspection, San José de Fragua municipality, at about 535 masl above the transition of the eastern slope of the eastern Andes range and the Amazon plains. Unfortunately, the second specimen is not included in the type series due to its poor state of preservation as it is fragmented in its joints, however, its extremities, thoracic and abdominal regions, including the terminalia, are complete and in good condition; its coloration was also preserved, all the diagnostic characters being visible to identify it as O. aurantiaviridiata new species. Therefore, it is included in the distribution map for the genus provided here ( Fig. 3 ).

Figures

Figure 1. Oncotophasma aurantiaviridiata new species, male habitus. A) Lateral view. B) Dorsal view.

Figure 2.Oncotophasma aurantiaviridiata new species. A) Head, lateral view.B) Pronotum, dorsal view.C) Body in laterodorsal view, note the spines on mesofemur. D) Male terminalia, dorsal view. E) Male terminalia, lateral view.

Figure 3. Oncotophasma species distribution, referenced from the northernmost to the southernmost species: O. weitschati Zompro, 2007; O. martini (Griffini, 1896); O. modestum Zompro, 2007; O. laetitiae Bellanger, 2016; O. coxatum (Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1907); O. limonense Zompro, 2007; O. maculosum Zompro, 2007; O. armatum (Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1907); O. podagricum (Stål, 1875) and O. aurantiaviridiata Murcia, Cadena-Castañeda and Silva new species.