Malacomorpha spinicollis ( Burmeister, 1838 ) 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 : 52-56

Malacomorpha spinicollis ( Burmeister, 1838) n. comb.

( Figs. 75–81 )

Phasma spinicollis Burmeister 1838: 585 . LT, ♂ [by present designation]: Port au Prince, Ehrbg.; spinicollis Burm *, West.*, Phasma spinicollis Burmeister 1838 ; Lectotypus det. O. Zompro, IX.2001 (MNHU); PLT, ♀: Phasma spinicollis Burmeister 1838 ; Paralectotypus det. O. Zompro, IX.2001 (MNHU); PLT, 5 eggs: Phasma spinicollis Burmeister 1838 , ex Abdomen; Paralectotypus det. O. Zompro, IX.2001 (MNHU). [examined] De Haan, 1842: 123. Westwood, 1859: 123.

Pseudophasma spinicollis, Kirby, 1904: 412 .

Olcyphides spinicollis, Redtenbacher, 1906: 108 , pl. 4: 13 (♀). Langlois & Lelong, 1996: 22.

Pseudolcyphides spinicollis, Karny, 1923: 234 . Conle & Hennemann, 2002: 103, pl. 4: 35–36, pl. 11: 106–107. Zompro, 2004: 142, figs. 80a (♂) & 80b (♀), fig. 8: 14 (egg). Otte & Brock, 2005: 397. Zompro, 2005: 282.

Material examined [7 ♂♂, 5 ♀♀, 21 nymphs, eggs]: 1 ♀: St. Domingo, Port au Prince, Sommer , Coll. Brunner v. Wattenwyl, det. Redt. ( NHMW) ; 1 ♂, 1 Nymph: St. Domingo, Port au Prince , Sommer , 764.8, det. Redt., P. phtysica Degeer, linearis Umbretta ( NHMW) ; 20 nymphs: Dominican Republic, RD-017, 19.I.02, Near km 8, Rd. Cabo Rojo-Aceitillar , Pedernales Prov., dry forest, 230m, 220–678 mE 1998–601 mN, RB, BH, SM, DO, DP ( USNM) ; 2 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀: Dominican Republic, RD-037, Km 17 Rd. Cabo Rojo-Aceitillar , Pedernales Prov., 1400 ft., 18°04.362’N 71°39.108’W, 6.VII.2002, B.Hierro, R.Bastardo, D. Perez ( USNM) ; 2 ♂♂, 1 ♀: Dominican Republic, RD-216, 10 km on trail to Carlitos, Parque National Jaragua , Pedernales Prov., 172m, 17°47.892’N 71°28.965’W, 7.–8.IV.2004, D.Perez, B.Hierro, R. Bastardo ( USNM) ; 1 ♀, 1 egg ex abdomen: Dominican Republic, Prov. of Pedernales, 15km N. Cabo Rojo, 21.June 1999, Woodruff & Baranowski, “beating at night” ( FSCA) ; 1 ♂: Dominican Republic, 15km N. Cabo Rojo , 21.VI.1999, R.E.Woodruff & R.M.Baranowski ( FSCA) ; 1 ♂: St. Domingo ( RMNH) .

Distribution: Hispaniola. Haiti (Port au Prince) & Dominican Republic (Pedernales Province).

Differentiation: Similar to the other two species in the genus which have fully developed alae in both sexes: M. hispaniola n. sp. also from Hispaniola and the Jamaican M. cyllarus ( Westwood, 1859) . ♂♂ furthermore share the well developed alae with M. poeyi ( Saussure, 1868) from Cuba, but obviously differ by the much more robust body and legs; relatively shorter body segments; spinose mesonotum and longer alae, which almost reach to the apex of the abdomen. From M. hispaniola n. sp. it differs by: the larger size; more robust body and legs; relatively shorter abdomen; more distinct spines of the mesonotum; conspicuously shorter alae which do not reach the apex of the abdomen; darker general colouration and distinctly spotted body and legs of both sexes; as well as the simple, not unarmed vomer of ♂♂, which has the apex broadly rounded. From M. cyllarus it can be distinguished by: the more robust body and legs; more distinct spines of the mesonotum; darker general colouration; slightly shiny body surface and distinctly spotted body and legs of both sexes.

Another obviously closely related species is M. multipunctata n. sp. also from Hispaniola, but this at once differs from M. spinicollis by lacking tegmina and only having vestigial alae, as well as the distinctly punctured body and legs of both sexes.

The eggs are similar to the ones of M. multipunctata n. sp., with which they have the circular micropylar plate in common. They differ by the more bulgy and shorter capsule (in comparison to their length).

Description: ºº ( Fig. 75 ): Large (body length 58.7–66.0 mm) and slender for the genus with a long and rather cylindrical abdomen. Tegmina and alae present. Alae reaching the posterior margin of tergite IX or anal segment. Legs slender and long, distinctly carinated; all carinae covered with minute setae. Antennae long and slender, reaching to posterior margin of anal segment. Body surface smooth and partly shiny, except mesonotum bearing several spines roughly arranged in four dorsal and two lateral longitudinal rows in the anterior half. Basic colouration of body and legs brown to pale brown, overlaid with many minute dark brown speckles and broken lines. A prominent, dark longitudinal dorsomedian line runs along the complete dorsal surface of the head and thorax; In some specimens this line can be continued less distinctly on the dorsal surface of the abdomen. Tegmina and costal region of alae pale brown to brown with fine, dark brown veins; Anal region of alae translucent. Head with several indistinct, pale and dark brown longitudinal dorsolateral lines and dark brown postocular line. Antennae dark brown with irregular yellowish bands, the antennomeres irregularly coloured. Eyes brown. Legs dark brown with yellowish mottling and spots.

Head: Longer than wide, oval in cross-section and slightly flattened dorsally. Vertex smooth. Fully developed ocelli present. Eyes very large, roughly circular, distinctly projecting hemispherical, their length contained 1.2–1.5x in that of cheek. Antennae reaching to posterior margin of anal segment. Scapus 1.5–2x longer than wide, compressed dorsoventrally, roughly rectangular and slightly carinated. Pedicellus slightly longer than wide, distinctly narrower and about 0.7x as long as scapus, but wider than following antennomeres. Third antennomere slightly longer than scapus, IV distinctly shorter. Remaining antennomeres increasing in length towards apices of antennae.

Thorax: Nearly round in cross-section. Prothorax parallel-sided, meso- and metathorax slightly broadened towards the posterior. Pronotum as long but more slender than the head, 1.5x longer than wide, parallel-sided. Anterolateral angles with a conspicuous, rounded excavation for the defensive glands. Transverse median depression indistinct and slightly displaced towards anterior third of segment. Median line slightly impressed. Mesonotum hardly wider and 1.3x longer than pronotum, 2x longer than wide and moderately broadened towards the posterior; Bearing several spines roughly arranged in four dorsal and two lateral longitudinal rows in the anterior half. Metanotum and median segment wider than mesonotum and combined longer than mesonotum. Metanotum and median segment combined 1.8x longer than wide, parallel-sided, smooth and shiny, covered by the tegmina and alae. Metanotum wider than long, shorter than median segment. Transverse fissure between metanotum and median segment very distinct. Mesoepisternum smooth and shiny except some very minute granules at the ventral margin. Metaepisternum and metasternum smooth and shiny. Mesosternum with ventromedian longitudinal carina. Tegmina short and oval, strongly convex, bearing fine veins, reaching towards the posterior margin of metanotum. Alae reaching towards the posterior margin of tergite IX or anal segment.

Abdomen: Nearly 1.8x longer than head and complete thorax combined, slender and gently gradually tapered towards the apex. Surface smooth and shiny. Median segment longer than metanotum, gently longer than wide. Tergites parallel-sided. II–VI widest and longest, VIII–X narrowest, VIII shortest. II–VII 1.5–2x longer than wide, VIII & IX roughly quadrate. Sternites II–VI simple and smooth, VII bearing a small black praeopercular organ. Anal segment slightly constricted towards apex, narrower than IX, about as wide as long, longitudinal median carina very faint and indistinct. 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, reaching the posterior marging of anal segment; minutely setose and apex pointed. Cerci small, short, slightly incurving, and gradually constricted towards the apex, which is slightly thickened and club-like; finely bristled.

Legs: Rather slender and long, distinctly carinated, unarmed and with all carinae minutely bristled, partly shiny. Profemora 2.5x longer than mesothorax, metafemora reaching to posterior margin of abdominal tergite V, hind legs hardly projecting over apex of abdomen. Profemora very indistinctly compressed and curved basally. Basitarsus 2.5x longer than second tarsomere.

ďď ( Fig. 76 ): Similar to ♀♀, but smaller and much more slender (body length 36.5–42.0 mm), abdominal segments II–VII parallel-sided.

Head: Generally as in ♀♀.

Thorax: As in ♀♀, but alae at least reaching to the posterior margin of tergite IX.

Abdomen: Sub-cylindrical in cross section, about 1.6–1.8x longer than head and thorax combined. Surface and granulation as in ♀♀. Tergites II–VII parallel-sided, VIII and IX broadening towards the posterior and slightly broader than previous. III–VII are the longest and narrowest, IX is the shortest, X is the widest. II–VII 2x longer than wide, VIII & IX 1.5–2.0x wider than long, anal segment broader than previous tergites, about 1.5–2x wider than long. Posterior margin rounded, very moderately laterally expanded, with a faint concave indentation. Sternites II–VII simple and smooth. Cerci as in ♀♀. Poculum small and flat, spoon-like, reaching towards the posterior margin of tergite IX. Posterior margin rounded. Vomer longer than wide, parallel-sided basally, with apex broadly rounded; outer margin swollen.

Legs: As in ♀♀.

Eggs ( Figs. 80–81 ): Small for the genus. Capsule barrel-shaped, 1.5–1.7x longer than wide, oval in crosssection, lateral surfaces convex. Polar-area flattened and with a very shallow impression. Anterior margin of capsule raised and covered with tubercles or tooth-like structures. Surface of capsule all over covered with irregularly raised net-like structures and ridges. Two distinct longitudinal, sub-parallel bulges reaching from the anterior end of the micropylar plate to the anterior margin of capsule. Micropylar plate small, almost circular and less than 1/4 the length of capsule; surface smooth, flat and the outer margin conspicuously raised. Micropylar cup small, lanceolate and positioned close to posterior margin of micropylar plate. Median line distinct, raised, very fine and reaching as far as to the polar-area. Operculum oval, slightly convex, surface prominently scabrous and tuberculose with the structures becoming more distinct and forming a cluster in the centre. General colouration straw to pale brown, the raised net-like structures mid to dark brown. Dorsal surface of capsule with a broad, longitudinal brown median stripe between the two bulges anterior of the micropylar plate and with two elongate brown markings below the micropylar plate. Micropylar plate straw to pale yellowish.

Measurements [mm]: length 2.5–2.6, width 1.6, height 1.7, length of micropylar plate 0.7.

Comments: The systematic position of this species has been problematic since its first description. Burmeister (1838: 585) originally described Phasma spinicollis based on a ♂ and ♀ From Port au Prince, Haiti in MNHU (the ♀ lacks a locality label). Kirby (1904: 412) transferred it to the genus Pseudophasma Kirby, 1896 . Redtenbacher (1906: 108, pl. 4: 13) transferred it to Olcyphides Griffini, 1898 and provided a nice illustration of the ♀. Karny (1923: 234) recognized generic differences of Burmeister’s species and established the new genus Pseudolcyphides for which he designated P. spinicollis as the type. The genus has since remained monotypic and the combination was taken over by most subsequent authors including Conle & Hennemann (2002), Zompro (2004) and Otte & Brock (2005). No author has so far selected a lectotype and therefore the ♂ in MNUH is here designated as the lectotype of P. spinicollis .

The genus Pseudolcyphides Karny, 1923 is here shown to be a synonym of Malacomorpha Rehn, 1906 (n. syn.). Although Pseuolcyphides is obviously synonymic with Malacomorpha, Zompro (2004) placed these genera in two distinct tribes, Pseudolcyphides in Pseudophasmatini and Malacomorpha in the Anisomorphini . Even if Zompro very briefly characterized and figured eggs (fig. 8: 14) which had been extracted from the abdomen of the ♀ PLT in MNUH he did not recognize the close relation to Malacomorpha . Zompro’s characterization (2004: 142) merely states: “In the egg, ventral and dorsal areas of capsule subparallel”. This feature is of poor and very questionable taxonomic use and at best serves for the distincion at the species level.

It may be mentioned that in this species regenerated legs bear decidedly less distinct and less numerous pale spots than fully developed legs.

The specimen collected on the trail to Carlitos was found on Exostena spp. ( Rubiaceae ).

Figures

FIGURES 75–81. Malacomorpha spinicollis (Burmeister, 1838) n. comb. 75) ♀ (USNM), 76) ♂ (USNM), 77) ♂ apex of abdomen in lateral view, 78) ♂ vomer, 79) ♀ apex of abdomen in lateral view, 80) egg in dorsal view, 81) egg in lateral view.