Hainanphasma cristata
Creators: name: Wai-Chun, George Ho
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2013
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Phasmida
Heteropterygidae
Hainanphasma
Hainanphasma cristata

description: Hainanphasma cristata Ho spec. nov.
(Figs. 1–6, 10, 12–13, 15, 17–18)
Types. Holotype: Ƥ, Jianfengling National Nature Reserve, Ledong Country, Hainan Province, China, 15.IV.2011, George Ho Wai-Chun (SYSBM, ex coll. GH); Paratypes [11 males, 11 females, 15 eggs]: 1Ƥ, 333, 5 eggs, Jianfengling National Nature Reserve, Ledong Country, Hainan Province, China, 15–16.IV.2011, George Ho Wai- Chun (SYSBM, ex coll. GH & GH); Ƥ, Jianfengling National Nature Reserve, Ledong Country, Hainan Province, China, 7.VI.2008, George Ho Wai-Chun (GH); 3, Jianfengling National Nature Reserve, Ledong Country, Hainan Province, China, 16.VII.2009, He Zhu-Qing (SNU); 3, Jianfengling National Nature Reserve, Ledong Country, Hainan Province, China, 24.I.2010, George Ho Wai-Chun (GH); 3, Yinggeling Nature Reserve, Baisha Country, Hainan Province, China, 27.IX.2010, George Ho Wai-Chun (GH); Ƥ, Wuzhishan National Nature Reserve, Wuzhishan Country, Hainan Province, China, 16–24.IV.2011, Hua Wen-Xuan (SEM); 233, 1Ƥ, Yinggeling Nature Reserve, Baisha Country, Hainan Province, China, 20.VI.2011, George Ho Wai-Chun (KFBG & GH); 13, 3Ƥ, 2 eggs, Huishan Nature Reserve, Qionghai Country, Hainan Province, China, 2.VII.2011, George Ho Wai-Chun (GH); 13, 1Ƥ, 5 eggs, Shangxi Nature Reserve, Wanning Country, Hainan Province, China, 4.VII.2011, George Ho Wai-Chun (GH); 13, 2Ƥ, 3 eggs, Jianfengling National Nature Reserve, Ledong Country, Hainan Province, China, 11–14.VII.2011, George Ho Wai-Chun (KFBG & GH).
Diagnosis. This new species is distinguished from Hainanphasma diaoluoshanensis Ho gen. nov. spec. nov. by its larger size, two elevations on outer edge of the first antennal segment, meso- and metafemora with triangularshaped armature, and antero-dorsal and postero-dorsal carinae of metatibiae with two to three small fin-like lamellae.
Description. Female (Figs. 1–3, 10, 12, 15). Brown. Body cylindrical, granulated and with short ridges. More robust than male.
Head: Oval, but slightly rounded. Vertex with a pair of triangular tubercles placed behind the bases of antennae and following with a spine-like tubercle or a granule. Occiput with swollen high crest consisting of four carinae, surfaces slightly punctulate, with one to two spine-like tubercles on dorsal carinae, apex of the crest emarginate. Eyes dark brown, rounded. Genae with a short postocular carina behind the eyes. Antennae brown, darker in some segments, surpassing apices of forelegs, with 24–25 segments, second to fourteen segments with media furrow. The first segment very broad, triangular in cross section, with indistinct median carina, slightly shorter than the combined length of third and fourth segments; with two spine-like tubercles on outer edge, the anterior one placed near the apex, the posterior one placed at the middle. Second segment cylindrical, shorter than third segment.
Fifteen segment with a minute black spine on dorsal surface, apex toward anteriorly. Apical segment as long as third segment, very setose, apices rounded.
Thorax: Pronotum square, slightly longer than head, with an elevation surrounded by four short blunt spines before a transverse sulcus; with two short longitudinal carinae behind the transverse sulcus. Posterior margin with a pair of small granules placed at the end of the two longitudinal carinae and with another pair of small granules placed laterally of the median pair, both pairs of granules not present in some individuals. Mesonotum parallelsided, median carina very weak, distinctly bifurcated at posterior end. Anterior margin carinate and broadly incurved, with four small granules. Lateral margins with a longitudinal carina and a row of small pits. Anterolateral angles with a small granule. Mesopleura with three to four small granules. Metanotum longer than wide, about 3 x length of median segment, with granules and small pits. Mesosternum and metasternum with small granules.
Abdomen: Median segment with an x-shaped carina medially. Second to seventh terga with an x-shaped carina medially, weakly present in some individuals. Third to fourth terga with a short tubercle postero-laterally. Eighth tergum with a small elevation posteriorly. Ninth tergum with a crest-like structure medio-posteriorly, apically elongated posteriorly, usually surpassing the posterior margin of the anal segment, margin of the crest with one to three short tubercles, apex of the crest emarginate. Anal segment emarginated at posterior margin, postero-lateral angles elevated, lateral margins with one to two short spine-like tubercles. Subgenital plate boat-shaped, not projecting over the end of the anal segment, with distinct median carina and granules. Cerci flattened, hidden inside the anal segment, apices rounded.
Legs: Profemora nearly quadrate in cross section, curved basally, antero-dorsal and postero-dorsal carinae with two to three indistinct laminate elevations. Postero-dorsal carina of meso- and metafemora strongly waved with three fin-like lamellae, anterior one larger than the basal one. Antero-dorsal carina of meso- and metafemora with three to four small lamellae. Antero-ventral and postero-ventral carinae of meso- and metafemora with two spinelike tubercles or small lamellae subapically. Antero-dorsal and postero-dorsal carinae of all tibiae waved with two to three small fin-like lamellae. Medio-ventral carina of all femora and tibiae unarmed.
Male (Figs. 4–6, 13). Thinner and slenderer than female. Grayish brown to dark brown. Body rough, punctured and granulated.
Head: Sparsely covered with minute granules. Rounded, almost as long as wide. Vertex flat, with two pair of spine-like tubercles placed behind the bases of antennae, the anterior pair triangular-shaped, about 2– 3 x length of the posterior pair. Occiput strongly protruding, with a high cone-like crest, V-shaped in dorsal view, surfaces punctulate, consisting of four carinae bearing spine-like tubercles. Eyes rounded, light brown. Antennae brown, some segments darker, with 20–25 segments, reaching apices of protarsi, with dense and minute brownish setae, very setose after fourteenth or fifteenth. The first segment broad, median carina indistinct, with two short tubercles on the outer edge, both tubercles placed before middle, the anterior one 1.5 x length of the posterior one. Second segment with a slight elevation on outer edge, shorter than third segment. Third segment shorter than the first segment, 1.5 x length of second segment. Apices of apical segment rounded. Fourteen segment or fifteen segment with a minute and black spine on dorsal surface, pointing anteriorly.
Thorax: Pronotum square, parallel-sided, with two rows of two small humps placed before a transverse sulcus. Anterior margin incurved, posterior margin truncate. Mesonotum parallel-sided, anterior margin carinate and elevated, median carina indistinct and with two flattened humps at the posterior margin. Lateral margins with a row of small pits. Mesopleura with two to three small granules along margins. Metanotum parallel-sided, 2 x longer than wide and 2 x the length of median segment, lateral margins with a row of small pits. Metapleura with small pits. Mesosternum and metasternum with a few granules.
Abdomen: Slender and cylindrical. Median segment fused with metanotum, broader than long, with x-shaped carina medially. Second to ninth terga with few pits along lateral margins and x-shaped carina medio-posteriorly. Ninth tergum with a small crest-like structure medio-posteriorly. Anal segment broadly emarginated posteriorly. Poculum with indistinct median carina, posterior margin broad, and near truncate or slightly notched. Cerci small and flattened, semicircular, apices rounded, reaching posterior margin of the anal segment.
Legs: Covered with minute brownish setae. Profemora slightly curved basally, antero-dorsal and posterodorsal carinae with three to four indistinct elevations. Antero-dorsal carina of meso- and metafemora lacking elevations. Postero-dorsal carina of meso- and metafemora with three distinct fin-like lamellae, posterior one as large as median one, and larger than the anterior one. Antero-ventral and postero-ventral carinae of profemora with slight elevations, meso- and metafemora with two to three small lamellae and two tubercle-like spines subapically. Antero-dorsal carina of protibiae with two indistinct elevations. Postero-dorsal carina of meso- and metatibiae with one small lamella medially.
Measurements in Table 1.
Eggs (Figs. 17–18). The shape of the eggs resembles those of Planispectrum. Capsule dark brown, near oval, punctulate, with small elevated brownish spots; bearing very sparse setae, absent in some specimens. Micropylar plate distinctly convex, laterally dilated, posterior arms surrounding the capsule but not connected to each others at the end; margin of the micropylar plate strongly elevated. Micropylar cup distinct, placed near the posterior end of the micropylar plate. Operculum oval and punctulate, conical medially and with elevated brownish spots. The eggs are naturally laid by the female holotype.
Measurements. Length 3 mm., width 2.2 mm., height 2.7 mm.
Distribution. Hainan (Jianfengling, Yinggeling, Wuzhishan, Huishan and Shangxi), China.
Etymology. “ cristata ” refers to the high crest on the occiput of the head.
description: Published as part of 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, pp. 201-222 in Zootaxa 3669 (3) on pages 203-207, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3669.3.1, http://zenodo.org/record/222271