Planososibia brevialata, Ho, 2017

Ho, George Wai-Chun, 2017, Contribution to the knowledge of Chinese Phasmatodea V: New taxa and new nomenclatures of the subfamilies Necrosciinae (Diapheromeridae) and Lonchodinae (Phasmatidae) from the Phasmatodea of China, Zootaxa 4368 (1), pp. 1-72 : 33-35

Planososibia brevialata sp. nov.

(Figs. 132–135, 172–179, 284–285)

Types. Holotype: ♀, 900–1200m, Shengtangshan, Jinxiu, Guangxi, China, 21.VII.2014, George Ho Wai-Chun (HKES); Paratypes: 2♀, 3♂ & 2 eggs (naturally laid by holotype ♀ & 1 paratype ♀), 900–1000m, Jinxiu, Guangxi, China, 23.VII.2014, George Ho Wai-Chun (HKES & SEM).

Diagnosis. Planososibia brevialata sp. nov. [ China (Guangxi)] is similar to P. platycerca ( Stål, 1875) [ China (Guangxi) & Vietnam], but can be separated by distinctly granulated head in female and posteriorly emarginated anal abdominal segment in male.

Description. Female (Figs. 132–133, 172–174, 178). Medium-sized. General colour of body and legs brown. Body covered with dense short bristles and sparse long bristles. Similar to male but body more robust and with longer alae.

Head: Oblong, dorsoventrally flattened, sparsely covered with small and acute granules. Vertex and occiput flattened. Occipital longitudinal furrow and swellings indistinct. Antennae densely covered with short bristles, surpassing apices of protarsi; scapus flattened basally, as long as pedicellus; third segment shorter than pedicellus.

Thorax: Sparsely covered with small granules. Pronotum rectangular, as long as head, anterior margin incurved, posterior margin rounded, transverse and longitudinal sulci crossing before middle point. Mesonotum indistinctly winkled, with small granules and interspersed with a few larger granules; parallel-sided, median longitudinal line faint, longer than combined length of pronotum, metanotum and median segment.

Abdomen: Cylindrical, tapering posteriorly, with distinct wrinkles. Fifth and sixth tergites with a short posteromedial tubercle. Second to sixth sternites slightly elevated posteromedially. Seventh sternum lacking noticeable praeopercular organ. Eighth tergum shorter than ninth tergum. Anal segment as long as ninth tergum, with small notch on posterior margin. Subgenital plate scoop-shaped, posterior margin rounded, reaching middle area of anal segment. Cerci long and straight, apices surpassing posterior margin of anal segment.

Legs: Slender, densely covered with long bristles. Unarmed. Brown with blackish markings. Femora roughly as long as corresponding tibiae. Profemora incurved basally, broader than mesofemora, metafemora and all tibiae.

Wings: Tegmina small, oval, tapering anteriorly, posterior margin truncate. Alae short, reaching middle area of fourth abdominal tergum, costal region dark brown, with a few small black markings.

Male (Figs. 134–135, 175–177, 179). Small size, distinctly smaller and more slender than female. General coloration of body brown.

Head: Oval, constricted after compound eyes, sparsely covered with small yellowish granules. Vertex and occiput flattened. Occipital and lateral longitudinal furrows distinct. Compound eyes rounded. Antennae densely covered with long bristles; scapus longer than pedicellus, as long as third segment.

Thorax: Sparsely covered with small yellowish granules. Pronotum rectangular, as long as head, anterior margin curved inwards, posterior margin rounded, transverse and longitudinal sulci crossing before middle point. Mesonotum parallel-sided, median longitudinal line indistinct, roughly as long as combined length of head, pronotum, metanotum and median segment.

Abdomen: Lacking granulation, with minute pits marginally. Fifth and sixth tergites with a short posteromedial tubercle. Second to seventh tergites parallel-sided. Eighth tergum expanded posteriorly. Ninth tergum longer than eighth tergum, with distinctly posterolateral angles, apices obtuse and slightly curved inwards. Anal segment shorter than eighth tergum, with distinct small emargination on posterior margin. Poculum cup-shaped, tapering posteriorly, apex pointed and reaching anterior area of anal segment. Cerci cylindrical, weakly curved inwards, apices rounded and surpassing posterior margin of anal segment.

Legs: Slender and long. Unarmed. Sparsely covered with long bristles. All femora roughly as long as corresponding tibiae. Profemora incurved basally.

Wings: Tegmina small, oval, tapering anteriorly, posterior margin truncate. Alae short, not extending beyond posterior margin of third abdominal tergum.

Measurements in Table 14.

Eggs (Figs. 284–285). Capsule pale brown, with blackish brown markings, with a few spine-like bristles; oval, posterior pole rounded, ventral surface flat and smooth. Micropylar plate elongated anteriorly, anterior apex pointed, posterior apex rounded. Micropylar cup placed near posterior margin of micropylar plate. Median line about one-half of micropylar plate, placed after micropylar cup. Operculum brown, with a granule-like elevation centrally, margin surrounding with spine-like bristles.

Measurements. Length 3.6 mm, width 1.4 mm, height 1.2 mm.

Distribution. China (Guangxi).

Etymology. The specific epithet of this new species is derived from the short alae in both sexes.