Andeocalynda tuberculata, Hennemann & Conle, 2020

Hennemann, Frank H. & Conle, Oskar V., 2020, Studies on Neotropical Phasmatodea XXIV: Andeocalynda n. gen., a new genus of Andean stick insects, with the descriptions of nine new species from Colombia and Ecuador (Phasmatodea: “ Anareolatae ”: Diapheromeridae: Diapheromerinae), Zootaxa 4896 (3), pp. 301-341 : 330-333

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.4896.3.1
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:3F42C0E8-6668-4ED4-A29D-BFB331C6B0FF
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4449956
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03C81B00-AE27-FF8D-FF0E-FEADDC01F865
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Andeocalynda tuberculata
status	n. gen., n. sp.

Treatment

Andeocalynda tuberculata View in CoL n. gen., n. sp.

( Figs. 2A View FIGURE 2 , 3 View FIGURE 3 , 16–17 View FIGURE 16 View FIGURE 17 )

HT, ♀: Ecuador, Los Rios Province, San Domingo de los Colorados , 500 m, VIII.1982, G. Onore, B.M. 1985-61; jungle vegetation [ NHMUK].

PT, ♂: Ecuador: Old Santo Domingo Rd. , Prov. Pichincha, 2000 m, forest edge, W slope of W Andes, 27, July 1984, 0°16 S, 78°43 W (G.S. Glenn) *22 [ ANSP].

PT, ♂: Prov. Pichincha, Quito Tandayapa 1800 m, 25.II.1990; Museum Paris, Equateur, S. Poulain rec. [ MNHN].

PT, ♂: Ecuador: Prov. Pichincha, Tandapi , 1700 m, jungle vegetation, leg. Heinz van Heerwaarden 1989; HVH-222 [coll. FH, No. 0929-1].

Diagnosis: In the granulose to tuberculose thorax ♀♀ resemble A. densegranulosa n. sp. and A. putumayoense n. sp., but in this new species the metanotum, median segment and abdomen are just very sparsely and weakly granulose and also the granulae become increasingly obsolete towards the apex of the abdomen. Furthermore, the tubercles are comparatively more pronounced and acute than in the other two species, and the mesofemora bear an obtuse sub-basal tooth on the two outer ventral carinae of the meso- and metafemora ( Fig. 16B View FIGURE 16 , very indistinct on metafemora although). Males of this new species are most similar to those of A. comis ( Bates, 1865) , with which they share the characteristically shortened head that has the frons conspicuously swollen. Furthermore, both species lack a central node or protuberance on the poculum ( Fig. 17C View FIGURE 17 ). However, the ♂♂ of A. tuberculata n. sp. have the poculum larger, much more inflated and convex and the dorsally green meso- and metanotum with contrasting red lateral surfaces serves well for distinguishing them from A. comis .

Etymology: The name emphasizes the tuberculose mesothorax and metasternum of ♀♀ of this new species. ♀♀ ( Figs. 16 View FIGURE 16 A–B): Fairly large (body length incl. subgenital plate 119.0 mm) and moderately slender for the genus with the thorax densely granulose; otherwise body surface slightly shiny. Colouration of unique HT ochre with the abdomen slightly darker. Genae with a faint dark brown postocular stripe. Eyes mid brown. Bases of profemora red interiorly. Antennae black basally and becoming dull ochraceous towards the apex; scapus and pedicellus ochre.

Head: Flattened, about 1.6x longer than wide and slightly narrowed towards the posterior; the genae very gently rounded and the vertex with a few small, scattered granules ( Fig. 16D View FIGURE 16 ). Between the bases of the antennae with a pair of small swellings. Eyes small, moderately projecting and slightly oval in outline; their length contained about 3.5x in that of genae. Antennae reaching to abdominal segment II. Scapus flattened, roundly rectangular and about 1.3x longer than wide. Pedicellus round in cross-section and almost ¾ the length of scapus.

Thorax: Pronotum a little narrower and shorter than head, roundly rectangular ( Fig. 16D View FIGURE 16 ). Entire surface irregularly set with small but acute granules ( Fig. 16C View FIGURE 16 ), the transverse median sulcus moderate, fairly short and gently curved. Mesothorax parallel-sided and just weakly widened in posterior portion; about 3x longer than head and prothorax combined. Mesonotum with a fine longitudinal median carina and all over covered with acute granules and a longitudinal row of yellow, spiniform granules along lateral margins ( Figs. 16 View FIGURE 16 C–D). Metanotum with a marginal row of granules but only a few small and scattered granules in anterior portion. A marginal row of similar spiniform granules also on meso- and metapleurae. Meso- and metasternum irregularly granulose ( Fig. 16E View FIGURE 16 ).

Abdomen: All segments smooth. Median segment about 1/2 the length of metanotum, smooth and 2x longer than wide. Segment II slightly longer than median segment but shorter than III–VI. III–V slightly increasing in length and VI as long as V; the latter segment 2.6x longer than wide. VII narrower than previous and about ¾ the length of VI. Praeopercular organ formed by two small spiniform and dark reddish-brown tubercles close to the posterior margin of sternum VII ( Fig. 16J View FIGURE 16 ). Tergum VIII a little more than ½ the length of VII. IX about 2/5 the length of VIII and with a faint longitudinal median carina.Anal segment considerably shorter than IX, carinate longitudinally, slightly but gradually narrowed towards the apex and the posterior margin roundly angular, almost straight and with a very small triangular median indention ( Fig. 16G View FIGURE 16 ). Epiproct small, triangular, wider than long and with an acute median keel; very slightly projecting over apex of anal segment ( Fig. 16G View FIGURE 16 ). Cerci slender, round in cross-section and tapered towards a fairly acute tip ( Fig. 16F View FIGURE 16 ). Gonoplacs not conspicuously enlarged and hidden under anal seg-ment. Subgenital plate lanceolate with the apex strongly pointed; projecting over apex of abdomen by the combined length of terga VII–X ( Fig. 16 View FIGURE 16 F–H).

Legs: All moderately long and slender, with all carinae setose and granulose but unarmed except for a roundly triangular, sub-basal expansion of the two lower outer carinae of the meso- and metafemora; these carinae also with a minute tooth sub-apically. Profemora a little longer than mesothorax, mesofemora slightly longer than metathorax, metafemora slightly projecting over posterior margin of abdominal segment IV and metatarsi slightly projecting apex of abdomen. Medioventral carina of meso- and metafemora distinct, granulose. Mesobasitarsi about equal, the pro- and metabasitarsi longer than following three tarsomeres combined.

♂♂ ( Figs. 17 View FIGURE 17 A–B): Moderately sized (body length 71.5–74.5 mm), slender and distinctively colourful for the genus. Body surface slightly shiny. General colour light to mid green and all over with a slight ochraceous wash, the abdomen somewhat darker. Lateral surfaces of meso- and metanotum and corresponding pleurae red. Profemora pale brown, meso- and metafemora green and gradually becoming first ochre and then brown at the apex. Tibiae ochraceous brown and faintly annulated. Terminal tarsomere darker than preceding. Antennae ochraceous brown and gradually becoming darker towards the apex, the basal ten or so segments brown at the base.

Head: Sub-cylindrical, broadest at the eyes and somewhat narrowed towards the posterior; about 1.6x longer than wide ( Fig. 17G View FIGURE 17 ). Vertex flat and with a slightly impressed coronal line. Frons with two small pits between bases of antennae and the portion between the eyes with two rounded swellings. Eyes large, projecting hemispherically and their diameter contained 1.9x in length of genae. Antennae reaching to abdominal segment IV. Scapus flattened, roundly rectangular in dorsal aspect and about 1.7x longer than wide; lateral margins very gently rounded ( Fig. 17G View FIGURE 17 ). Pedicellus almost round in cross-section and about 2/3 the length of scapus.

Thorax: Pronotum as long but a little narrower than head, roundly rectangular in outline with the anterior portion very indistinctly narrowed and lateral margins of posterior portion gently rounded; 1.7x longer than wide. Surface with an impressed longitudinal median line, transverse median sulcus distinct, weakly W-shaped and not reaching lateral margins of segment. Mesothorax almost 3.7x longer than head and pronotum combined; indistinctly widened in posterior portion. Mesonotum smooth and with a very fine longitudinal median line. Mesosternum weakly and obtusely tectinate longitudinally.

Abdomen: Median segment about 2/5 the length of metanotum, almost 4x longer than wide and very indistinctly widened in the posterior one third. Segment II longest of all segments and slightly longer than median segment. II–IV slightly decreasing in length, V almost as long as II and V–VII again decreasing length. II–VI uniform in width, II 4.2x and IV 3.8x longer than wide. VII shorter than all preceding segments and slightly widening towards the posterior; about ¾ the length of VI. Tergum VIII widest of all segments, somewhat narrowed anteriorly and about 1.3x longer than wide; the posterior margin concavely excavated and with a large membranous area ( Fig. 17D View FIGURE 17 ). Tergum IX somewhat shorter than VIII and notably narrowed in posterior half; the lateral margins deflexed and widely rounded ( Fig. 17C View FIGURE 17 ). Both these terga with an obtuse longitudinal lateral bulge parallel but some distance off the lateral margins ( Fig. 17C View FIGURE 17 ). Anal segment small, only a little more than half the length of IX, weakly and obtusely tectiform and gently widening towards the posterior; the posterior margin with a distinct, roughly triangular median indention and the outer portions narrowly rounded in dorsal aspect ( Fig. 17D View FIGURE 17 ) and densely setose dorsally; ventrally they are swollen and set with a number of minute denticles ( Fig. 17F View FIGURE 17 ); lateral margins rounded in ventral aspect. Vomer small with a very prominent and deep longitudinal median furrow and the two lateral portions strongly swollen and bulge-like ( Fig. 2A View FIGURE 2 ); terminal hook short and up-curving. Cerci shorter than anal segment, the apex distinctly in-curving, swollen and slightly club-shaped ( Figs. 17 View FIGURE 17 C–D). Poculum large, inflated and strongly bulgy, reaching to posterior margin of tergum IX, notably higher than tergum IX and obtusely angular in lateral aspect ( Fig. 17C View FIGURE 17 ); the basal half with an acute longitudinal median keel and the widely rounded posterior margin with a shallow median indention ( Figs. 17 View FIGURE 17 E–F).

Legs: All moderately long and slender, all carinae minutely setose. Profemora almost as long as head, pro- and mesothorax combined, mesofemora almost as long as mesothorax, metafemora reaching 2/3 the way along abdominal segment V and metatibiae projecting considerably beyond apex of abdomen. All entirely unarmed; only the medioventral carina of the meso- and metafemora set with a few small granules. Probasitarsus considerably longer than remaining tarsomeres combined, meso- and metabasitarsi slightly longer than the following three tarsomeres.

Variability: The three ♂♂ at hand show slight differences in colouration, the specimens in MNHN and coll. FH generally being overall darker than the example in the collection of ANSP ( Figs. 17 View FIGURE 17 A–B). All those portions that are ochre in the latter specimen are rather greyish mid brown in the other two specimens, and all apple green portions of the ANSP specimen are rather dull green in the other two ♂♂. Also, the bright red lateral surfaces of the meso- and metathorax and pleurae seen in the ANSP ♂ are rather dark red and less intensive in the other two specimens. Without seeing live specimens it is hard to say whether these differences in colouration are due to the preservation technique or are intraspecific variability.

Comments: Eggs unknown.

Distribution: NW-Ecuador: Santo Domingo de Los Tsáchilas Province (Santo Domingo de los Colorados, 500 m); Pichincha Province (Tandapi, 1700 m; Old Santo Domingo Road, 2000 m; Quito> Tandayapa, 1800 m).