Decidia doylei ( Caudell, 1906 ) Caudell, 1906

Conle, Oskar V., Hennemann, Frank H., Ramírez-Mora, Manuel A. & Quiróz, John A., 2009, Studies on neotropical Phasmatodea VIII: Revision of the genus Decidia Stål, 1875 with the description of a new species from Colombia (Phasmatodea: Pseudophasmatidae: Pseudophasmatinae: Anisomorphini), Zootaxa 2089, pp. 33-51 : 40-42

Decidia doylei ( Caudell, 1906) n. comb.

(Figs. 3 – 4, 13 – 14, 19)

Autolyca doylei Caudell, 1906: 192 . HT, 3: Headwaters of Palo River 2950 Meters alt. Tierradentro, Central Cordillera, Dept. of Cauca, Colombia, S. A., Jan. 1906, C. B. Doyle; Autolyca doylei 3 Type, Caud.; Type No 9629 U.S. N.M. (USNM).

Peruphasma doylei, Conle & Hennemann, 2002: 95 . Zompro, 2004: 146.

Otte & Brock, 2005: 260.

Conle & Hennemann, 2005: 61.

Murányi 2007: 57

Material examined [1 Ƥ, 2 33]: 1 Ƥ, 2 33: Ecuateur [ MNCN].

Distribution: Colombia (Central Cordillera, Dept. Cauca, Tierra Adentro, Upper Palo River, 2950 m) and N-Ecuador.

Diagnosis: Closely related to D. blapoides ( Redtenbacher, 1906) from South Ecuador (Loja) with which it shares the small size (Ƥ <50.0 mm, 33 <40.0 mm) and lack of tegmina and alae. It however differs from D. blapoides by the pale brown or yellow cheeks and posterior portion of the head and dark brown antennae of both sexes. 33 furthermore differ by the much broader, club-like apically flattened cerci and longer posteromedian extensions of the anal segment ( Fig. 19 ). Ƥ may additionally be distinguished by the slightly more robust body and relatively shorter body segments, shorter subgenital plate which does not reach the apex of the anal segment, and broader cerci ( Fig. 14 ).

Description: The colouration is described from dried specimens only.

Ƥ (Fig. 3): Small (body length 38.0 mm) and moderately robust species for the genus; apterous. Body surface and extremities finely hirsute.

Colouration: General colour of body black and legs dark brown with irregular chestnut brown markings and speckles. Bases of femora of paler brown. Cheeks and posterior portion of the head yellowish brown (perhaps orange in live). Eyes dark reddish brown. Antennae plain blackish brown.

Head: Vertex gently rounded. Vertex with several, sub-parallel longitudinal impressed lines. Ocelli strongly reduced. Antennomere III almost as long as scapus and pedicellus combined.

Thorax: Pronotum about 1.25x longer than wide. Mesonotum with posterior margin just indistinctly broader than anterior margin, roughly 1.3x longer than wide and about 1.6x longer than pronotum.

Abdomen: Median segment about 3/5 the length of metanotum. Lateral margins of tergites III – IX gently widened towards the posterior and forming an indistinct, roundly triangular posterolateral lobe. Sternum VII with a small, hump-like posteromedian structure. Anal segment with a very minute posteromedian indention and a concave medio-lateral excavation. Cerci very small and round in cross-section. Subgenital plate roughly reaching apex of anal segment ( Fig. 14 ).

Legs: Profemora slightly longer than pro- and mesonotum combined. Mesofemora a little shorter than pro- and mesonotum combined. Metafemora reaching to posterior margin of abdominal segment VIII. Mesotarsus about ¾ the length of mesotibia, pro- and metatarsus just a little more than 2/3 the length of corresponding tibiae.

33 (Fig. 4): Small (body length 35.0 – 38.0 mm) and rather slender for the genus; apterous. Body surface and extremities finely hirsute.

Colouration: General colour of the body very dark brown to almost black with the transverse intersegmental membranes pale grayish brown. Legs dark brown with the apical portion of the femora and basal portion of the tibiae black. Ventral surface of tarsi yellowish brown. Cheeks and posterior portion of the head dull yellow (perhaps bright yellow or orange in live), the frons chestnut brown. Eyes and antennae as in Ƥ.

Head: As in Ƥ.

Thorax: Pronotum as in Ƥ. Mesonotum 1.8x longer than wide and about 1.4x longer than pronotum.

Abdomen: Tergite IX with a shallow but broad longitudinal lateral bulge. Anal segment gently globose with a distinct posteromedian indention; outer angles of indention each with a short, rounded projection. Cerci oval in cross-section and club like with the apical portion widened and compressed laterally ( Fig. 19 ). Poculum moderately bulgy and roughly reaching to posterior margin of anal segment ( Fig. 13 )

Legs: Profemora roughly equal in length to head, pro- and mesonotum combined. Mesofemora slightly longer than combined length of pro- and mesonotum. Metafemora slightly projecting over posterior margin of abdominal segment VII. Tarsi as in Ƥ.

Comments: Caudell (1906: 192) originally placed this species in the genus Autolyca Stål, 1875 and Conle & Hennemann (2002: 95) not having seen the HT, transferred it to Peruphasma Conle & Hennemann, 2002 . The description of the genitalia provided by Caudell (1906) is very brief and does not mention the generically important features. Recent examination of the HT from photos kindly taken by Daniel Perez-Gelabert (USNM) and specimens in MNCN have shown this apterous species to be obviously a member of Decidia , which is apart from it’s distribution seen in e.g. the dull and hirsute body surface, typical anal segment, strongly enlarged cerci and bulgy poculum of 33 or very long legs and tarsi (n. comb.).

* according to Caudell (1906: 192)

Figures

FIGURES 11 – 19: Genitalia of Decidia spp. [scale = 1 mm]. 11. D. blapoides (Redtenbacher, 1906), 3 (MNHN), apex of abdomen (lateral view). 12. D. blapoides (Redtenbacher, 1906), Ƥ HT (MNCN), apex of abdomen (lateral view). 13. D. doylei (Caudell, 1906), 3 (MNCN), apex of abdomen (lateral view). 14. D. doylei (Caudell, 1906), Ƥ (MNCN), apex of abdomen (lateral view). 15. D. magnifica n. sp., 3 HT (MEFLG), apex of abdomen (lateral view). 16. D. magnifica n. sp., Ƥ PT (MEFLG), apex of abdomen (lateral view). 17. D. soranus (Westwood, 1859), 3 (ANSP), apex of abdomen (lateral view). 18. D. magnifica n. sp., 3 HT (MEFLG), left cercus (caudal view). 19. D. doylei (Caudell, 1906), 3 (MNCN), anal segment and cerci (caudal view).