Phanocles spectabilis, 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 : 210-214

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/125887BC-9EC2-481F-A548-76FCF4CC8B7C

taxon LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:act:125887BC-9EC2-481F-A548-76FCF4CC8B7C

treatment provided by

Plazi

scientific name

Phanocles spectabilis
status

sp. nov.

Phanocles spectabilis sp. n.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:125887BC-9EC2-481F-A548-76FCF4CC8B7C

( Figs. 49D View FIGURE 49 , 55D View FIGURE 55 , 58H–J View FIGURE 58 , 60G View FIGURE 60 , 62N–P View FIGURE 62 , 65N–P View FIGURE 65 , 88N View FIGURE 88 , 92J View FIGURE 92 , 97K View FIGURE 97 , 99J View FIGURE 99 , 112A–B View FIGURE 112 , 113A–B View FIGURE 113 )

HT, ♀: Panamá, Chiriqui, Dist. Bugaba, Volcán, Le Fuente en rama de Guayabo, 19 ene 2013, Col. A. Araúz [ MIUP]. PT , ♀: Panama, Panama (J. Zetek); Bacteria ploiaria ♀ (Westw.), Det. Hebard 1922, Hebard Cln. [ ANSP] .

PT, ♀: Chriqui; Coll. Br. v. W., Chiriqui, Staudinger; 26.497 [ NHMW] .

PT, ♂: Chriqui; Coll. Br. v. W., Chiriqui, Staudinger; 26.496 [ NHMW] .

PT, ♂: Costa Rica, Sarapiqui , Rio Puerto Viejo “La Selva”, II–26–III–8–1967; H.R. & E.H. Roberts, M.S. Harrison, W.W. Moss, D.A. Nickle; Field No. 37 [ ANSP] .

PT, ♀ (n4): Costa Rica, Sarapiqui , Rio Puerto Viejo “La Selva”, II–26–III–8–1967; H.R. & E.H. Roberts, M.S. Harrison, W.W. Moss, D.A. Nickle; Field No. 38 [ ANSP] .

PT, ♀: Est. Hitoy-Cerere, 100m, R. Cerere, Res. Biol. Hitoy, Cerere, Prov. Limon, Costa Rica, A. Moreno, Jul. 1991 L-N-184200, 643800 [ MNCR-A] .

PT, ♀: Est. Biol. Las Alturas, 1500m, Coto Brus, Prov. Puntarenas, Costa Rica, F. Araya, 23 mar a 2 may 1992, L-S 322500, 591300; Costa Rica INBIO CRI000 777412 [ MNCR-A] .

PT, ♂: Finca Naranjo Valenciana , 2m sur Pueblo Nuevo Sarapiqui, 90m, prov. Heredía, Costa Rica, 2 a 22 jul 1992, M. Ortiz, L-N 271800, 523750; Costa Rica INBIO CRI000 711469 [ MNCR-A] .

PT, ♂: Est. Mageasay, P.N. Braulio Carillo, 200 m, Prov. Here, Costa Rica, M. Zumbado, Oct 1990, L-N–264600, 531100; Costa Rica INBIO CRI000 515066 [ MNCR-A] .

PT, ♂: IICA, Turrialba, 26.8.1967, H. Danner [ MNCR-A] .

PT, ♀: Bred Kent, Willesborough 2.I.99, Ex Costa Rica, Zoltan Papp, Ian Abercrombie; A. Harman M. Salton Coll.; Bacteria sp. [coll. AH— NHMUK] .

PT, 1 ♂, 1 ♀, 40 eggs: ex Zucht F. Hennemann 2005, Herkunft Costa Rica [ FH, No’s 0593–1, 2 & E1]

PT, ♀: Costa Rica, Prov. San José, El Rodeo Experimental Forest , leg. Hennemann, Conle & Nishida 22.11.2012 [ OC] .

PT, ♀: ex Zucht F. Hennemann 2014, F1–Generation, Herkunft: Costa Rica, Prov. San José, El Rodeo Experimental Forest , leg. Hennemann, Conle & Nishida 22.11.2012 [ FH, No. 0593–3] .

PT, 13 ♀♀, 17 ♂♂, 50 eggs: ex Zucht: F. Hennemann 2019–2020, Herkunft: Costa Rica, Prov. Puntarenas, Piedras Blancas N.P., La Gamba 2017 [ FH, No’s 0593–4 to 33, E2] .

Diagnosis. Females of this large species ( Fig. 49D View FIGURE 49 ) resemble those of other Central American species that have a granulose thorax but are most similar to Ph. subvolans ( Redtenbacher, 1908) , Ph. rehni sp. n. and Ph. costaricensis Hennemann, 2002 . From Ph. subvolans they may be separated by the stockier shape and proportionally shorter body segments and limbs, less globose and minute bi-cornute head ( Fig. 58 View FIGURE 58 H-J; unarmed in subvolans ), somewhat longer median segment, which is notably longer than the median segment, much larger lobes of the praeopercular organ ( Fig. 92J View FIGURE 92 ), rather parallel-sided anal segment ( Fig. 62O View FIGURE 62 ; posteriorly widened and broadly bilobate in subvolans ), shorter and broader subgenital plate that projects beyond the apex by no more than the length of the anal segment and more flat-angled dorsal lobe of the basitarsi. From those of Ph. rehni sp. n. they can readily be distinguished by the minutely bi-cornute head (with a pair of large and obtuse conical horns in rehni ), the median segment being notably longer than the metanotum (somewhat shorter than metanotum in rehni ), much smaller posterolateral lobes of abdominal tergum VII and lack of a posteromedian appendage in the praeopercular organ ( Fig. 92J View FIGURE 92 ). From the occasionally sympatric Ph. costaricensis ♀♀ of this new species differ by the smaller and more acute cephalad tubercles (larger and obtusely rounded in costaricensis ), flat posterior margin of the mesonotum (inflated to form a transverse bulge in costaricensis ), smaller posterolateral lobes of abdominal tergum VII ( Figs. 62N–P View FIGURE 62 ), larger lobes of the praeopercular organ ( Fig. 92J View FIGURE 92 ) and shorter subgenital plate. The brachypterous ♂♂ ( Fig. 55D View FIGURE 55 ) resemble those of the two Central American Ph. ploiaria ( Westwood, 1859) and Ph. subvolans ( Redtenbacher, 1908) . They are however readily distinguished from both of these species by the smaller but more acutely pointed tubercles of the head ( Fig. 60G View FIGURE 60 ), bright green mesothorax (coloured like rest of body in ploiaria and subvolans ), larger and notably bulgier poculum and much longer, more elongate, slender and almost parallel-sided vomer ( Fig. 97K View FIGURE 97 ). From the latter species they furthermore differ by the longer alae, which ± reach to the posterior margin of abdominal segment III (just slightly projecting over posterior margin of median segment in subvolans ).

Etymology: The name ( spectabilis lat. = reputable, notable) refers to the large size and fairly robust body of this new species.

Description. The colouration is described from colour photographs of live wild and captive reared specimens from different localities. Masculine.

♀♀ ( Fig. 49D View FIGURE 49 ): Large (body length incl. subgenital plate 160.0–224.0 mm) and moderately stocky species with a fairly globose and minutely bi-tuberculate head, sparsely granulose to distinctly tubercular thorax and a short subgenital plate that hardly projects beyond the apex of the abdomen by no more than the length of the anal segment. General colouration various shades of ochre, grey, brown and sometimes olive to dull greenish. Head with a very faint orangey postocular stripe that is somewhat displaced towards the anterior and usually runs from the upper margin of the eye down the upper portion of the gena. Eyes dark yellow with irregular brown mottling. Thoracic armature ranging from ochre over dull orange to dark red and usually tipped with dark brown. Upper portion of mesopleurae dark yellow to apple green ( Fig. 58H View FIGURE 58 ). Anterior portion of metanotum often with a bold whitish to cream triangular marking ( Fig. 112A View FIGURE 112 ), abdominal terga II–VII usually with some paired blackish dots. A specimen examined from photos taken at Bocas del Toro, Panama and kindly provided by Arthur Anker ( UK) is reddish ochre with three faint pale green longitudinal stripes along the dorsal surface of the mesonotum, the median one of which is more sharply defined than the two lateral ones and fairly narrow ( Fig. 112B View FIGURE 112 ). The pronotum in this specimen has a distinct black medio-longitudinal stripe in the anterior half. Antennae except scapus and pedicellus buff to mid brown dorsally and dark greyish brown to blackish ventrally.

Head ( Figs. 58H–J View FIGURE 58 ): Ovoid to moderately globose with the vertex roundly convex and smooth; broadest some distance behind the eyes and the genae notably narrowing in the posterior portion; about 1.2x longer than wide. Frons with an angularly C-shaped transverse bulge and two small but distinct impressions between the bases of the antennae. Vertex behind the eyes with a pair of small and indistinct, low conical to spiniform tubercles. Genae occasionally supplied with a few minute granules. Eyes fairly small, moderately projecting, almost circular in outline and their length contained 2.4x in length of genae. Antennae ± reaching to posterior margin of abdominal segment II. Scapus distinctly compressed dorsoventrally, very slightly narrowing towards the base and with the lateral margins straight; 2x longer than wide. Pedicellus round in cross-section, slightly constricted apically and less than half the length of scapus.

Thorax: Pronotum a little shorter but noticeably narrower than head, roughly 1.7x longer than wide and with a distinct narrowing pre-medially. Surface minutely and unevenly granulose, the portion behind the transverse median sulcus with two closely placed and slightly diverging rows of clustered granules. Anterior margin with a median pair of tubercles. Transverse median sulcus distinct, slightly arched and almost expanding over entire width of segment ( Fig. 58J View FIGURE 58 ). Mesothorax 6.3x longer than prothorax, slightly constricted anteriorly and somewhat widened posteriorly. Metanotum about 0.3x the length of mesonotum, slightly more than 2x longer than wide and with the lateral margins gently concave. Sculpturing of meso- and metanotum variable (see comments on variability below) and ranging from sparsely granulose to distinctly and densely tubercular, the sculpturing of metanotum usually somewhat less pronounced; posterior margin of mesonotum flat and not notably inflated. Meso- and metapleurae minutely granulose to moderately tubercular and with a fine longitudinal carina close to lower margin. Meso- and metasternum granulose to a variable degree and with a fine, minutely granulose carina close to lateral margins.

Abdomen: Median segment about 1.4x longer than metanotum, noticeably constricted medially with anterior margin narrower than posterior margin and 3.3x longer than width at anterior margin; surface basically sculptured like metanotum but somewhat less pronounced. Abdominal terga smooth and only with a very shallow longitudinal lateral bulge. Segment II about 0.8x the length of median segment and a little more than 2x longer than wide, rectangular in outline. II–V slightly increasing in length with V longest and 2.6x longer than wide, VI–VII decreasing in length with VI as long as IV and VII only about two-thirds the length of VI and only about 1.8x longer than wide; II–VI roughly uniform in diameter. Tergum VII slightly widening in the posterior half and the lateral margins deflexed into a small roundly angular lobe posteriorly ( Figs. 62N–P View FIGURE 62 ). Sterna minutely and rather sparsely granulose and with a distinct longitudinal carina close to lateral margins. Praeopercular organ on sternum VII represented by a fairly distinct, oval posterior lobe that is formed by each of the lateral carinae; this lobe notably projecting over posterior margin of sternum ( Fig. 92J View FIGURE 92 ). Terga VIII–X roughly uniform in width and narrower than all preceding, VIII about half the length of VII and 1.5x longer than wide; IX about two-thirds the length of VIII and almost quadrate in dorsal aspect. Anal segment a little longer than IX, gradually flattening towards the posterior, roundly rectangular in dorsal aspect and with a fine medio-longitudinal carina; posterior margin weakly bilobate and only with a very shallow median indention, the outer angles broadly rounded ( Fig. 62O View FIGURE 62 ). Cerci small, round in cross-section and tapering towards a narrow apex. Gonapophyses VIII elongate, upcurved and somewhat widened in the apical portion, projecting over anal segment and ± reaching to apex of subgenital plate ( Fig. 62N View FIGURE 62 ). Subgenital plate obtusely keeled longitudinally with the apex rounded and projecting over apex of abdomen by no more than the length of the anal segment ( Figs. 62N–P View FIGURE 62 ).

Legs: All moderately long and robust and distinctly carinated. Profemora almost as long as mesothorax, mesofemora somewhat longer than metathorax, metafemora ± reaching to posterior margin of abdominal segment IV and metatarsi just not reaching to apex of abdomen. Two outer ventral carinae of mesofemora slightly deflexed sub-basally and forming a rounded, angular or weakly bidentate lobe; the same carinae occasionally very slightly deflexed in metafemora. Posterodorsal carina of meso- and metatibiae forming a small, rounded lobe at the apex of tibia. Legs otherwise unarmed. All basitarsi with a rather flat-angled, roundly triangular dorsal crest; all slightly longer than corresponding following three tarsomeres combined.

♂♂ ( Fig. 55D View FIGURE 55 ): Fairly large (body length 109.0– 136.2 mm) and moderately slender for the genus with half-sized alae that ± reach to posterior margin of abdominal segment III (length 36.5–41.5 mm), a fairly globose and minutely bi-tuberculate head and a distinctively green mesothorax. General colour drab and sometimes with a slight ochre hue, the mesothorax and metathorax green ( Fig. 113B View FIGURE 113 ) and abdominal sterna II–VII with a greenish wash. Genae with lower portion very pale cream to whitish and with a very faint and weakly defined and washed dark brown postocular streak ( Fig. 60G View FIGURE 60 ). Eyes dark orangey-brown with irregular dark brown mottling. Tegmina and costal region of alae drab with a slight olive wash and dark brown veins, tegmina with portion anterior to redial vein creamy white to pale yellow. Anal region of alae transparent greyish brown with brown veins. Anterolateral angle of abdominal tergum IX white. Vomer reddish ochre apically ( Fig. 97K View FIGURE 97 ). Legs drab; meso- and metafemora with three and corresponding tibiae with two faint greyish cream transverse bands; base of meso- and metafemora and all basitarsi cream to straw. Antennae except scapus and pedicellus drab dorsally, blackish brown ventrally and gradually darkening towards the apex.

Head ( Fig. 60G View FIGURE 60 ): Shape generally as in ♀♀ but hardly longer than wide and the cephalad tubercles comparatively more pronounced. Posterior half of vertex with an impressed coronal line. Eyes large, circular in outline and projecting more than hemispherical from head capsule; their diameter contained less than 1.2x in length of genae. Antennae reaching to abdominal segment VII. Scapus and pedicellus as in ♀♀.

Thorax: Pronotum slightly shorter and considerably narrower than head with the posterior portion gently widened and a slight narrowing pre-medially; basically, as in ♀♀ but with surface smooth and the transverse median sulcus less impressed ( Fig. 60 View FIGURE 60 ); roughly 1.5x longer than wide. Anterior margin only with a small median pair of rounded granules. Mesothorax 8.9x longer than prothorax and a little narrower than prothorax with a slight widening posteriorly and at anterior margin; otherwise uniform in diameter. Mesonotum with a fine but acute longitudinal median carina and supplied with a few minute granules in anterior portion; the lateral surfaces with a weakly defined longitudinal row of minute granules parallel to lateral margins. Meso- and metapleurae set with a few very minute granules. Mesosternum acutely keeled medio-longitudinally, the keel of metasternum more obtuse. Tegmina elongate-ovate to spatulate in shape, gradually tapering towards the base in the anterior portion and roughly reaching to posterior margin of metanotum; central protuberance shallow. Alae ± reaching to posterior margin of abdominal segment III ( Fig. 55D View FIGURE 55 ).

Abdomen: All segments smooth dorsally and ventrally, terga however with a fine longitudinal lateral carina parallel to lateral margins and sterna II–VII weakly tectate medio-longitudinally. Median segment about 3.3x longer than metanotum, very gently narrowed towards the posterior with the posterior margin somewhat widened. Abdominal segment II only about half the length of median segment and 4.5x longer than wide. II–VII uniform in width but slightly decreasing in length with VII only 3.2x longer than wide and less than two-thirds the length of II. VII slightly gradually widening in the posterior half. Tergum VIII slightly more than half the length of VII, gradually widened towards the posterior, trapezoidal in dorsal aspect and the posterior margin almost 1.5x wider than anterior margin. IX somewhat longer than VIII constricted medially and with the anterior portion slightly deflexed; lateral margins weakly curved ( Fig. 65N View FIGURE 65 ). VIII and IX both with a prominent, obtuse longitudinal bulge on lateral surfaces. Anal segment roughly equal in length to IX, almost 2x longer than wide, basically rectangular in outline and gradually declining towards the posterior; posterior margin with a wide but shallow concave median emargination and the outer angles roundly triangular ( Fig. 65O View FIGURE 65 ). Ventral surfaces of outer angles and posterior half of lateral margins set with reddish brown denticles. Epiproct transverse and fully concealed under anal segment. Cerci of moderate length, slender, very gently incurved, tapered towards the base and the apex slightly club-like ( Fig. 65N View FIGURE 65 ). Vomer elongate, slender, the base somewhat broadened and gradually tapering, the apical half almost parallel-sided and the apical hook upcurved and slightly sinistral directed; outer margins strongly inflated and central portion with a deep medio-longitudinal furrow ( Fig. 97K View FIGURE 97 ). Poculum very large, bulgy, strongly convex and rectangularly cup-shaped with a blunt basal projection; roughly reaching one-third the way along anal segment and ventrally extending by noticeably more than height of tergum IX ( Fig. 65N View FIGURE 65 ).

Legs: All long, slender and wholly unarmed but distinctly carinated. Profemora about as long as head, pro- and mesothorax combined, mesofemora slightly longer than mesothorax, metafemora projecting over posterior margin abdominal segment V and metatibiae projecting considerably over apex of abdomen. Mesofemora occasionally (e. g. the specimen from Turrialba in MNCR-A) with a small bifid sub-basal expansion of the two outer ventral carinae. All basitarsi slender and considerably longer than corresponding remaining tarsomeres combined.

Variability. In addition to the chromatic variability summarized in the description above ♀♀ of this species show a great deal of variability in size and sculpturing of the thoracic segments. The latter range from sparsely and minutely granulose (captive reared specimens from Piedras Blancas, Costa Rica) but may have the entire thorax very densely and prominently granulose with the granules node-like or even enlarged to conical tubercles (e. g. the holotype from Bugaba , Province Chiriquí, Panama in MIUP). However, noteworthy variability in the degree of thoracic granulation is seen in the series from Piedras Blancas. The collection of MNCR-A also contains specimens in which the thoracic segments are almost smooth and wholly destitute of granules and other extremes in which the thorax is rather tubercular than granulose. The ♀ from Chiriquí in the collection of NHMW has the meso- and metanotum minutely and sparsely granulose but also supplied with several irregularly disperse conical tubercles. Moreover this ♀ and a ♂ from the same locality and source in the NHMW collection are notably larger than all other examined specimens, why their measurements are given separately in table 48 below. Considerable variability is also seen in the size and shape of the sub-basal expansions of the two outer ventral carinae of the mesofemora but is summarized in the description above. No noteworthy variability is seen in ♂♂ .

Table 48: Measurements of Phanocles spectabilis sp. n.

Egg ( Fig. 99J View FIGURE 99 ): Moderately sized and typical for the genus. Shape angularly ovoid and moderately narrowed towards the posterior end with the polar-area impressed and the dorsal egg surface sharply angular in the anterior portion; oval in cross-section. Lateral surfaces with a short, diagonal impression that is marked by some black colour. Capsule surface prominently and deeply punctured, the pits fairly large but variable in size and sharply defined. Micropylar plate fairly small, elongate, gradually widened towards the posterior and only about three-fifths the length of capsule; sculptured like capsule with but the pits smaller and restricted to the convex central portion. Micropylar cup small and with a large, rounded swelling anteriorly. Median line indistinct. Operculum oval and with a roundly convex, hollow excrescence formed by the outer margin, which has several irregular lateral impressions in the upper portion; height of excrescence less than one-fifth of capsule length. Colour of capsule plain greyish ochre with a short and faint blackish diagonal streak on lateral surfaces, the opercular collar greyish brown, the impressed polar area dark grey and the capitulum dull yellow to orange.

Measurements [mm]: Length including operculum 4.0, length 3.5, width 2.3, height 2.9, length of micropylar plate 2.2.

Comments. Culture stock of this species has been imported to Europe on several occasions from different localities throughout Costa Rica since the late 1990’s. The most recent stock originated from La Gamba in the the Piedras Blancas National Park where it was collected in 2017. This latter stock also appears to be the most stable one in breeding conditions and is frequently maintained by numerous breeders. Culturing has proven fairly easy in large and well-ventilated cages but at high humidity and temperatures of 21–25°C. While the mortality is fairly high in newly hatched nymphs, the losses decrease considerably throughout later instars of the nymphal development. Habits, behaviour and developmental durations are similar to those of other closely related Phanocles -species and widely correspond to those described for Ph. ploiaria ( Westwood, 1859) above, hence are not repeated at this place. Females are very productive and produce an average of 4– 5 eggs per day.Alternative fooD–plants that are frequently accepted in captivity in Europe include bramble ( Rubus spp. , Rosaceae ), raspberry ( Rubus idaeus , Rosaceae ), wild roses ( Rosa spp. , Rosacea), hazel ( Corylus avellana , Betulaceae ), oak ( Quercus robur, Fagacceae ), beech ( Fagus sylvatica , Fagaceae ) and salal ( Gaultheria shallon , Ericaceae ).

ANSP

Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia

NHMW

Naturhistorisches Museum, Wien

NHMUK

Natural History Museum, London

FH

Fort Hays

OC

Oberlin College

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Insecta

Order

Phasmida

Family

Diapheromeridae

Genus

Phanocles

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