Parapachymorpha granulata, Ho, 2021

Ho, Wai-Chun George, 2021, Contribution to the knowledge of Chinese Phasmatodea XI: New taxa and new nomenclature of Medaurini (Phasmatidae: Clitumninae) from China, Zoological Systematics 46 (3), pp. 234-239 : 235-237

Parapachymorpha granulata sp. nov. ( Figs 1–11 )

Diagnosis. This new species is related to P. parvicorne sp. nov., but can be distinguished by its larger size in the both sexes, the unarmed vertex of head, the 16-segmented antennae and the crest-like praeopercular organ on the seventh abdominal sternum in the female and the unarmed vertex of head and the pointed apices of anal abdominal semi-segments in the male.

Description. Female. Small size. Body slender, more robust than male. General colouration of body and legs brown. Head oval, longer than wide, sparsely covered with small granules. Vertex flat, unarmed. Occiput gently convex, median longitudinal furrow distinct, with a pair of large granules near post-median area of median longitudinal furrow. Compound eyes small and rounded, its length about three times that of genae. Antennae sparsely covered with long bristles, with 16 segments, shorter than mesonotum, reaching subapical area of profemora; scapus oval, constricted posteriorly, dorsoventrally flattened, longer than pedicellus, lacking median longitudinal carina, longer than third segment; and pedicellus cylindrical, shorter than third segment. Thorax wrinkled and sparsely covered with small granules. Pronotum trapezoidal, gently expanded posteriorly, shorter than head; anterior margin curved inwards, posterior margin rounded, transverse and longitudinal sulci crossing just after middle point. Mesonotum moderately expanded posteriorly, median longitudinal carina indistinct, lateral margins with a few enlarged granules. Metanotum rectangular, longer than wide, longer than median segment, median longitudinal carina indistinct. Abdomen cylindrical, tapering posteriorly. Wrinkled and sparsely granulated. Median segment rectangular, two times wider than long. Seventh sternum with a horn-like praeopercular organ posteromedially, tapering apically, apex pointed and pointing posteriorly. Ninth tergum almost as long as eighth tergum, with a small posteromedian crest. Anal segment shorter than ninth tergum, posterior margin with a small notch. Subgenital plate scoop-shaped, tapering posteriorly, apex pointed and reaching posterior area of anal segment. Cerci short, flattened, apices rounded and not surpassing posterior margin of anal segment. Legs sparsely covered with short bristles. Femora thicker than corresponding tibiae, carinae with small obtuse dentations. Profemora distinctly curved basally. Tibiae roughly as long as corresponding femora, with small obtuse dentations.

Male. Body slim, distinctly more slenderer than female. General colouration of body and legs brown or dark brown. Head sparsely granulated. Oval, posteriorly constricted behind compound eyes. Vertex flat, with a pair of small obscure hump-like elevations between compound eyes. Occiput flat, median and lateral longitudinal furrows indistinct. Compound eyes small and rounded, its length about three times that of genae. Antennae with 17–18 segments; scapus flattened, constricted basally, longer than pedicellus, as long as third segment. Thorax unarmed, sparsely covered with a few small granules. Pronotum rectangular, longer than wide, shorter than head, anterior margin curved inwards, posterior margin truncate, transverse and longitudinal sulci crossing at middle area. Mesonotum slender and elongate, gently expanded in second half. Metanotum about four to five times length of median segment. Abdomen slender and cylindrical. Median segment square. Second to seventh tergites parallel-sided. Eighth tergum expanded posteriorly, longer than ninth tergum. Anal segment as long as eighth tergum, split into two semi-tergites, tapering posteriorly, inner margins curved, apices pointed, triangle-shaped in lateral view, inner surface with minute dentations. Poculum cup-shaped, with rounded posterior margin, reaching posterior area of ninth tergum. Cerci cylindrical basally, flattened apically, short, slightly incurved, apices rounded and reaching posterior apices of anal segment. Legs very slender and long, sparsely covered with long bristles. Unarmed. Femora thicker than corresponding tibiae, roughly as long as corresponding tibiae, anterodorsal, posterodorsal, anteroventral and posteroventral carinae indistinctly waved. Profemora curved basally. Tibiae unarmed, medioventral carina raised basally.

Measurements. Length. Body, ♀ 43.0 mm, ♂ 37.0–42.0 mm; antennae, ♀ 7.0–8.0 mm, ♂ 8.0–9.0 mm; head, ♀ 3.5– 4.0 mm, ♂ 2.5–3.0 mm; pronotum, ♀ 3.0 mm, ♂ 2.0 mm; mesonotum, ♀ 8.5–9.0 mm, ♂ 8.0–9.0 mm; metanotum, ♀ 4.0 mm, ♂ 4.5–5.5 mm; median segment, ♀ 1.5 mm, ♂ 1.0– 1.5 mm; profemora, ♀ 16.0 mm, ♂ 17.0– 18.5 mm; mesofemora, ♀ 10.0mm, ♂ 10.0– 11.5mm; metafemora, ♀ 13.0–14.0 mm, ♂ 14.0–15.0mm; protibiae, ♀ 16.0–17.0 mm, ♂ 18.0–23.0 mm; mesotibiae, ♀ 10.0mm, ♂ 11.0–13.0 mm; metatibiae, ♀ 14.0–15.0 mm, ♂ 15.0–19.0 mm.

Egg. Capsule brown, densely granulated; oval, posteriorly rounded. Micropylar plate oval. Micropylar cup placed at posterior margin of micropylar plate. Median line short, about one-third length of micropylar plate. Operculum centrally depressed with a closed-stalked capitulum.

Measurements. Capsule length 1.7 mm, width 1.4 mm, height 1.5 mm.

Material examined. Holotype ♀, China, Yunnan, Honghe, Jinping , 2000 m, 26 August 2019, George Ho Wai-Chun. Paratypes. 2♀ 8♂, 10 eggs, same data as holotype .

Distribution. China.

Etymology. The specific epithet of this new species is derived from the granulations on the body in the both sexes.

Figures

Figures 1–7. Parapachymorpha granulata sp. nov. 1. Female apex of abdomen, lateral view. 2. Female apex of abdomen, dorsal view. 3. Female praeopercular organ, ventral view. 4. Male apex of abdomen, lateral view. 5. Male apex of abdomen, dorsal view. 6. Egg, lateral view. 7. Egg, dorsal view. Scale bars: 1–2, 4–5=5mm, 3, 6–7=1mm.

Figures 8–11. Parapachymorpha granulata sp. nov. 8. Female habitus. 9. Male habitus. 10. Female head and thorax, dorsolateral view. 11. Male head and thorax, dorsolateral view. Scale bars=5mm.