Malacomorpha hispaniola, 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 : 22-25

Malacomorpha hispaniola n. sp.

( Figs. 21–25 , 85 )

HT, ♂: Furcy , Haiti, VI.1944 , Anthony Curtis!, Pseudophasma spinicollis (Burm.) det. C. F. Moxey, 26.I.1971 ( ANSP) .

PT, 2 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀: Furcy , Haiti, VI.1944, Anthony Curtis! ( ANSP) .

PT, 6 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀: Dominican Republic, RD-045, Paso de la Perra, nr. La Ciénaga , La Vega Prov., 19°04.576’N 70°49.632’W, 16.VII.2002, D.Perez, B.Hierro, R.Bastardo, S. Mediano, H. Takizawa ( USNM) .

PT, 1 ♂: Dominican Republic, RD-164, Trail to Loma de las Tayotas , Rio Limpio , Elias Piña Prov., 19°13.333’N 71°31.220’W, 840m, 24.VII.2003, D.Perez, R.Bastardo, B.Hierro, (n) ( USNM) .

PT, 1 ♂: Dominican Republic, RD-140, - 1km SE caseta no.1, Parque Nacional Sierra de Bahoruco, Independencia Prov., 18°15.771’N 71°32.233’W, 1153m, 4.VII.2003, D.Perez, R.Bastardo, B.Hierro, (day/night) ( USNM) .

PT, 1 ♀: Dominican Republic, La Vega Province, 5.1km N. Manabao, 5-VI-1994, Coll. M.C. Thomas ( USNM) .

PT, 1 ♂, 1 ♀: Dominican Republic, Prov. Elias Piñas, Rio Limpio , 26-26.IV.2000, 2400ft., blacklight trap, RE Woodruff, TJ Henry ( USNM) .

PT, 1 ♂, 2 ♀♀: Dominican Republic, Parque Nac. J.A. Bermúdez, Mata Grande , 910m, night, bosque ribereño, 21.IV.1999, R.Bastardo ( USNM) .

PT, 1 ♂, 1 ♀: Dominican Republic, RD-127, 1km E Diferencia, PNAB, Santiago Prov., 750m, 19°16.080’N 71°02.763’W, 8.IV.2003, D.Perez, R.Bastardo, B.Hierro, (night) ( USNM) .

PT, 1 ♂, 1 ♀: Dominican Republic, 13km S. Loma de Cabrera , ca. 400m, 20–22. May 1973, Don & Mignon Davis ( USNM) .

PT, 3 ♂♂: Dominican Republic, Pedernales, Sierra de Bahoruco, Aceitillar , 25.2km ENE Pedernales, 18- 05-29N, 71-31-16W, 1272m, 14. June 2003, C. Young, J. Rawlins, C. Nunez, R. Davidson, P. Acevedo, M. de la Cruz dense broadleaf forest, pine, UV light, Sample 42212 ( CMNH) .

PT, 1 ♂: Dominican Republic, Pedernales, Sierra de Bahoruco, Aceitillar , 25.4km ENE Pedernales, 18- 05-27N, 71-31-08W, 1270m, 14. June 2003, C. Young, J. Rawlins, C. Nunez, R. Davidson, P. Acevedo, M. de la Cruz dense broadleaf seasonal forest, pine, UV light, Sample 42312 ( CMNH) ;

Distribution: Hispaniola. Central Haiti (Furcy) and Dominican Republic (La Vega; Elias Piña; Independencia; Santiago & Pedernales provinces).

Etymology: Named after the type-locality, the island of Hispaniola.

Differentiation: Similar to the other two species which have fully developed alae in both sexes: M.spinicollis ( Burmeister, 1838) from Hispaniola and M. cyllarus ( Westwood, 1859) from Jamaica. It however differs from both by the considerably longer alae, which project over the apex of the abdomen, relatively longer abdomen of both sexes and serrate vomer of ♂♂. From the first it furthermore differs by: the smaller size; much more slender body and legs; paler colouration and less prominently speckled body and legs. From M. cyllarus it may additionally be distinguished by the more slender and elongate body and legs.

♂♂ are also similar to those of the Cuban M. poeyi ( Saussure, 1868) but differ by the smaller size, more robust body, considerably longer alae, which project over the apex of the abdomen as well as the serrate vomer.

Description: ºº ( Figs. 21 & 85 ): Medium sized (body length 44.0–60.0 mm), slender for the genus with a rather cylindrical abdomen. Tegmina and alae present. Alae distinctly projecting apex of abdomen. Legs slender and not very long, distinctly carinated; all carinae covered with minute setae. Antennae long and slen- der, nearly reaching to posterior margin of anal segment. Body surface minutely tuberculose and rugulose, not shiny except dorsal surface of abdomen; mesonotum bearing several minute tubercles roughly arranged in two 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. Tegmina and costal region of alae pale brown with black radial vein and other darker veins and fine dark longitudinal lines. 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 pale brown. Legs brown with indistinct yellowish and dark brown mottling and minute spots.

Head: Slightly longer than wide, oval in cross-section and slightly flattened dorsally. Vertex smooth. Ocelli present. Eyes large, roughly circular, distinctly projecting hemispherical, their length contained 1.6– 1.8x in that of cheek. Antennae nearly reaching to posterior margin of anal segment. Scapus 1.5x longer than wide, compressed dorsoventrally, roughly rectangular and slightly carinated. Pedicellus as long as 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: Nearly round in cross-section. Prothorax parallel-sided, meso- and metathorax slightly broadened towards the posterior. Pronotum as long and as wide as the head, as long as 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 almost 1.2x longer than pronotum, 1.5x longer than wide and broadened towards the poste- rior. Bearing several minute tubercles roughly arranged in two dorsolateral longitudinal rows in the anterior half. Metanotum and median segment wider than mesonotum and combined longer than mesonotum. Metanotum and median segment combined longer than wide, parallel-sided, smooth and shiny, covered by the tegmina and alae. Transverse fissure between metanotum and median segment very distinct. Meso-, metaepisternum and pro-, meso- and metasternum simple and smooth. Tegmina short and oval, strongly convex, bearing fine veins, reaching towards the posterior margin of metanotum. Alae very long, projecting the abdomen very distinctly.

Abdomen: 1.9x longer than head and complete thorax combined, slender and gently gradually tapered towards the apex. Surface smooth, dorsal area covered by the closed alae, shiny. Median segment slightly longer than metanotum, wider than long, rectangular. Tergites parallel-sided. Tergites II–VI slightly longer than wide; VIII to X wider than long. As the tergites of the types in ANSP are covered by the prominent alae, no further description of these can be provided here. Anal segment slightly constricted towards apex, about 1.5x wider than long, with an indistinct longitudinal median carina. Lateral margins with a faint concave excavation near the bases of the cerci. Sternites II–VI simple and smooth, VII bearing a sclerotized and roughly structured praeopercular organ. 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, gradually constricted towards the pointed apex; finely bristled.

Legs: Rather slender and not very long, distinctly carinated, unarmed and with all carinae minutely bristled. Profemora at least 2.5x longer than mesothorax, metafemora reaching to the centre of abdominal tergite IV, hind legs do not project over apex of abdomen. Profemora indistinctly compressed and curved basally. Basitarsus 2x longer than second tarsomere.

ďď ( Figs. 22 & 85 ): Similar to ♀♀, but smaller and much more slender (body length 27.0– 36.5 mm), abdominal segments II–VII parallel-sided.

Head: Generally as in ♀♀.

Thorax: As in ♀♀, but mesonotum 1.5x longer than pronotum. Mesosternum bearing a moderate longitudinal carina.

Abdomen: Cylindrical in cross section, about 1.9x longer than head and thorax combined. Surface as in ♀♀. Tergites II–VII parallel-sided, VIII and IX broadening towards the posterior and broader than previous. III–VII are the longest and narrowest, IX is the shortest, X is the widest. II–VII 1.5 – 2x longer than wide, VIII & IX 1.3–2.0x wider than long, anal segment broader than previous tergites, about 2x wider than long. Posterior margin rounded with two lateral apices and a small median indentation. Sternites II–VII simple and smooth. Cerci as in ♀♀. Poculum small and flat, spoon-like, reaching towards the centre of tergite IX. Posterior margin rounded with minute pointed apex medially. Vomer longer than wide, triangular, at the posterior tip only very indistinctly rounded, bearing several small teeth at the outer margin.

Legs: As in ♀♀.

Comments: The specimens in USNM and CMNH all originate from various locations in the Dominican Republic and are remarkable for being considerably larger than the specimens from Furcy, Haiti. The smaller specimens from Furcy ( Haiti) in ANSP, MCZ and USNM were misidentified as Pseudolcyphides spinicollis ( Burmeister, 1838) by Moxey (1972). Eggs unknown.

Figures

FIGURES 21–25. Malacomorpha hispaniola n. sp. 21) ♀ PT (USNM), 22) ♂ PT (USNM), 23) ♂ apex of abdomen in lateral view, 24) ♂ vomer, 25) ♀ apex of abdomen in lateral view.

FIGURES 82–85. 82. Malacomorpha bastardoae n. sp. couple; 83. Malacomorpha cyllarus (Westwood, 1859) female; 84. Malacomorpha cyllarus (Westwood, 1859) male; 85. Malacomorpha hispaniola n. sp. couple.