Paraentoria sichuanensis Chen & He, 1997

Qian, Yu-Han, Xie, Chong-Xin, Wen, Jun & Wang, Yu, 2023, Review of stick insects (Insecta: Phasmatodea) from Yintiaoling Nature Reserve of China, with description of two new species, Zootaxa 5257 (1), pp. 17-39 : 21-23

Paraentoria sichuanensis Chen & He, 1997 ( Figures 5–7 )

- Chen S.C. & He Y.H., 1997. Insects of the Three Gorge Reservoir area of Yangtze River. 120.

- Chen S.C. & He Y.H., 2008. Phasmatodea of China. 219.

Material examined. 3 females and 10 eggs, China, Chongqing, Wuxi County, Yintiaoling National Nature Reserve, Linkouzi management station, 1,270 m, 14 Aug. 2022, Leg. Chong-Xin Xie ; 2 females, Yintiaoling Nature Reserve, Matang Village , 1,400 m, 13 Aug. 2022, Leg. Chong-Xin Xie .

Description. Eggs. Capsule cylindrical, off-white, and with irregular black mottling. Micropylar plate ovalshaped, central area with a short longitudinal ridge. Micropylar cup distinct, followed by a short light brown median line. Operculum almost circular, the outer ring with tangled long irregular spines, central without capitulum. Polar apex rounded.

Measurements. Female. Body length 120.2–132.5; head length 4.6–6.1; pronotum length 3.8–4.4; mesonotum 21.3–23.2; metanotum 13.1–15.3; median segment 3.6–4.6; profemora 37.5–42.8; mesofemora 22.5–24.6; metafemora 29.6–32.4; protibiae 43.8–50.0; mesotibiae 27.0–30.2; metatibiae 35.6–39.8. Egg. Length 4.3–4.5, width 0.9–1.1, height 1.2–1.4.

Distribution. China (Chongqing).

Remarks. The genus Paraentoria is an endemic group of China, including three species from South of China. But these species are all known only with females. Here we still failed to find the male of P. sichuanensis .

Figures

FIGURE 5 Paraentoria sichuanensis, female, A–H. A. habitus, dorsal view; B. habitus, ventral view; C. habitus, lateral view; D. head, dorsal view; E. head, lateral view; F. terminalia, dorsal view; G. terminalia, lateral view; H. terminalia, ventral view.

FIGURE 6 Paraentoria sichuanensis, egg, A–D. A. dorsal view; B. lateral view; C. top view; D. polar view.

FIGURE 7 Paraentoria sichuanensis female in the wild.