Brockphasma spinifemoralis Ho, Liu, Bresseel & Constant

Ho, George Wai-Chun, Liu, Xing-Yue, Bresseel, Joachim & Constant, Jerome, 2014, Brockphasma spinifemoralis gen. et spec. nov.: a new phasmid genus and new species of Neohiraseini (Phasmida: Necrosciinae) from Vietnam, Zootaxa 3826 (1), pp. 282-290 : 284-289

Brockphasma spinifemoralis Ho, Liu, Bresseel & Constant spec. nov.

(Figs. 1–28)

Types. Holotype: ♂, 150 m., Bach Ma National Park, Phu Loc District, Thua Thien Hue Province, Vietnam, 27.IX.2011, Xing-Yue Liu (CAU). Paratypes: 1♂, 150 m., Bach Ma National Park, Phu Loc District, Thua Thien Hue Province, Vietnam, 27.IX.2011, Xing-Yue Liu (CAU); 1♂, 3♀♀, 500 m., Bach Ma National Park, Phu Loc District, Thua Thien Hue Province, Vietnam, 4.V.2012, Xing-Yue Liu (2♀♀ in CAU; 1♂ 1♀ in HKES); 9♂♂, 3♀♀, 16°12’N 107°52’E, Bach Ma National Park, Central Vietnam, 12–17.VII.2011, leg. Jerome Constant & Joachim Bresseel, I.G. 31.933 (RBINS); 28♂♂, 15♀♀, 2 immatures, 16°12’N 107°52’E, 12–17.VII.2011, summit, Bach Ma National Park, Central Vietnam, leg. Jerome Constant & Joachim Bresseel, I.G. 31.933 (26♂♂, 13♀♀, 2 immatures in RBINS; 2♂♂, 2♀♀ in IEBR).

Description. Measurements in Table 1 .

Male (Figs. 1–3, 7–9, 16–21). Smaller and more slender than female. Body spinose. Dorsal body surface with a mediolongitudinal pale line and a black longitudinal line on each side of the central line. Lateral side of the dorsal body surface again with a paler longitudinal line. Legs dark brown with some light brown markings. Body armature light brown with black markings, sometimes with a trace of green.

Head: Globose, slightly longer than wide. Covered with small granules. Genae with a thin and pale postocular stripe and with a darker stripe below the pale stripe. Vertex with an oval depression between compound eyes, centrally with a small granule and with a pair of supra-antennal spines placed posteriorly of depression. Occiput convex, with a pair of long occipital medial spines, about 2 times length of supra-antennal spines; median transverse furrow distinct. Compound eyes brown, small and circular. Antennae filiform, segments indistinct, longer than forelegs, with dense setae. Scapus cylindrical, constricted at base, about 2 times length of pedicellus, pedicellus short and knob like. Third segment cylindrical, roughly as long as combined length of first and second segments.

Thorax: Thick-built, indistinctly granulated and very spinose. Pronotum quadrate, anterior margin concave, posterior margin truncate and sparsely covered with small granules. Transverse and longitudinal sulci crossing at centre of segment. Pronotum with a pair of short anterior pronotal spines and with paired pre-median pronotal spines. Pre-median pronotal spines being distinctly larger with apices pointing anterolaterally. Mesonotum about 2.3 times length of pronotum, constricted in anterior and posterior portions, distinctly broadened posteromedially. Anterior margin elevated and with a spinose hump medially. Hump anteriorly armed with two pairs of spines; anterior pair pointing anteriorly, about 2 times length of posterior pair, posterior pair pointing upwards. Lateral margins of mesonotum with six lateral mesonotal spines with first and last the smallest. Mesonotum also with a pair of small median mesonotal spines and two pairs of posterior mesonotal spines. Two pairs of posterior mesonotal spines along mediolongitudinal carina, anterior pair being the largest. Mesopleurae with four tuberclelike lateral spines and a short supra-coxal spine. Metanotum slightly broadened medially, granulose, slightly carinate medially and about 1.5–1.8 times length of median segment. Lateral margins with two lateral metanotal spines medially, posterior one about 2.5 times length of anterior one. Metanotum also with a group of four posteromedian metanotal spines, with anterior pair the larger. Metapleurae with a mediolateral spine and two supra-coxal spines. Anterior supra coxal about 2.5 times length of posterior one. Mesosternum and metasternum rugose and slightly granulated, unarmed.

Abdomen: Cylindrical. Slightly covered with small granules dorsally, unarmed ventrally; dorsal surface carinate mediolongitudinally. Median segment shorter than head. Second to seventh terga more or less parallelsided and with indistinct posterolateral expansion. Median segment to fourth tergum with two pairs of posterior spines, median pair longer than lateral pair, and gradually reduced in size towards apex of abdomen. Four spines sometimes present on fifth and sixth terga. Fifth to seventh terga with a small hump posteromedially. Eighth and ninth terga gently expanded posteriorly. Anal segment about as long as ninth tergum, with broad U-shaped emargination on hind margin. Posterolateral angles pointed. Poculum small, cup-shaped, hind margin rounded, reaching base of anal segment. Cerci short and flattened, apices slightly pointed and curved, not surpassing end of anal segment.

Legs: Slender, femora distinctly armed with spines. Midlegs shortest among all legs. Procoxae with a short spine. All femora thick-built, with apical spine mediodorsally. Anterodorsal, posterodorsal, anteroventral and posteroventral carinae armed with spines, first and second spines placed near apices usually larger than others. Medioventral carina with minute spines, all roughly equal in size, less distinct on metafemora. Mediodorsal carina unarmed. Profemora only slightly curved at base, longer than combined length of pronotum and mesonotum. All tibiae unarmed dorsally and medioventrally. Anteroventral and posteroventral carinae armed with minute spines, more numerous on protibiae.

Vomer: J-shaped, distinctly curved in apical half. Flattened and smooth. Both ends gradually narrowed and slightly pointed. Rear part lacking spines, setae and hooks.

Female (Figs. 4–6, 10–11, 20–24). Appearance generally similar to male, but distinctly larger and robust. General colouration of body and legs as in male, but more variable. Sometimes with green portions.

Head: Oblong, roughly as long as pronotum, parallel-sided and covered with small granules. Genae with a pale postocular stripe and with a black stripe placed beneath pale band. Head armature and antennae as in male.

Thorax: Thick-built, with similar armature as in male, but distinctly more developed. Pronotum rectangular, gently expanded towards posterior in second half, anterior margin concave; transverse and longitudinal sulci crossing at centre of segment; armature as in male. Mesonotum constricted in anterior and posterior portions, strongly broadened posteromedially, more distinct than male. Anterior margin elevated and with a spinose hump; armature as in male. Lateral margins with six lateral mesonotal spines, second one as long as posterior one; second last being the smallest; third one as long as following and larger than the others. Other armature of mesonotum as in male. Mesopleurae with three to four tubercle-like lateral spines and a short supra-coxal spine. Metanotum slightly broadened medially, armature as in male. Metapleurae with a short mediolateral spine and two supra-coxal spines, anterior one about 3 times length of posterior one. Mesosternum and metasternum granulated, unarmed.

Abdomen: Cylindrical, tapering towards apex. Rugose and inconspicuously granulate. Unarmed ventrally and dorsal surface with a mediolongitudinal carina. Second to ninth terga with triangularly expanded angles posterolaterally, creating lobes. Median segment to fifth terga with four posterior spines, middle pair distinctly shorter than lateral pair, which is gradually decreasing in size towards posterior. Sixth to ninth terga with a hump posteromedially, which is gradually increasing in size towards posterior. Seventh sternum with distinct preopercular organ, prominently raised, rounded, concave posteromedially. Anal segment about as long as ninth tergum and with distinct median and lateral carinae. Hind margin with two small U-shaped emarginations, lateral angles pointed. Subgenital plate scoop-shaped, medially and laterally carinate; apex pointed and reaching middle of anal segment. Cerci short and flattened, straight, apices rounded not exceeding end of anal segment.

Legs: Slender, with armature similar as in male. Procoxae with a short spine, mesocoxae and metacoxae unarmed. All femora thick-built, armature as in male. Profemora slightly curved basally. All tibiae unarmed dorsally and ventrally.

Measurements in Table 1 .

Nymph ( Figs. 14–15 ). Newly hatched nymphs large size compared to the adults body size, body length measuring about 16 mm. Body colouration green with many black markings. Black markings concentrated centrally on dorsal part of the body, creating a longitudinal darker portion. Head longer than prothorax. Vertex with a pair of tubercles. Antennae filiform, consisting of nine segments. Final segment and posterior half of ninth segment coloured white. Body armature already distinct. Pronotum and mesonotum with group of four tubercles anteriorly. Mesonotum and metanotum with pair of tubercles posteriorly. Anterolateral part of abdominal terga with small and black longitudinal markings. Second to sixth abdominal terga with two small tubercles anteriorly and two definite tubercles posteriorly. Cerci distinct and setose. Femora with a black band halfway. Tibiae mottled black and green.

Egg ( Figs.12–13 ). General coloration light brown. Capsule oval, surface reticulate and strongly granulose. Capsule concave anterodorsally where joining operculum. Operculum conical, coloured and structured like capsule. Micropylar plate circular, slightly posterior to centre of capsule. Micropylar cup positioned in posterior portion of micropylar plate, followed by short median line. Outer margin of micropylar plate and median line slightly darker than capsule, inner portion coloured like capsule. Polar area rounded.

Measurements (in mm): Length 3.8–4.0, maximum width 2.5–2.6, maximum height 2.8–3.0.

Habitat. The specimens were found close to the forest floor in moist evergreen and montane forest, at altitudes between 150 and 1400 metres. Humidity is high throughout the year. Temperature varies according to seasons, altitude and locality, but temperatures at higher altitude do not exceed 25°C.

Biological observations ( Figs. 26–28 ). The species is active during night time. Only one pair was found during daytime, hiding at the base of a tree fern and very well camouflaged. During night time the species was usually found on different species of ferns, their natural host plants. Cultured specimens feed on different ferns, bramble ( Rubus sp.), rose ( Rosa sp.), ivy ( Hedera helix ) and probably even more. The genus seems easy to culture. Only a limited number of eggs are produced: one or two weekly. Incubation time is about 5–7 months at 20–23°C and nymphs reach adulthood in about five to six months. Most eggs are dropped, but some are stuck into crevices or buried in the substrate. Males stay on the back of the female for a long time without the occurrence of mating.

Distribution ( Fig. 25 ). Central Vietnam, currently only known from Bach Ma National Park.

Etymology. The name of this new species refers to the spiny femora.

Figures

FIGURES 12 – 24. Brockphasma spinifemoralis gen. et spec. nov., captive reared adults and nymph, and eggs. 12, egg: dorsal view. 13, eggs: different views. 14, first instar nymph: dorsal view. 15, first instar nymph: lateral view. 16, subadult male. 17, ♂: dorsal view. 18, ♂: lateral view. 19, ♂: ventral view. 20, mating pair: dorsal view. 21, mating pair: lateral view. 22, ♀ green form: dorsal view. 23, ♀: lateral view. 24, ♀: ventral view (photographs by Bruno Kneubühler).

FIGURES 25 – 28. Brockphasma spinifemoralis gen. et spec. nov., in situ, distribution map and habitat. 25, distribution map. 26, adult pair on fern at night time. 27, adult pair camouflaged on tree fern at day time. 28, habitat of the species at Bach Ma National Park (photographs by J. Constant).

Tables

TABLE 1. Measurements of Brockphasma spinifemoralis gen. et spec. nov.

Lengths (mm) Male (Holotype)	Male (Paratypes)	Female (Paratypes)
Body 40.0	35.5–41.0	53.0–58.0
Head 3.5	3.5–4.0	5.0–5.5
Antennae 28.0	28.0–33.0	28.0–40.0
Pronotum 3.0	3.0	4.0–4.5
Mesonotum 7.0	6.0–7.0	8.5–9.0
Metanotum 3.0	3.5	4.0–4.5
Median segment 2.0	2.0–2.5	3.0
Profemora 11.0	9.5–11.0	12.0–14.5
Mesofemora 8.0	7.5–9.0	12.0–13.5
Metafemora 12.0	11.0–12.0	17.0–19.0
Protibiae 14.0	11.5–14.0	16.0–19.0
Mesotibiae 10.0	9.0–10.5	13.0–15.0
Metatibiae 14.0	13.0–14.0	20.0–22.0