Parotocrania acutilobata, Hennemann & Conle, 2024

Hennemann, Frank H. & Conle, Oskar V., 2024, Studies on Neotropical Phasmatodea XXVI: Taxonomic review of Cladomorformia tax. n., a lineage of Diapheromerinae stick insects, with the descriptions of seven new genera and 41 new species (Phasmatodea: Occidophasmata: Diapheromerinae), Zootaxa 5444 (1), pp. 1-454 : 135-137

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.5444.1.1
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:5DE4A9DD-99F7-4E23-AD50-58DC491BB75E
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/FAC5F63D-DEC4-4362-972F-C5E71D5DBBD2
taxon LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:act:FAC5F63D-DEC4-4362-972F-C5E71D5DBBD2
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Parotocrania acutilobata
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Parotocrania acutilobata sp. n.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:FAC5F63D-DEC4-4362-972F-C5E71D5DBBD2

( Figs. 46D–E, 46J–L, 46O View FIGURE 46 , 47F–G View FIGURE 47 , 86F View FIGURE 86 )

Phanocles sp. , Gutiérrez & Bacca, 2014: 2018, fig. 19 (♂).

HT, ♀: Jungle vegetation; Ecuador: Los Rios Province, San Domingo de los Colorados , 500 m, V.1982, G. Onore, B.M.1985 –

61 (BMNH). PT, ♂: Santo Domingo de los Cloroados [ MNCN]. PT, ♂: SW-Colombia, Nariño, Municipio de Barbacoas, Reserva Natural Río Ñambí , 1°17’N 78°04’, leg. Gutiérrez & Bacca

[CEBUC].

Diagnosis. Females of this species ( Fig. 46D View FIGURE 46 ) are readily recognised by the small size and stocky shape with the mesothorax only 6x longer than the prothorax (> 7x longer in all other known ♀♀ of the genus) and globose, obtuserly bi-cornute and prominently nodulose head ( Fig. 48B View FIGURE 48 ), that however lack large cephalic horns like in P. panamae sp. n. Males resemble the Peruvian P. curvata sp. n. in being alate ( Fig. 46E View FIGURE 46 ) but at first glance differ by the straight mid and hind legs, more elongate head, bi-spinose vertex, smaller poculum ( Fig. 47F View FIGURE 47 ) and slender, not dorsally crested meso- and metabasitarsi.

Etymology. The name refers to the acutely bi- or trifid sub-basal lobe on the two outer ventral carinae of the meso- and metafemora of both sexes ( Figs. 46E, 46O View FIGURE 46 ).

Description. ♀♀ ( Fig. 46D View FIGURE 46 ): Fairly small for the genus (body length incl. subgenital plate 141.0 mm) with a globose, bi-cornute head, sparsely granulose thorax and distinctive armature of the meso- and metafemora. General colouration greyish or ochreous mid brown and with some large, irregularly shaped ochre markings on meso- and metathorax and abdomen; anterior portions of meso and mesonotum almost entirely ochre in the holotype. Granules and tubercles of the head and thorax very pale ochre. Legs with distinct, irregular light grey annulations and speckles. Antennae dark greyish brown dorsally and black ventrally.

Head ( Fig. 48B View FIGURE 48 ): Globose with the vertex roundly convex, hardly longer than wide, broadest at the eyes and the genae gradually converging towards posterior; vertex and genae with numerous tubercles of different sizes which are generally arranged in longitudinal rows. Between the eyes with a pair of moderately prominent, conical, multi-tuberculate humps. Eyes strongly convex, circular in outline and their diameter contained about 2.3x in length of genae. Antennae reaching about half way along median segment. Scapus compressed dorsoventrally, very slightly constricted towards the base and with the lateral margins straight; about 1.6x longer than wide. Pedicellus round in cross-section, constricted towards the apex and roughly two-thirds the length of scapus.

Thorax: Pronotum about as long but somewhat narrower than head, 1.4x longer than wide and roundly rectangular in dorsal aspect; lateral margins very gently concave. Entire surface irregularly set with rounded tubercles of variable size. Transverse median sulcus shallow, gently curved and not reaching lateral margins of segment ( Fig. 48B View FIGURE 48 ). Mesothorax 6.4x longer than pronotum with the posterior portion slightly expanded. Mesonotum with a fine medio-longitudinal carina and irregularly set with small, rounded tubercles; the tubercles becoming gradually less numerous towards the posterior of segment.A longitudinal margin row of small, but densely set tubercles some distance off the lateral margins. Metanotum only set with a few scattered small tubercles and granules. Meso- and metapleurae with two marginal rows of fairly small tubercles (less decided on metapleurae). Meso- and metasternum very weakly tectate, with a broad longitudinal median row of irregularly set granules and an acute, granulose longitudinal carina along lateral margins ( Fig. 86F View FIGURE 86 ).

Abdomen: Median segment about two-thirds the length of metanotum, gently constricted medially and about 2x longer than wide; sparsely granulose. All other segments smooth. II somewhat shorter than median segment and shortest segment. II–V parallel-sided and slightly increasing in length, V and VI equal in length and longest segments; the latter roughly 2.7x longer than wide. VII narrower and a little shorter than VI, lateral margins very slightly deflexed posteriorly. Sterna smooth but with a very fine longitudinal carina. Praeopercular organ formed by two flattened, transverse, acutely pointed and downward angled lobes at posterior margin of sternum VII ( Figs. 46J–K View FIGURE 46 ). Tergum VIII less than half the length and narrower than VII, slightly widening towards the posterior. IX about half the length of VIII and roundly rectangular in dorsal aspect. VIII and IX with a fine longitudinal median carina. Anal segment a little longer than IX, longitudinally carinate, constricted medially and the posterior portion widened; posterior margin with a broad triangular median excavation and lateral margins roundly deflexed ( Fig. 46K View FIGURE 46 ). Cerci very small, acuminate. Gonapophyses VIII gently upcurved in the apical portion and roughly reaching to posterior margin of anal segment. Subgenital plate flat, just weakly keeled longitudinally, spatulate with the apex acuminate, gently downcurved and projecting over apex of abdomen by almost combined length of terga IX and X ( Figs. 46J–K View FIGURE 46 ).

Legs: Profemora about as long as mesothorax, mesofemora about 1.25x longer than metathorax, metafemora reaching about one-thrd the way along abdominal segment V and metatibiae reaching to posterior margin of abdominal segment VIII. Meso- and metafemora very gently downcurved. Two outer ventral carinae of meso- and metafemora with a prominent, foliaceous lobe some one-third off the base; in mesofemora trifid on anteroventral and bifid on posteroventral carina and followed by one (anterior carina) or two (posterior carina) long and slender, laterally compressed teeth; lobe bifid on both ventral carinae of metafemora and also followed by one or two teeth ( Fig. 46O View FIGURE 46 ). Medioventral carina of meso- and metatibiae distinctly rounded sub-basally. All basitarsi with the dorsal carina strongly raised and forming a roundly triangular lobe. Probasitarsus as long as remaining tarsomeres except claw. Meso- and metabasitarsus a little longer than combined length of following three tarsomeres.

♂♂ ( Fig. 46E View FIGURE 46 ): Moderately sized (body length 93.0– 110.5 mm) and slender for the genus with well-developed alae (42.8–51.0 mm), which reach about half way along abdominal segment V, and distinctive armature of the meso- and metafemora. General colouration pale ochre brown, most of abdomen dark brown. Lateral surfaces of thorax and legs mid to dark brown, the latter with paler mottling and speckles (fore legs in particular). Granules of the thorax distinctly white. Tegmina and costal region of alae almost pale ochreous brown with some darker brown mottling, the anal region transparent grey with all veins brown. Eyes dull orange. Antennae straw, the two basal antennomeres darker.

Head: Ovoid, broadest at the eyes, slightly narrowed towards the posterior and about 1.3x longer than wide; vertex flattened. Surface sparsely and minutely granulose and between the eyes with a pair of small blunt humps. Eyes very large, circular and projecting hemispherical; their diameter contained only about 1.3x in length of genae. Antennae broken in the unique specimen available but at least reaching to median segment. Scapus compressed dorsoventrally with the lateral margins gently deflexed and rounded; about 1.5x longer than wide. Pedicellus slightly shorter than scapus and sub-spherical. III almost 3x longer than pedicellus.

Thorax: Pronotum noticeably shorter and narrower than head, general shape almost rectangular and about 1.4x longer than wide. Surface minutely granulose and with a very short transverse median sulcus, the lateral margins carinate. A pair of small median tubercles at anterior margin and a further pair just in front of the median sulcus. Mesothorax 7.8x longer than pronotum and scarcely narrower than prothorax. Mesonotum with a faint longitudinal median carina and all over covered with granules of variable sizes as well as two longitudinal rows of blunt spiniform tubercles. Meso- and metapleurae and sterna granulose. Tegmina elongate-ovate, strongly constricted towards the base and with a small, conical central hump; distinctly projecting over posterior margin of metanotum. Alae reaching about half way along abdominal segment V.

Abdomen: Median segment much longer than metanotum; smooth. Segment II shorter than median segment and almost 6x longer than wide. II–VI all of roughly equal width and parallel-sided. II–V noticeably decreasing in length, VI about as long as V. VII shorter than previous, constricted medially and gently widened posteriorly. Terga VI–VII each with a spiniform posteromedian projection. Sterna II–VII smooth. Tergum VIII about two-thirds the length of VII, strongly swollen, dilated towards the posterior and much broader than previous segments. IX about equal in length to VIII but narrower and constricted medially; lateral margins almost straight. Anal segment about three-quarters the length of IX, carinate longitudinally, flattened and narrowed towards the posterior; posterior margin narrowly rounded ( Fig. 47G View FIGURE 47 ). Vomer slender, elongate and strongly upcurved, with a narrow terminal hook; the ventral surface with a distinctly impressed medio-longitudinal furrow and the lateral portions notably inflated. Cerci small, slender, round in cross-section with the apical portion gently upcurved and mich shorter than anal segment. Poculum very large, strongly convex and with a small, rounded central protuberance; posterior margin almost reaching to apex of abdomen ( Fig. 47F View FIGURE 47 ).

Legs: All long and slender, the meso- and metafemora with a characteristic armature. Profemora longer than head, pro- and mesonotum combined, mesofemora about 1.3x longer than metathorax, metafemora almost reaching posterior margin of abdominal segment V and metatibiae projecting considerably over apex of abdomen. Meso- and metafemora and tibiae very gently downcurved. Two outer ventral carinae of meso- and metafemora each with two (mesofemora) or one (metafemora) distinct triangular tooth about one-third off the base. Medioventral carina of meso- and metatibiae produced into a conspicuous rounded lobe sub-basally. All basitarsi very elongate and considerably longer than remaining tarsomeres. Probasitarsus with the dorsal carina low but triangularly raised, hinder basitarsi slender.

Comments. Eggs unknown.

Table 26: Measurements of Parotocrania acutilobata sp. n.