Jeremiodes pachycercus ( Redtenbacher, 1908 ), 2007

Hennemann, Frank H. & Conle, Oskar V., 2007, Studies on Neotropical Phasmatodea IV. Jeremiodes, gen. nov., a new genus of the subfamily Cladomorphinae, and the description of two new species, Spixiana 30 (1), pp. 1-11 : 9-11

Jeremiodes pachycercus ( Redtenbacher, 1908) , comb. nov.

Fig 14

Bacteria pachycerca Redtenbacher, 1908: 415 . Holotypus: Ƌ, Marcapata, Peru, Staudinger; Collectio Br. v. W.; det. Redtenb. Bacteria pachycerca ; 24.144 (NHMW, No. 801). – Brock, 1998: 48; Otte & Brock, 2003: 80; 2005: 65.

Bacteria pichisina Giglio-Tos, 1910: 42 . Holotypus: ♀, Rio Pichis, Perù, 1903, Pesce Maineri; Holotypus, Bacteria pichisina, Giglio-Tos, 1910 ♀; Bacteria pichisina Giglio Tos ♀ tipo (MCSN). syn. nov. – Otte & Brock, 2003: 80, 2005: 66.

Differentiatial diagnosis. The very small size and elongate head clearly distinguish this from the two other species in the genus. ƋƋ are very similar to J. bolioianus , spec. nov. but differ by: the much smaller size; plain brownish green mesothorax; more elongate and less globose head and relatively longer alae, which reach as far as to the posterior margin of tergite IV. From the type-species J. guianensis , spec. nov. ƋƋ are distinguished by: the distinctly smaller body and more elongate head of both sexes; relatively longer mesothorax; yellowish brown instead of brown abdomen and reddish brown instead of green tibiae which exhibit some irregular, transverse dark bands. ♀♀ differ from J. guianensis , spec. nov. by: the granulose head; slightly more slender meso- and metathorax; flat, not distinctly raised posterior margin of the mesonotum and lack of a distinct sub-apical spine on the antero- and posteroventral carinae of the meso- and metafemora.

Description

The following descriptions of the ♀ and Ƌ are based on the type-specimens in MCSN and NHMW. The Ƌ HT of B. pachycerca is complete except for the terminal four abdominal segments; both metatarsi and apical segments of the left antenna. The ♀ HT B. pichisina lacks the right mid and hind leg, right metatarsus as well as the apices of the antennae and has the gonapophyses broken .

♀♀. Small (body length 104.0 mm excluding subgenital plate) rather slender and apterous, with a very long and lanceolate subgenital plate (23.0 mm). General colouration of body and legs yellowish mid brown, the subgenital plate green. Certainly the specimen is discoloured due to a former preservation in ethanol and is believed to have been greenish when alive. Abdominal segments VI and VII darker brown (caused by preservation). Eyes dark reddish brown, antennae dark brown and becoming black towards apex.

Head. Ovoid, elongate, 1.6 × longer than wide, broadest at the eyes and gently narrowing towards the posterior. Vertex very slightly rounded and covered with several acute granules. Eyes of moderate size, circular and strongly convex. Between the eyes with a slightly raised area. Antennae at least as long as head, pro- and mesonotum combined (apices broken in the HT), antennomeres very short and distinctly decreasing in length towards apices of antennae. Scapus dorsoventrally flattened, about 1.5 × longer than wide and slightly narrowed towards the base. Pedicellus cylindrical, broader than following antennomeres and about 2 / 3 the length of scapus.

Thorax. Pronotum distinctly shorter and slightly narrower than head, about 1.3 × longer than wide, roughly rectangular densely granulose.Longitudinal median line and transverse median depression distinct, the latter slightly curved and almost reaching to lateral margins of segment. Prosternum slightly trapezoidal and densely granulose. Mesothorax elongate, slightly more than 2 × longer than head and pronotum combined, slightly constricted at anterior margin, parallel-sided medially and gently widened at posterior margin; complete surface densely granulose. Metathorax structured like mesothorax. Metanotum about 1.3x longer than wide and gradually narrowing towards posterior margin.

Abdomen. Median segment almost 2 × longer than wide, distinctly longer than metanotum, medially constricted and all over covered with minute rounded granules. Segments II-VII parallel-sided, very minutely granulose. II-VI slightly increasing in length (relations hard to define as the segments are laterally compressed in the HT). Tergite VII 2 / 3 the length of VI but distinctly narrower and about 2.5 × longer than wide. VIII about 3 / 4 the length of VII, strongly convex and with a slight median keel; slightly widened towards posterior margin. IX half the length of VIII quadrate and with a slight median keel. Anal segment about as long as IX, with a fine median carina, slightly tapered towards the posterior, with posterior margin rounded. Supraanal plate very short. Cerci small, oval in cross-section and tapered towards a pointed apex; clearly projecting over posterior margin of anal segment. Gonapophyses elongate, filiform and distinctly projecting over the anal segment (broken in the HT). Subgenital plate very elongate and lanceolate, tapered towards a pointed tip and projecting over anal segment by the combined length of tergites VII-X. Basal section strongly keeled.

Legs. All rather short and stout, profemora about as long as mesonotum, mesofemora as long as metanotum and median segment combined and metatibiae reaching 1 / 3 the way along abdominal tergite VI. All carinae undulate and destitute of teeth or spines but densely covered with minute tubercles. Antero- and posteroventral carinae of the meso- and metafemora with a very indistinct sub-apical tooth. Medioventral carina of profemora elevated and ledge-like, unarmed. Medioventral carina of meso- and metafemora slightly raised and with a row of very minute granules. Basitarsi slightly longer than following three tarsomeres combined, probasitarsus with a slightly raised dorsal carina.

ƋƋ. Very small (body length 60.0 mm, according to Redtenbacher, 1908: 415) and slender with well developed alae (27.0 mm). Mesonotum and bases of profemora pale bluish green, abdomen yellowish green. Mesonotum with a very fine, dark green longitudinal median line and a slightly broader, dark green longitudinal line about 0.5 mm off the lateral margins, each of which widens to a broad brownish green marking in posterior section of mesonotum; these markings melted with another. Lateral margins of mesonotum broadly whitish. Metapleurae pale green, meso- and metasternum brown. Head and pronotum mid brown. Tegmina pale brown basally and with a broad longitudinal pale yellowish marking along lateral margin Costal region of alae pale green with the main longitudinal veins broadly brown and a pale yellowish longitudinal stripe along anterior margin. Anal region transparent.Meso- and metafemora green. Profemora, all tibiae and tarsi orange brown, the tibiae with two distinct straw transverse bands (faint on protibiae). Apices of all femora, ventral surface of procoxae as well as meso- and metacoxae black. Antennae greyish but becoming very dark brown towards the apex. Scapus and pedicellus of same colour as head.

Head. About 1.6 × longer than wide, oval, vertex almost flat and smooth. Broadest at the eyes and gently narrowed towards the posterior. Eyes reddish brown, circular, very prominent and projecting hemispherically. Between the eyes with two slightly raised, oval areas. Antennae generally as in ♀♀ but relatively longer, extending as far back as to posterior margin of abdominal tergite V.

Thorax. Pronotum distinctly shorter and narrower than head, generally as in ♀♀. Transverse median depression distinct. Prosternum trapezoidal and minutely granulose. Mesothorax very slender, elongate, parallel-sided and about 2.3 × longer than head and pronotum combined. Surface smooth except for a few small, scattered granules. Mesosternum with a faint median keel. Metanotum prominently shorter than mesonotum and median segment, indistinctly longer than wide. Metapleurae and metasternum very minutely granulose; metasternum with a very indistinct median keel. Tegmina small, oval, tapered towards the base and slightly convex. Alae reaching 1 / 3 the way along tergite V.

Abdomen. Median segment distinctly longer than metanotum, unarmed (covered by alae in the HT). Segments II-VI very minutely granulose, parallel-sided and of uniform width, being about 3.5 × longer than wide. Segments VII-X lacking in the HT. Redtenbacher (1908: 415) described these segments as follows: “Segmentum anale globoso-convexum, apice truncatum. Cerci breves, crassi, obtusi, leviter incurvi.Lamina subgenitalis fornicata, apice bispinosa [Anal segment globose, convex and truncate apically. Cerci short, very prominent, broadened and in-curving. Subgenital plate convex with the apex bi-spinose]”.

Legs. All long and slender, less distinctly carinated than in ♀♀ and completely destitute of spines or teeth. Profemora about as long as head, pro- and mesonotum combined, mesofemora as long as mesonotum and metafemora reaching to posterior margin of tergite V. All carinae covered with a row of very minute tubercles. Tarsi simple, proasitarsus distinctly longer than remaining tarsomeres combined, mesobasitarsus as long as remaining tarsomeres combined. Metatarsi missing in the HT.

Comments. Redtenbacher (1908: 415) described Bacteria pachycerca from a single Ƌ in NHMW which has since its description suffered from damage, having the four terminal abdominal segments broken off and missing, or destroyed by parasites. Redtenbacher’ s description of these segments however “Segmentum anale globoso-convexum, apice truncatum. Cerci breves, crassi, obtusi, leviter incurvi. Lamina subgenitalis fornicata, apice bispinosa” clearly places B. pachycerca in Jeremiodes , gen. nov. The data “ Peru, Marcapata” were not recorded by Redtenbacher, who erroneously stated the exact locality to be not known.

Bacteria pichisina Giglio-Tos, 1910 was described from a single ♀ in MCSN, collected along Rio Pichis in eastern Peru. Examination of the HT has shown this as well to be a member of the new genus Jeremiodes . Comparison with B. pachycerca Redtenbacher has proven B. pichisina Giglio-Tos to be the opposite sex of Redtenbacher’ s species, which is e.g. seen in the conspicuously small size; very elongate head and long mesothorax.

The type-localities in Peru, “Marcapata” and “Rio Pichis”, are both situated east of the Andes and are less than 500 kilometres away from each other. Marcapata lies some 70 km east of Cuzco in the eastern slopes of the Cordillera de Carabaya, and Rio Pichis is the most southern affluent of Rio Pachitea about 200 km south of Pucallpa. Both regions exhibit a very similar Phasmatodean fauna and are known to share several species.

Egg unknown.

Figures

Figs 11-14. Habitus. 11. Jeremiodes bolioianus, spec. nov., HT, Ƌ (ZSMC). 12. J. guianensis, spec. nov., HT, Ƌ (MNHN). 13. J. guianensis, spec. nov., PT, ♀ (MNHN). 14. J. pachycercus (Redtenbacher, 1908), HT ♀ of Bacteria pichisina Giglio- Tos, 1910 (MCSN).