Otraleus bellemansae, Bresseel & Constant, 2017

Bresseel, Joachim & Constant, Jérôme, 2017, Philippine mossy forest stick insects: first record of the genus Otraleus Günther, 1935 in the country, with four new species, and the new genus Capuyanus gen. nov. (Phasmida, Diapheromeridae, Necrosciinae), European Journal of Taxonomy 265 (265), pp. 1-31 : 9-14

Otraleus bellemansae sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:1C1D03CE-F610-4F37-9EFF-7D5C776BF912

Figs 5 C–H, 6–7, 13

Etymology

This species epithet is dedicated to Nathalie Bellemans (Zemst, Belgium) for her support and help with the first author’s research for several years.

Type material

Holotype PHILIPPINES: ♂, Luzon, Mountain Province, Sagada , 16°57′40′′ N, 121°1′18′′ E, mossy forest, 15 Apr. 2014, Mission Leopold III funds, Constant J., Bresseel J. and co. leg. ( RBINS IG: 32700 ).

Paratype PHILIPPINES: 1 ♀, same collection data as holotype ( RBINS) .

Description

The colouration is described from photographs of live specimens.

Male ( Fig. 6 )

MEASUREMENTS. See Table 2.

BODY. Brown to green with black patches scattered over body and legs.

HEAD. Longer than wide, notched dorsally between antennae. Vertex with a prominent blunt elevation. Elevation split by a shallow longitudinal depression. Eyes circular and strongly projecting hemispherically. Antennae slightly setose, widely projecting over apex of abdomen. Scapus slightly flattened dorsoventrally, subcylindrical in cross section. Pedicellus shorter than scapus and round in cross section. Following segments narrower than pedicellus and varying in length towards apex.

THORAX. Pronotum with anterior margin slightly concave, followed by a transverse groove. A longitudinal median groove starting at anterior edge, not reaching posterior tubercle. Centrally a definite transverse depression. Posteromedially with a small, blunt tubercle. Mesonotum scarcely granulose, slightly widening towards the posterior. Posteromedially with a definite blunt spine, posterolateral edges humped. Metanotum about as long as pronotum. Posteromedially with a definite blunt spine. Posterolateral edges humped.

ABDOMEN. Median segment slightly widening towards posterior with a blunt spine posteromedially. Terga II–VIII with short, tapered lobes posterolaterally and with a blunt elevation posteromedially. Tergum IX slightly laterally compressed. Tergum X with posterior edge incised, posterolateral angles rounded, armed ventrally with small black spines. Vomer well developed, visible as an elongated, flattened spine. Apex of vomer visible dorsally between lateral edges of tergum X. Poculum triangular in ventral view, fairly flattened. Poculum narrowing towards posterior, apex rounded, reaching apex of tegum IX. Cerci cylindrical in cross section, apices incurved and blunt, projecting over apex of abdomen. Abdominal sterna smooth.

LEGS. Long, profemora compressed and curved basally. Femora and tibiae compressed laterally, with all carinae developed. Basitarsi longer than following tarsomeres combined. Claws small.

Female ( Fig. 7 )

MEASUREMENTS. See Table 2.

BODY. Brown to green with black patches scattered over body and legs.

HEAD. Longer than wide, notched dorsally between antennae. Vertex with a prominent blunt elevation. Elevation split by a shallow longitudinal depression.Eyes circular and strongly projecting hemispherically. Antennae slightly setose, almost reaching apex of abdomen but broken. Scapus slightly flattened dorsoventrally, subcylindrical in cross section. Pedicellus shorter than scapus and round in cross section. Following segments narrower than pedicellus and varying in length towards apex.

THORAX. Pronotum with anterior edge incurved and raised, followed by a transverse groove. A longitudinal median groove starting behind anterior edge, not reaching posterior tubercle. Slightly constricted submedially, with a second transverse impression. Posteromedially with a small, blunt tubercle. Mesonotum scarcely granulose, slightly widening towards posterior. Posteromedially with a definite blunt spine. Lateral margins projecting posterolaterally. Metanotum shorter than pronotum. Posteromedially with a definite blunt, spinose tubercle. Lateral margins projecting posterolaterally.

ABDOMEN. Median segment widening towards posterior with a blunt spine posteromedially. Terga II–VIII with posterolaterally well developed lobes and posteromedially with a curved, slightly laterally compressed spine. Abdominal terga IV–V widest. Terga VIII–X laterally compressed. Tergum X with posterior edge incurved, posterolateral angles rounded mediolaterally with a small lobe. Epiproct small, visible as small, posteriorly rounded plate; not projecting over posterolateral angles of tergum X. Cerci small, cylindrical in cross section, apex rounded, slightly projecting over apex of abdomen. Abdominal sterna smooth. Subgenital plate compressed laterally, rounded posteriorly, not reaching apex of abdomen.

LEGS. Long when compared to body. Profemora compressed and curved basally. Femora and tibiae compressed laterally, with all carinae developed. Meso- and metafemora slightly widening towards the posterior. Basitarsi longer than following tarsomeres combined. Tarsomeres gradually decreasing in length and with dorsal carina well developed, resulting in a posteromedian ridge. Claws small.

Distribution

The species is recorded from Luzon, Mountain Province (see map Fig. 13 ).

Figures

Fig. 5. Otraleus spp., photographs in natura. — A–B. O. applai sp. nov., ♀, 15 Apr. 2014. — C–H. O. bellemansae sp. nov. C. ♂, 15 Apr. 2014. D. ♀, 15 Apr. 2014. E. ♀, nymph, 23 Oct. 2013. F. ♀, nymph, 24 Oct. 2013. G. ♂, nymph, 15 Apr. 2014. H. ♀, nymph, 15 Apr. 2014 (photographs: A–C, H © A. Lefèvre; D–G © A. Kang).

Fig. 6. Otraleus bellemansae sp. nov., ♂, holotype. A. Habitus, dorsal view. B. Habitus, lateral view. C. Habitus, ventral view. D. Anterior part of body, dorsal view. E. Apex of abdomen, dorsal view. F. Apex of abdomen, ventral view. G. Apex of abdomen, lateral view. H. Anterior part of body, lateral view. D–H: not to scale.

Fig. 7. Otraleus bellemansae sp. nov., ♀, paratype. A. Habitus, dorsal view. B. Habitus, lateral view. C. Habitus, ventral view. D. Anterior part of body, dorsal view. E. Apex of abdomen, dorsal view. F. Apex of abdomen, ventral view. G. Apex of abdomen, lateral view. H. Anterior part of body, lateral view. D–H: not to scale.

Fig. 13. Otraleus spp. and Capuyanus magwilangi sp. nov. Distribution map in Luzon.