Malacomorpha sanchezi, Conle & Hennemann & Perez-Gelabert, 2008

Conle, Oskar V., Hennemann, Frank H. & Perez-Gelabert, Daniel E., 2008, Studies on neotropical Phasmatodea II: Revision of the genus Malacomorpha Rehn, 1906, with the descriptions of seven new species (Phasmatodea: Pseudophasmatidae: Pseudophasmatinae), Zootaxa 1748 (1), pp. 1-64 : 48-50

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.1748.1.1
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5108832
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03FD87F7-9E4A-FFC8-C3C2-F90CFE1DF8FF
treatment provided by	Felipe
scientific name	Malacomorpha sanchezi
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Malacomorpha sanchezi View in CoL n. sp.

( Figs. 68–74 View FIGURES 68–74 , 90 View FIGURE 86–90. 86 )

Anisomorpha jamaicana?, Wolcott, 1936: 35 View in CoL .

Wolcott, 1948: 50.

Wolcott, 1951: 50.

HT, ♂: Puerto Rico, Guanica State Forest, 1.5 km from the coastline, Vereda de Ballenas, 100m, under tree bark and inside rotting wood, including Bursera simaruba and Bucida buceras , 2.2006, leg. A. Sanchez (ZSMC).

PT, 1 ♀: Puerto Rico, Guanica State Forest, 1.5 km from the coastline, Vereda de Ballenas, 100m, under tree bark and inside rotting wood, including Bursera simaruba and Bucida buceras , 2.2006, leg. A. Sanchez (ZSMC).

PT, 3 ♂♂, 1 ♀, 5 nymphs: Puerto Rico, Guanica State Forest, 1.5 km from the coastline, Vereda de Ballenas , 100m, under tree bark and inside rotting wood, including Bursera simaruba and Bucida buceras , 2.2006, leg. A. Sanchez ( USNM) .

PT, 1 ♂, 1 ♀, 1 egg: Puerto Rico, Guanica State Forest, 1.5 km from the coastline, Vereda de Ballenas , 100m, under tree bark and inside rotting wood, including Bursera simaruba and Bucida buceras , 2.2006, leg. A. Sanchez ( OC) .

Distribution: Puerto Rico (Guanica State Forest). Only known from the type-locality.

Etymology: The species is dedicated to father Alejandro Sánchez ( Puerto Rico), for kindly collecting and providing the type-specimens and taking photographs of the live insects.

Differentiation: The only species of the genus found in Puerto Rico, which geographically separates it from the other species of the genus. The species is similar to Malacomorpha macaya n. sp. & Malacomorpha minima n. sp., with which it has the shiny body surface in common, although it is easily distinguished from these by the obviously larger and more robust body shape and the different colouration.

The eggs differ from the other eggs with an oval micropylar plate, by the very long and prominent median line, which almost reaches the polar-area.

Description: The colouration is described from photos of live specimens.

ºº ( Figs. 68 View FIGURES 68–74 & 90 View FIGURE 86–90. 86 ): Medium sized (body length 48.0– 49.5 mm), rather robust for the genus with a rather bulgy abdomen. Rudiments of tegmina and alae lacking. Legs stout and not very long, distinctly carinated; very smooth, hardly any setae present. Antennae slender but not very long, hardly reaching towards the anal segment. Body surface completely smooth and shiny; only mesonotum bearing a few minute tubercles roughly arranged in two longitudinal rows. Basic colouration of body and legs lurid pale brown, overlaid with many minute dark brown speckles, broken lines and patches. A prominent, black longitudinal dorsomedian line runs along the complete dorsal surface of the head and body. In some specimens this line can be interrupted on the abdomen and only the faint posteromedian tubercles or humps on the tergites show a black marking. Head with several indistinct, pale and dark brown longitudinal dorsolateral lines and a dark postocular line. Antennae irregularly brown and yellow annulated. Eyes marbled in black and pale brown. Metaepisternum cream to pale beige. Legs pale to dark brown with indistinct yellowish mottling.

Head: Small in relation to the body, slightly longer than wide, oval in cross-section and slightly flattened dorsally. Vertex very minutely granulated, very small rudiments of ocelli present. Eyes large, roughly circular, projecting hemispherical, their length contained 1.7–2.0x in that of cheek. Antennae hardly reaching the anal segment. Scapus 1.5x longer than wide, compressed dorsoventrally, roughly rectangular and slightly carinated. Pedicellus hardly longer than wide, distinctly narrower and about 0.7x as long as scapus, but wider than following antennomeres. Third antennomere elongate, almost as long as scapus and pedicellus combined, IV distinctly shorter. Remaining antennomeres increasing in length towards apices of antennae.

Thorax: Oval in cross-section. Pro-, meso- and metathorax slightly broadened towards the posterior. Pronotum 1.2–1.4x longer than wide, longer and as wide as the head, slightly broadened towards the posterior. Anterolateral angles with a conspicuous, rounded excavation for the defensive glands. Transverse median depression V- or W-shaped, placed in the centre of segment. Median line slightly impressed. Mesonotum wider and about 1.7x longer than pronotum, 1.5x longer than wide and gently broadening towards the posterior, the increase in width being continuous with that of the pronotum. Bearing very minute tubercles roughly arranged in two dorsolateral longitudinal rows in the anterior half. Metanotum and median segment as wide as posterior of mesonotum and combined of equal length. Metanotum and median segment combined hardly 1.3–1.4x longer than wide, slightly broadened towards posterior end. Metanotum transverse, wider than long and as long as median segment. Transverse fissure between metanotum and median segment distinct and straight. Rudiments of tegmina and alae absent. Meso- and metaepisternum smooth. Pro-, meso- and metasternum simple, smooth and shiny.

Abdomen: 1.4–1.5x longer than head and complete thorax combined, bulgy and gradually tapered towards the apex. Surface smooth and shiny. Segments parallel sided. Median segment as long as metanotum, wider than long, rectangular. Tergites II–VI widest and longest, X narrowest and shortest. II–VII transverse, being 3–4x wider than long, VIII–IX transverse, being 2–2.5x wider than long. Tergites I–IX each with a small faint posteromedian tubercle or hump. Sternites II–VI simple and smooth, VII bearing a small black praeopercular organ. Anal segment tapered towards apex, narrower than IX, about 1.5x wider than long, with a very indistinct longitudinal median carina. Lateral margins with a faint concave excavation near the bases of the cerci. Supraanal plate very small with angulate apex just visible. Subgenital plate boat-shaped, hardly reaching towards the posterior margin of anal segment, apex pointed. Cerci small, short, slightly incurving, and gradually constricted towards the apex, which is slightly thickened and club-like; finely bristled.

Legs: Stout and relatively short, distinctly carinated, unarmed and smooth. Profemora 1.2–1.3x longer than mesothorax, metafemora reaching towards the posterior margin of abdominal tergite V, hind legs distinctly projecting over apex of abdomen. Profemora indistinctly compressed and curved basally. Basitarsus 2.5x longer than second tarsomere.

ďď ( Figs. 69 View FIGURES 68–74 & 90 View FIGURE 86–90. 86 ): Similar to ♀♀, but smaller and much more slender (body length 30.0– 32.9 mm), abdominal segments II–VII parallel-sided.

Head: Generally as in ♀♀.

Thorax: As in ♀♀, but pro-, meso- and metathorax less distinctly broadened towards the posterior. Mesonotum 1.7–1.9 x longer than pronotum, at least 2x longer than wide. Metanotum and median segment combined more than 1.5x longer than wide.

Abdomen: Sub-cylindrical in cross section, about 1.5x longer than head and thorax combined. Surface and granulation as in ♀♀. Tergites II–VII parallel-sided, VIII and IX broadening towards the posterior and broader than previous. II transverse and 1.5x wider than long, III–VII longest and roughly quadrate, IX the shortest. VIII and IX 1.5–2.0x wider than long. IX broadest, slightly broader than anal segment. Anal segment about 2x wider than long. Posterior margin rounded, swollen and laterally expanded, with a small faint median indentation. Sternites II–VII simple and smooth. Cerci as in ♀♀. Poculum small and rather flat, slightly spoon-like, reaching the posterior margin of tergite IX. Posterior margin rounded, with a small triangular incision medially. Vomer longer than wide, slightly triangular, tapered towards the apex, with apex broadly rounded; outer margin swollen.

Legs: As in ♀♀.

Eggs ( Figs. 73–74 View FIGURES 68–74 ): Of average size for the genus. Capsule barrel-shaped, about 2x longer than wide and oval in cross-section. Lateral surfaces very gently convex. If seen in lateral aspect, polar-area with a distinct median impression and swollen posteroventrally. Anterior margin of capsule slightly raised and simple. Surface of capsule irregularly granulose and tuberculose, the sculpturing become increasingly prominent towards the polar end of capsule. Micropylar plate small, oval, 1.2–1.3x longer than wide and about ¼ the length of capsule. Surface gently convex and granulose. Micropylar cup small, elongate and positioned close to the posterior margin of micropylar plate. Median line very prominent, almost reaching to polar-area and 1.5x longer than micropylar plate. Operculum oval, very slightly convex and with a small, flat hump in the centre; surface structured like capsule. General colouration pale greyish brown. Portion around micropylar plate brown.

Measurements [mm]: length 3.4, width 1.7, height 2.0, length of micropylar plate 0.8.

Comments: With doubt Wolcott (1936: 35, 1948: 50 & 1951: 50) recorded Anisomorpha jamaicana Redtenbacher, 1906 from Puerto Rico but in fact the specimens this author had at hand most probably represented this new species.