Pylaemenes guangxiensis

Wai-Chun, George Ho, 2013, Contribution to the knowledge of Chinese Phasmatodea II: Review of the Dataminae Rehn & Rehn, 1939 (Phasmatodea: Heteropterygidae) of China, with descriptions of one new genus and four new species, Zootaxa 3669 (3), pp. 201-222 : 214-215

Pylaemenes guangxiensis (Bi & Li, 1994)

Datames guangxiensis , Bi & Li, 1994: 254, figs. 1–4.

Chen, 1999: 46. [Illustration of adult]

Chen et al., 2002: 101.

Dares guangxiensis, Zompro, 2004: 219 .

Pylaemenes guangxiensis, Brock & Okada, 2005: 24 , figs. 1–5. [Not present in Japan, refer to P. shirakii Ho & Brock spec. nov.]

Otte & Brock, 2005: 296.

Xu, 2005: 76.

Xu, 2006: 61, fig.13. [Illustration of egg]

Hennemann et al., 2008: 26.

Chen & He, 2008: 358, fig. 321: A–C, pl. 4: 3.

= Pylaemenes hongkongensis Brock & Seow-Choen, 2000: 143 , fig. 11. [Synonymised by Zompro 2004: 219]

Brock, 2002: 56.

Ades & Kendrick, 2004: 62.

Datames sp., Bi et al., 2001: 255.

Type. Holotype: Ƥ, Longhushan, Longan Country, Guangxi Autonomous Region, China, 7.X.1991, Li Tian-Shan (SEM).

Other specimens examined. [26 females, 10 eggs] Ƥ, Dinghushan, Guangdong Province, China, 21.VII.1964, Hua Li-Zhong (SYSBM); Nymph Ƥ, Dehua, Fujian Province, China, 12.XI.1974, Yang Chi-Kun (CAU); Ƥ, Bobai, Guangxi Autonomous Region, China, IV.1997, unknown (BFU); Nymph Ƥ, Heishiding Nature Reserve, Fengkai Country, Guangdong Province, China, 15.VII.1999, Zhou Jing (SYSBM); Ƥ, Tai Mo Shan, Hong Kong, 6.VII.2003, Philip Lo Yik-Fui (GH, ex coll. Philip Lo Yik-Fui); Nymph Ƥ, Daiwuling, Xinyi Country, Guangdong Province, China, 7–14.VIII.2003, Zhang Bing-Lan (SYSBM); Ƥ, Pok? [probably refers to Pok Fu Lam, west of Hong Kong Island], Hong Kong, V.1974, Hill, D.S. (HKU); Nymph Ƥ, Jiulianshan, Jiangxi Province, China, 14– 15.VII.2002, Yu Xin (CAU); Nymph Ƥ, Shangkeng, Fujian Province, China, 31.V.2004, Yuan Cai-Xia & Li Jing (HBU); Ƥ, Hong Kong, 2008, George Ho Wai-Chun (GH); Ƥ, Tai Mo Shan, Hong Kong, 2008, George Ho Wai- Chun (GH); Ƥ, Tai Po Kau, Hong Kong, 2008, George Ho Wai-Chun (GH); Ƥ, Tai Mo Shan, Hong Kong, 21.VI.2008, George Ho Wai-Chun (GH); Ƥ, Tai Po Kau, Hong Kong, IV.2008, George Ho Wai-Chun (GH); 2Ƥ, Ng Tung Chai, Hong Kong, 20.IX.2008, George Ho Wai-Chun (GH); Ƥ, Tai Mo Shan, Hong Kong, 13.XII.2008, George Ho Wai-Chun (GH); Nymph Ƥ, Hong Kong, 2009, George Ho Wai-Chun (GH); Ƥ, Heishiding Nature Reserve, Fengkai Country, Guangdong Province, China, 14.VI.2009, Han Xiao-Lei (SYSBM); Ƥ, Yueyun, Shaoguan Country, Guangdong Province, China, 1.V.2009, George Ho Wai-Chun (GH); Ƥ, Ng Tung Chai, Hong Kong, 29.VI.2010, George Ho Wai-Chun (GH); 2Ƥ, 1 nymph Ƥ, Xidaimingshan Nature Reserve, Guangxi Autonomous Region, China, 24–25.V.2011, George Ho Wai-Chun (GH); Nymph Ƥ, Heishiding Nature Reserve, Fengkai Country, Guangdong Province, China, 25–27.VIII.2011, George Ho Wai-Chun (GH); 3Ƥ, 10 eggs, Heishiding Nature Reserve, Fengkai Country, Guangdong Province, China, 21.VIII.2012, George Ho Wai-Chun (GH); Ƥ, Hoa Binh, Tonkin (North Vietnam), no data, leg. A. de Cooman (IZCAS).

Diagnosis. This species is allied to Pylaemenes shirakii Ho & Brock spec. nov., but can be separated from the latter by smaller size, mesonotum only 2.5 x length of pronotum and third to fifth abdominal terga with posterolateral tubercles.

Notes. Bi and Li (1994) originally placed this species in Datames Stål, 1875 . Zompro (2004) combined this species to Dares Stål, 1875 and later Brock and Okada (2005) transferred it to Pylaemenes Stål, 1875 . The species, Pylaemenes hongkongensis Brock & Seow-Choen, 2000 [Type from Hong Kong], was synonymised under the present species by Zompro (2004: 219).

The record of this species from Japan (Brock & Okada, 2005) is misidentified and should refer to Pylaemenes shirakii Ho & Brock spec. nov. described in this study. The records of this species from Hainan is probably misidentified (Chen et al. 2002: 102; Hennemann et al. 2008: 24) and should refer to the new genus and new species, Hainanphasma cristata Ho gen. nov. spec. nov., described in this study. The specimen from Hoa Binh, North Vietnam deposited in IZCAS is well-matched with this species which is the first record from Vietnam and outside the range of China.

In Hong Kong, it was usually found feeding on Rough Pellionia Pellionia scabra Benth. [ Urticaceae ], Antifebrile Dichroa Dichroa febrifuga Lour. [ Hydrangeaceae ], Nodding Wikstroemia Wikstroemia nutans Champ. ex Benth. [ Thymelaeaceae ] and Rusty-haired Raspberry Rubus reflexus Ker Gawl. [ Rosaceae ] in the wild.

Distribution. Type from Guangxi. Mainly found in the southern China: Hong Kong (New Territories, Hong Kong Island, Lantau Island and Lamma Island), Guangdong (Dinghushan, Daiwuling, Heishiding and Shaoguan), Guangxi (Longhushan and Xidaimingshan), Jiangxi (Jiulianshan) and Fujian (Dehua and Shangkeng). Also known from North Vietnam (Hoa Binh).