Lobolibethra pozuzoae Hennemann & Conle 2018, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Hennemann, Frank H.
name: Conle, Oskar V.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2018
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Phasmida
Diapheromeridae
Lobolibethra
Lobolibethra pozuzoae

description: Lobolibethra pozuzoae sp. nov.
urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 25DD6299-E195-4305-8B3E-90C7B159CB91
Figs 24–39, 59–60
Diagnosis
Closely related and similar to L. carbonelli sp. nov. but differing by the on average larger size, somewhat more slender body and relatively longer body segments of both sexes. Females can also be distinguished by the less convex subgenital plate (Figs 31, 33), which lacks the lateral projections seen in L. carbonelli sp. nov. and has the lateral margins more distinctly excavated, the straight posterior margin of the anal segment, which is quadri-dentate in the median portion (Figs 30, 32), as well as the somewhat less developed ventral lobes of the mesofemora. Males are readily distinguished by the smooth meso- and metanotum (Fig. 29, granulose to nodulose in L. carbonelli), distinct concave posterior excavation of the lateral margins of the anal segment (Fig. 36) and less sculptured poculum, which has the posterior margin entire and broadly rounded (Fig. 37). The eggs differ by the somewhat less elongate capsule and shorter micropylar plate, which covers only about ½ of the dorsal egg surface (Figs 38–39, ¾ in L. carbonelli).
Etymology
Named after the type locality Pozuzo, an Austrian-German colony at the Río Huancabamba founded in 1859 and situated in the Pozuzo district of the Departemento Pasco, Province Oxapampa.
Material examined
Holotype
PERU: ♀, “Pozuzo, Sd. Peru, 800 m ” (MHNG).
Paratypes (128 ♂♂, 132 ♀♀, 1 nymph, eggs)
PERU: 1 ♂, 1 ♀, 1 ♂ (penultimate instar), 1 ♀ (penultimate instar), 1 egg (ex ovipositor HT), “ Pozuzo, Sd. Peru, 800 m ” (MHNG); ♂, “ex Zucht. F. Hennemann 2008, Herkunft: SE-Peru, F2- Generation; ex coll. FH ” (ZSMC); 5 ♂♂, 8 ♀♀, “ex Zucht. F. Hennemann 2007 /08, Herkunft: SE-Peru, F1-Generation” (FH, 0631-1 to 15); 8 ♂♂, 8 ♀♀, eggs (laid by F 1-generation), “ex Zucht. F. Hennemann 2008, Herkunft: SE- Peru, F2-Generation” (FH, 0631-16–1 & E); 11 ♂♂, 14 ♀♀, ♂ / ♀ (in copula), “ex Zucht. F. Hennemann 2009/19, Herkunft: SE-Peru, PSG No. 291” (FH, 0631-32–60); 5 ♂♂, “ex Zucht. F. Hennemann 2010, Herkunft: SE-Peru, 2007, F3- Generation; ex coll. F. Hennemann ” (MNHU); 55 ♂♂, 54 ♀♀, eggs, “Ex Zucht: O. Conle 2007-2009, Peru: SE-Peru” (OC, No’s 0400-1–109); 100 eggs, “Ex Zucht: O. Conle 2008, Peru: SE-Peru” (OC, 0400-110–112); 41 ♂♂, 46 ♀♀, eggs, Ex Zucht, “ O. Conle 2007- 2009, Peru: SE-Peru; Ex Coll. Conle” (ZSMC).
Description
Female (Figs 24–26, 59)
BODY. Size medium (body length 51.5–60.0 mm, Table 2), form moderately stocky, body surface tuberculose, rugulose and carinate to a variable degree and mid and hind legs just weakly lobed. Abdominal tergites II–IV often with a transverse scale-like posteromedian lobe, which is very variable in shape and size.
COLOUR. Variable and ranging from tawny over reddish brown to dark greyish brown. Posterior lobes of abdominal tergites II–IV (if present) usually darker than rest of body and also some of the enlarged tubercles of mesonotum sometimes darker than rest of body. Antennae becoming increasingly paler towards apex. Basal portion of subgenital plate with a more or less defined dark elongate-triangular area medially.
HEAD. Elongate-oval with cheeks almost parallel-sided and vertex flattened; about 1.3× as long as wide. Posterior portion of vertex distinctly tuberculose and tubercles roughly arranged in four indicated longitudinal rows; terminal tubercles at posterior margin of head most prominent and spiniform. Frons slightly convex and vertex with a weakly defined coronal fissure. Occasionally a few small and irregularly dispersed tubercles on cheeks. Eyes small, sub-circular and their length contained about 2.7× in that of cheeks. Antennae projecting over posterior margin of abdominal segment III. Scapus compressed dorsoventrally, rounded rectangular with lateral margins very gently deflexed and rounded; about 1.3× as long as wide. Pedicellus cylindrical and somewhat tapered towards apex. Antennomere III very elongate and about as long as scapus and pedicellus combined; IV less than ¼ length of III.
THORAX. Pronotum about as wide as but a little shorter than head, rectangular in shape and some 1.2× as wide as long. Transverse median sulcus displaced towards posterior, distinctly impressed, gently curved and expanding over entire width of segment. Surface supplied with several fairly acute tubercles (Fig. 28); these roughly arranged in two longitudinal rows. Mesothorax about 4.5× as long as prothorax, parallel-sided with only posterior portion gently widened. Mesonotum weakly tectiform and irregularly granulose to tuberculose, lateral surface with longitudinally directed rugulae which indicate a weakly defined longitudinal carina. Several tubercles enlarged and indicated lateral carina often with about 3–4 noticeably enlarged blunt conical tubercles (Fig. 28). A marginal row of small, elongate tubercles along lateral margins. Metanotum sculptured like mesonotum, but lateral longitudinal carinae considerably more decided. Meso- and metapleurae and sterna granulose and supplied with several irregularly dispersed blunt tubercles.
ABDOMEN. Median segment about ¼ length of metanotum and a little more than 2× as wide as long; surface with four longitudinal carinae. Segments II–VII roughly uniform in width, II–VI slightly increasing in length with VII about equal in length to II; II slightly transverse, V quadrate and VI a little longer than wide. Tergites II–IX with four longitudinal, sub-parallel carinae and a weakly defined, very fine longitudinal median carina; a further much less defined carina laterally. Two outer carinae supplied with a few minute tubercles and two inner carinae of tergum IX noticeably diverging, gradually raised towards posterior and occasionally each terminating in a rounded lobe or obtuse swelling (Figs 30–31). III and IV often with a scale-like transverse lobe posteromedially which is variable in size and shape; that on III always considerably larger than that on IV. Occasionally also a small lobe on tergum II. Sternites II–VII with two irregular longitudinal rows of blunt tubercles and a few small irregularly dispersed tubercles and nodes; on VII the two rows of tubercles each form a keel that is gradually raised towards the posterior. Praeopercular organ indistinct and merely represented by a slightly raised area posteromedially. Tergum VIII somewhat narrowing towards posterior, IX narrowest and wider than long. Anal segment longer than IX and slightly widened towards posterior, with lateral margins strongly deflexed and forming a blunt rounded posteriad directed lobe (Figs 31, 33); dorsal surface with a very acute longitudinal median keel, posterior margin almost straight and obtusely multi dentate (Figs 30, 32). Epiproct very small and fully hidden under anal segment (Figs 30, 32). Cerci small, conical and slightly projecting beyond posterior margin of anal segment. Subgenital plate reaching about half way along anal segment (Fig. 34), tub-shaped, with dorsal margins strongly excavated and concave in median portion (Figs 31, 33) and the apex obtusely rounded. Ventral surface with two blunt converging ridges basally, which fuse about half way along subgenital plate to form a single blunt longitudinal keel on apical half; surface irregularly rugulose and tuberculose (Fig. 34).
LEGS. All moderately long and stocky, profemora a little longer than mesothorax and the metafemora roughly reaching to posterior margin of abdominal segment VI. Anterodorsal carina of profemora weakly undulate and posterodorsal carina of meso- and metatibiae with a small lobe sub-basally. Dorsal carinae and posteroventral carina of mesofemora only with very weakly indicated traces of lobes, anteroventral carina with three rounded lobes that increase in size towards apex; terminal sub-apical lobe variable in size. All tarsi short, with basitarsus about as long as following two tarsomeres combined.
Male (Figs 27, 60)
BODY. Size medium (body length 42.0– 47.8 mm, Table 2), form moderately slender for the genus; thorax smooth.
COLOUR. Plain reddish mid brown, lateral surfaces of mesonotum each with two faint and weakly defined pale orange to yellowish spots in median portion. Anal segment mid to dark brown and noticeably darker than rest of body. Antennae pale brown basally darker, brown medially and pale ochre to straw apically.
HEAD. Sub-oval, broadest at eyes, with cheeks slightly sub-parallel and vertex flattened; smooth. Eyes sub-circular, strongly projecting and their length contained about 1.8× in that of cheeks. Antennae reaching to abdominal segment VII; otherwise as in females.
THORAX. Pronotum somewhat shorter and narrower than head and otherwise as in females; surface smooth. Mesothorax slender and 6× as long as prothorax. Surface of meso- and metathorax entirely smooth (Fig. 29).
ABDOMEN. Median segment about 1/7 length of metanotum, roughly as wide as long, with anterior margin gently rounded. Segments II–VII uniform in width, II–IV slightly increasing and V–VII decreasing in length; VII shorter than II. IV longest segment and about 2.3× as long as wide. Tergites very minutely granulose and granules roughly arranged in two longitudinal rows, sternites smooth. Tergum VIII trapezoidal and distinctly widened towards posterior, with posterior margin about 1.5× as wide as anterior margin; surface irregularly granulose and with two faint longitudinal carinae. IX about equal in length to VIII, gently narrowed towards posterior, slightly tectiform and with the two longitudinal lateral carinae noticeably more decided than on VIII. Anal segment shorter than preceding, lateral margins strongly deflexed in median portion and protruded into a blunt triangular tooth (Fig. 36); dorsal surface with a fine longitudinal median carina and two blunt, granulose longitudinal carinae; posterior margin distinctly excavated medially (Fig. 35), outer angles bluntly triangular, somewhat swollen and supplied with several minute denticles ventrally (Fig. 37). Cerci elongate, gently curved and slightly club-shaped, with an obtuse apex. Vomer well developed, triangular and with a fairly short but acute, straight terminal hook. Poculum strongly convex, bowl-shaped and irregularly rugulose; posterior margin somewhat labiate and broadly rounded (Fig. 37).
LEGS. All long, slender and completely unarmed. Profemora a little longer than pro- and mesothorax combined, metafemora reaching to abdominal segment VIII and metatibiae projecing much beyond apex of abdomen. Tarsi moderately elongate, with basitarsus about as long as following three tarsomeres combined.
Egg (Figs 38–39)
Small, globose, 1.25× as long as than high and about 1.5× as long as than wide, slightly compressed laterally and oval in cross-section, with dorsal portion somewhat more convex than ventral portion. Capsule surface strongly shiny and very minutely granulose if seen in strong magnification. Micropylar plate elongate, slender, almost parallel-sided, with only posterior portion very gently widened and about ½ length of capsule; conspicuously displaced towards anterior end of capsule. Central portion gently convex and the outer margin slightly swollen. Micropylar cup small and near posterior end of plate, median line distinct and very short. Operculum elliptical, gently downcurving dorsally and flat. In centre with a raised rim. Colour dark brown, with most of dorsal surface and anterior portion dull ochraceous; boardering section between these two differently coloured areas very dark blackish brown. Inner portion of micropylar plate dark reddish brown, outer portion and median line cream. Operculum dark brown, with central raised rim reddish mid brown. Measurements (in mm): length 2.5, capsule length 2.4, width 1.6, height 2.0, length of micropylar plate 1.7.
Remarks
As in other species of the genus, considerable morphological variability is seen in females, but this is less noticeable than in, e.g., L. carbonelli sp. nov. or L. panguana Hennemann & Conle, 2007. The abdominal tergites are unarmed or II–IV and IX bear posterior lobes. The scale-like transverse lobe on tergum III in particular shows considerable variability in size and shape. Variation is also seen in the size of the lobes of the anteroventral carina of the mesofemora and colouration. No noteworthy variability is seen in males.
The type locality Pozuzo is a small Austrian-German colony at the Río Huancabamba founded in 1859 and situated in the Pozuzo district of the Departemento Pasco, Province Oxapampa at an elevation of about 750 m. The coordinates are 10°4′ S, 75°32′ W. Culture stock was collected in 2007 from an unspecified locality but most certainly from somewhere in Oxapampa Province and eggs were forwarded to Bruno Kneubühler (Luzern, Switzerland) for breeding purposes. These eggs gave rise to a culture that was maintained for a few generations but was since lost. Bramble (Rubus fruticosus, Rosaceae), raspberry (Rubus idaeus, Rosaceae), roses (Rosa spp., Rosaceae) and oak (Quercus robur, Fagaceae) were accepted as alternative food plants. At average temperatures of 20–24°C in captivity males took about three and females about four months to reach maturity. Females produced some 10– 12 eggs per week, which were simply dropped to the ground.
description: Published as part of Hennemann, Frank H. & Conle, Oskar V., 2018, Studies on neotropical Phasmatodea XVIII: Four new species of Lobolibethra Hennemann & Conle, 2007 from Peru and Ecuador (Phasmatodea: " Anareolatae ": Diapheromeridae), pp. 1-33 in European Journal of Taxonomy 449 on pages 16-21, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2018.449, http://zenodo.org/record/3814177