Parhaplopus navarroi Hennemann, Conle & Perez-Gelabert, 2016, n. gen.
Creators: name: Frank H. Hennemann
name: Oskar V. Conle
name: Daniel E. Perez-Gelabert
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2016
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Phasmida
Phasmatidae
Parhaplopus
Parhaplopus navarroi

description: Parhaplopus navarroi n. gen., n. sp. (Figs. 310–321, 343, 356, 379)
HT, ♂: Dominican Republic, RD-095 Rodeo, ~ 0.5 km E Presa de Blanco, Bonao, Monseñor Nouel Prov., 20.III.2003, D. Perez, R. Bastardo, B. Hierro. (night) [USNM].
PT, ♀: Dominican Republic, Jardín Botánico Nacional, Santo Domingo, 20.IX.2000, 18°29.7’N 69°57.3’W, D. E. Perez, R. H. Bastardo [USNM].
PT, egg (removed from ovipositor): Dominican Republic, Jardín Botánico Nacional, Santo Domingo, 20.IX.2000, 18°29.7’N 69°57.3’W, D. E. Perez, R. H. Bastardo [USNM].
Diagnosis: Similar to the Cuban P. c u be n s i s (Saussure, 1868) but differing by: the smaller size and relatively shorter mesothorax of both sexes; more distinct pair of spines on the vertex (Figs. 304–306); less deflexed abdominal tergum VII (Fig. 308); narrowly rounded apex of the subgenital plate (Fig. 308) and less undulate dorsal carina of the protibiae of ♀♀, as well as the distinct white cheeks (Fig. 306) and more slender legs of ♂♂.
Etymology: This pretty new species is dedicated to Santo Q. Navarro (Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo) for his invaluable support and assistance throughout the years to the collection efforts of the third author in the Dominican Republic.
Description: ♀ (Fig. 310). Of medium size (body length including the subgenital plate 117.5 mm) and fairly stocky for the genus. Colour greyish mid brown but the mesothorax and abdomen strongly darkened during preservation in the unique specimen at hand; abdominal sternites dull green posteriorly. Legs with a slight greenish wash and basal portion of profemora pale greyish green. Dorsal spines of the mesonotum with black tips, all other tubercles and spines of the head and thorax tipped with dull green. Antennae dark reddish brown ventrally and rather greyish mid brown dorsally. Eyes sepia with dull orange mottling. Tegmina and costal region of alae very dark brown and almost black laterally. Anal region of alae transparent grey with all major longitudinal and transverse veins broadly marked with dark grey or black.
Head: Ovoid, about 1.3x longer than wide (Fig. 312); vertex gently convex in the posterior portion and armed with a pair of moderately sized, conical cephalad spines as well as a number of smaller tubercles; two small granules are present on the cheeks (Fig. 313). Eyes rather small, circular and contained almost 3x in length of cheeks. Antennae broken in the only specimen available. Scapus 2.3x longer than wide with the lateral margins gently rounded. Pedicellus less than half the length of scapus and longer than III, roughly cylindrical.
Thorax: Pronotum slightly shorter and narrower than head, 1.4x longer than wide, roughly rectangular and with the lateral margins gently emarginated medially (Fig. 312). Transverse median sulcus distinct, gently curved and almost reaching lateral margins of segment. Dorsal surface with a slightly enlarged pair of spiniform tubercles just in front of posterior margin and otherwise with several irregularly disposed pointed tubercles (Fig. 312). Probasisternum with a median pair of tubercles, and two granules at each lateral margin. Profurcasternum with two small tubercles at lateral margins and two further tubercles at posterior margin. Mesothorax about 2x longer than head and pronotum combined, rather broad and slightly down-curving in lateral aspect, constricted at the anterior and conspicuously swollen medially. Mesonotum gradually widened towards the mid of segment, then very gently rounded and in posterior portion almost parallel-sided. Surface all over armed with numerous prominent, irregularly paired, conical spines of variable sizes; in the median portion with a single conspicuously enlarged pair of spines. Along lateral margins a longitudinal row of about 10–14 pointed spines. Mesopleurae armed with a longitudinal row of about 12 small but acute spines, metapleurae with a marginal row of eight spiniform tubercles. Mesosternum with short, sparse tubercles, the metasternum with three pairs of small granules. Tegmina broadly ovate, coriaceous, with the venation very distinct, dense and irregularly disposed; roughly reaching to posterior margin of metanotum. The median protuberance rather shallow. Alae a little longer than tegmina and reaching about ¾ the way along median segment.
Abdomen: Median segment 1.8x longer than wide and roughly rectangular, surface smooth. Tergites II and III each with a few small tubercles, II–IV each with posteromedian pair of retrorse spines, which are most prominent on II; remaining segments unarmed. Segments II–VI roughly equal in length and about 1.8x longer than wide. Tergum VII shorter than previous and with the lateral margins gently rounded posteriorly (Fig. 316). VIII less than ¾ the length of VII and roughly 1.5x longer than wide. IX almost rectangular and about half the length of VIII. Anal segment almost parallel-sided but somewhat narrowed in posterior portion, with a small posteromedian emargination; epiproct very small and triangular (Fig. 316). Cerci very small and conical with a pointed apex; hardly projecting over posterior margin of anal segment (Fig. 315). Subgenital plate very long, naviculate, longitudinally carinate and with a gently expanded, rounded apex; extending over abdomen by more than the combined length of tergites VIII–X (Figs. 315–316).
Legs: Pro- and mesofemora shorter than mesothorax and metafemora slightly projecting over posterior margin of abdominal segment III. Medioventral carina of profemora with three small spines, in mesofemora armed with four and on metafemora with five rather prominent spines. Anterodorsal carina of profemora and tibiae strongly raised and slightly undulate. Both outer ventral carinae of meso- and metafemora with two sub-apical spines, although smaller on the posterior carina; otherwise both carinae very minutely tuberculose. Both dorsal carinae slighty elevated sub-apically. Anterodorsal carina of mesotibiae gently rounded sub-basally and sub-apically. Probasitarsus about as long as the following three tarsomeres combined, dorsal carina rounded. Meso- and metabasitarsi simple and slightly shorter than following three tarsomeres combined.
♂ (Fig. 311). Of moderate size (body length 78.0mm) and fairly slender for the genus. Colour of body and front legs greenish mid brown, the metapleurae, metasternum and three terminal abdominal segments bright apple green. Mid and hind legs green with apices of the femora brown. Mesosternum whitish and the ventral surface of the abdomen dull green with white mottling. Cheeks mostly white (Fig. 314), eyes dark reddish brown. Spines of mesothorax with black tips. Tegmina and costal region of alae with anterior margin white, then a broad brown longitudinal band, and innermost portion bright apple green; in alae the brown longitudinal band with several washed greyish markings. Anal region of alae pale transparent pink with a slight greyish hue along the outer margin (Fig. 319) Antennae dark ochracheous and becoming darker towards the apex.
Head: Generally as in ♀♀ but only 1.2x longer than wide, with the vertex gently convex and smooth except for a pair of small but acute cephalad spines (Fig. 314). Eyes much more prominent, projecting hemispherically and their length contained only about 1.8x in that of cheeks. Antennae projecting over posterior margin of abdominal segment II; consisting of 59 segments. Otherwise as in ♀♀.
Thorax: Pronotum slightly shorter and narrower than head with the lateral margins very gently concave; surface smooth (Fig. 314). Transverse median sulcus shallow, gently rounded and almost reaching lateral margins of segment. Prosternum with a small median granule at each lateral margin. Mesothorax about 2x longer than head and pronotum combined. Mesonotum armed with four pairs of moderately sized but pointed spines in the anterior 2/3. Mesopleurae with a few small granules, metapleurae smooth. Mesosternum with three pairs of small tubercles, metasternum smooth. Tegmina oval and reaching almost half the way along median segment, central protuberance roundly conical. Alae reaching to posterior margin of abdominal segment VI (45.0 mm).
Abdomen: Segments II–IV roughly equal in length and almost 4x longer than wide; all unarmed. V slightly shorter than previous and V–VII gradually decreasing in length with VII hardly 3x longer than wide. VIII 3 /5 the length of VII and widened towards the posterior, IX about equal in length to VIII and constricted medially. Anal segment a little shorter than IX, widened towards the posterior and posterior margin with a deep triangular median emargination (Fig. 318). Epiproct very small and fully concealed by anal segment. Cerci slightly shorter than anal segment, laterally compressed and gradually narrowed towards a slender apex (Fig. 309). Vomer very broad, roundly triangular and with a very short, straight terminal hook (Fig. 356). Poculum moderately convex, scoopshaped and longitudinally carinate in posterior portion; reaching to posterior margin of tergum IX (Figs. 317–318).
Legs: Pro- and mesofemora almost equal in length and slightly longer than mesothorax, metafemora reaching about half way along abdominal segment IV. All less carinate than in ♀♀ and lacking any dorsal elevations or teeth. Armature of medioventral carina of the femora as in ♀♀ but considerably less developed. Posteroventral carina of meso- and metafemora with only one small sub-apical spine. Tarsi relatively more elongate, probasitarsus almost equal in length to following three tarsomeres combined, meso- and metabasitarsus about as long as combined length of following two segments. Dorsal carina of probasitarsus very gently raised.
Egg (Figs. 320–321): A single fully developed egg was removed from the ovipositor of the paratype. Description as for the genus (see above). Measurements [mm]: Length 3.8, length (including operculum) 4.0, width 2.0, heigth 2.1, length of micropylar plate 1.2.
Comments: The two type specimens are from separate localities but undoubtedly represent both sexes of the same species. The fact that only two specimens were encountered during as many as nine expeditions and collections at 280 sites throughout the Dominican Republic suggest this species to be rare. The conspicuous colouration of the unique known egg seems to be unusual and is perhaps an artifact or abnormality.
Distribution (Fig. 379): Hispaniola (Dominican Republic: Monseñor Nouel Prov. & Santo Domingo) [USNM].
Number of specimens examined: 2
description: Published as part of Frank H. Hennemann, Oskar V. Conle & Daniel E. Perez-Gelabert, 2016, Studies on Neotropical Phasmatodea XVI: Revision of Haplopodini Günther, 1953 (rev. stat.), with notes on the subfamily Cladomorphinae Bradley & Galil, 1977 and the descriptions of a new tribe, four new genera and nine new species (Phasmatodea: " Anareolatae ": Phasmatidae: Cladomorphinae), pp. 1-211 in Zootaxa 4128 (1) on pages 161-164, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4128.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/271800