Ecuadoriphasma, Chiquetto-Machado & Cancello, 2021

Chiquetto-Machado, Pedro I. & Cancello, Eliana M., 2021, Cladistic analysis of Paraphasma (Phasmatodea: Pseudophasmatidae) highlights the importance of the phallic organ for phasmid systematics, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 193 : -

ECUADORIPHASMA GEN. NOV.

( FIGS 27, 28; TABLE 2)

Zoobank registration: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:EB085417-33FB-4E1F-8EE0-286845CF16DF Paraphasma Redtenbacher, 1906: 117 (in part). – Zompro, 2004: 159 (in part). – Otte & Brock, 2005: 251 (in part).

Type species: Paraphasma cognatum Redtenbacher, 1906 by present designation.

Justification: Our phylogenetic hypothesis ( Fig. 25) shows Paraphasma cognatum at the base of clade L, which also includes representatives of two other genera of Pseudophasmatidae . This result is based solely on the external morphology of this species, because its phallic organ was not examined. Clade L has low RBS (= 4) and only two homoplastic synapomorphies (characters 21:1 and 25:2), but nevertheless the cladogram indicates that P. cognatum is not closely related to the true Paraphasma (clade Q). Therefore, and taking into account the morphological singularity of P. cognatum among the representatives of Pseudophasmatidae , the erection of a new genus was the best option for the placement of this species. Below we present the diagnosis of the new genus Ecuadoriphasma and the redescription of its single species, which was only superficially described by Redtenbacher (1906). The new genus is assigned to Stratocleinae (Pseudophasmatidae) .

Etymology: The name refers to Ecuador, the only country from which this genus is known. Phasma is Greek for 'ghost' and is also a genus of stick insects.

Diagnosis: Winged, small and delicate stick insects, with moderate sexual dimorphism (sexes fairly similar in terms of general aspect and size; females only about 20% longer than males). Distinguishable from other genera of Stratocleinae by the following features: tegmina fairly elongate (anal region at least 3.5× longer than wide), acuminate between apical and posterior margins, with non-spiniform shoulder pad ( Figs 27E, 28D); hindwings of male relatively short, not surpassing the abdominal segment VI ( Fig. 27A, B); profemur of female curved and compressed basally, with distinct but not strongly raised anterodorsal carina; male with tergum X posteriorly emarginate and cerci weakly incurved, tapering in apical region and with rounded apex ( Fig. 27C, D: Ce); vomer approximately symmetric, with wide and short basal region and simple apex ( Fig. 27F); subgenital plate of male distinctly divided into an anterior and a posterior region, with the anterior region producing from its lateral margins a symmetric pair of discreet, slender projections ( Fig. 27D: SPa, SPp, arrow); sternum VII of female with a rounded indentation in the posterior margin but lacking a distinct praeopercular organ ( Fig. 28F, G: S7).

ECUADORIPHASMA COGNATUM ( REDTENBACHER,