Singaporoidea Seow-Choen, 2017

Hennemann, Frank H., 2021, Stick insects of Sulawesi, Peleng and the Sula Islands, Indonesia- a review including checklists of species and descriptions of new taxa (Insecta: Phasmatodea), Zootaxa 5073 (1), pp. 1-189 : 162-164

Genus Singaporoidea Seow-Choen, 2017

( Figs. 64–65 )

Type-species: Necroscia meneptolemus Westwood, 1859: 141 , pl. 19: 4, by original designation.

Comments: This genus was established by Seow-Choen (2017: 82) solely for Westwood’s Necroscia meneptolemus and several further mostly Sumatran species have been attributed to it subsequently ( Seow-Choen, 2018). So far, no adequate diagnosis of the genus and sufficient differentiation from supposedly closely related genera is available. Several species, formerly assigned to Paranecroscia Redtenbacher, 1908 and the here re-established Nescicroa Karny, 1923 have proven to be not congeneric to either genus, hence need to be removed. In most morphological aspects all of these best fit with the current composition of Singaporoidea , why they are here provisionally transferred to that genus and greatly expand the known geographic distribution of Singaporoidea . Two species, previously assigned to Sipyloidea Brunner v. Wattenwyl, 1893 but apparently very closely related and congeneric to the species transferred from Paranecroscia and Nescicroa are also transferred to Singaporoidea accordingly.

All species here transferred to Singaporoidea (with the exception of albilateralis Hennemann, 1998 and janus Bates, 1865 ) are small to medium, slender and mostly green representatives of Necrosciinae with well developed alae that have the anal fan plain translucent or pink in colour and have the mesothorax at best very weakly and sparsely set with granules. Females have an anal segment that is roughly triangular in dorsal aspect and pointed apically, straight and slender, cylindrical cerci and a a simple, scoop- to boat-shaped, longitudinally keeled subgenital plate that hardly reaches to the tip of the abdomen. Like in Nescicroa the epiproct is hidden under the protruded apex of the anal segment and the gonapophyses are fully concealed by the subgenital plate. Males have a more or less tectiform anal segment, which has the posterior margin indented medially and the posterolateral angles more or less protruded and show a range of specialisations of the cerci, which may be straight, conspicuously elongated, incurved or hook-like. The eggs are spherical, ovate or barrel-shaped with the entire surface covered by rugulae, ridges or peg-like structures, have a small oval micropylar plate and are singularly dropped to the ground by the ♀♀. Many aspects, e.g. the morphology of the ♀♀ genitalia and shape of the eggs, suggest close relation to Nescicroa and Neonescicroa Seow-Choen, 2016 (see comments on nescicroa above). In true Sipyloidea the mesothorax is strongly granulose mesothorax and the elongate, bullet-shaped eggs have a long and lanceolate micropylar plate as well as an operculum that is notably displaced towards the dorsal egg surface and are glued to a support by the flattened and sticky ventral surface. Moreover, species of Sipyloidea produce a very characteristic potato-like smell when disturbed, which has not been observed in any of the species here transferred to Singaporoidea .

Distribution. Sundaland (Sumatra, Sinagpore, Peninsular Malaysia, Java, Borneo), Wallacea, New Guinea & Solomon Islands.

Species included:

The following list only lists mainly Wallacean species that are here transferred to Singaporoidea Seow-Choen, 2017 from either Paranecroscia Redtenbacher, 1908 or Sipyloidea Brunner v. Wattenwyl, 1893. Most have formerly been assigned to Nescicroa Karny, 1923 but have proven to be not congeneric, hence need to be removed from that genus. It is very likely that several further species belong in Singaporoidea but this deserves scrutiny of a great number of known taxa and a more sufficient diagnosis of the genus.

1. Singaporoidea albilateralis ( Hennemann, 1998: 110, pl. 3: 3–4). n. comb.

Distribution: Sulawesi.

2. Singaporoidea dolorosa (Redtenbacher, 1908: 547) . n. comb.

Distribution: Java.

3. Singaporoidea fruhstorferi ( Günther, 1938: 85, fig. 18). n. comb.

Distribution: Sulawesi.

4. Singaporoidea inconspicua (Redtenbacher, 1908: 522) . n. comb.

Distribution: Sulawesi.

5. Singaporoidea janus ( Bates, 1865: 354, pl. 45: 5). n. comb.

Distribution: Sulawesi.

6. Singaporoidea lutea (Redtenbacher, 1908: 549) . n. comb.

Distribution: Java.

7. Singaporoidea macra (Redtenbacher, 1908: 523) . n. comb.

Distribution: Sulawesi.

8. Singaporoidea normalis (Redtenbacher, 1908: 547) . rev. stat., n. comb.

Distribution: Sulawesi & Peleng.

9. Singaporoidea poeciloptera (Rehn, 1904: 77) . n. comb.

= Siyploidea felderi Redtenbacher, 1908: 546 . n. syn.

Distribution: Maluku Islands (Obi, Buru, Ambelau, Ambon, Kelang, Mafor), Bismarck Archipelago (Aru Islands & New Ireland), New Guinea, Solomon Islands.

10. Singaporoidea pseudosipylus pseudosipylus (Redtenbacher, 1908: 546) . n. comb.

Distribution: New Guinea.

11. Singaporoidea pseudosipylus laevis (Günther, 1936: 341) . n. comb.

Distribution: New Guinea.

12. Singaporoidea pumila (Werner, 1934: 4) . n. comb.

Distribution: Sulawesi.

13. Singaporoidea tenella ( Günther, 1935a: 234, pl. 2: 16). n. comb.

Distribution: Sulawesi.

Figures

FIGURE 64. Singaporoidea normalis (Redtenbacher, 1908) n. comb. from Selatan Province, Central Sulawesi: A. ♀, habitus lateral view [coll. FH, No. 0103-9]; B. ♂, habitus lateral view [coll. FH, No. 0103-5]; C. Terminal abdominal segments of ♀ seen laterally [coll. FH, No. 0103-7]; D. Terminal abdominal segments of ♀ seen ventrally [coll. FH, No. 0103-9]; E. Terminal abdominal segments of ♀ seen dorsally [coll. FH, No. 0103-9]; F. Terminal abdominal segments of ♂ seen laterally [coll. FH, No. 0103-5]; G. Terminal abdominal segments of ♂ seen ventro-laterally [coll. FH, No. 0103-5]; H. Terminal abdominal segments of ♂ seen ventrally [coll. FH, No. 0103-5]; J. Terminal abdominal segments of ♂ seen dorsally [coll. FH, No. 0103-5]; K. Head, pro-, mesothorax and tegmina of ♂ in dorso-lateral aspect [coll. FH, No. 0103-5]; L. Head, pro-, mesothorax and tegmina of ♀ in dorso-lateral aspect [coll. FH, No. 0103-7]; M. Eggs [coll. FH, No. 0103-E].

FIGURE 65. Singaporoidea tenella (Günther, 1935) n. comb.: A. ♂, habitus dorso-lateral view [coll. FH, No. 0101-2]; B. Head, pro-, mesothorax and tegmina of ♂ seen dorso-laterally [coll. FH, No. 0101-2]; C. ♀, habitus latral view [coll. FH, No. 0101-15]; D. Head, pro-, mesothorax and tegmina of ♂ seen dorso-laterally [coll. FH, No. 0101-15]; E. Terminal abdominal segments of ♀ seen laterally [coll. FH, No. 0101-15]; F. Terminal abdominal segments of ♀ seen dorsally [coll. FH, No. 0101- 15]; G. Terminal abdominal segments of ♀ seen ventrally [coll. FH, No. 0101-15]; H. Terminal abdominal segments of ♂ seen laterally [coll. FH, No. 0101-2]; J. Terminal abdominal segments of ♂ seen dorsally [coll. FH, No. 0101-2]; K. Eggs [coll. FH, No. 0101-E].