Pterinoxylus speciosus Hennemann & Conle & Valero & Nishida 2022, n. sp.
Creators: name: Hennemann, Frank H.
name: Conle, Oskar V.
name: Valero, Pablo
name: Nishida, Kenji
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2022
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Phasmida
Phasmatidae
Pterinoxylus
Pterinoxylus speciosus

description: Pterinoxylus speciosus n. sp.
Figs. 13–16, 20A, 20B, 21E, 32
HT, ♀: Estac. Cacao, 1000–1400m, Swside Volcan Cacao, Guanac. Pr. Costa Rica, Set. 1989, URCG R. Blanco & C. Chavez. 323300, 375700; Costa Rica MNCR-A CRI000 042809; Especímens en Atta A. Lépiz 16.4.2008 [MNCR-A].
PT, ♀: 2 km N. Colonia Blanca, 800m, P.N. Rincon de la Vieja, Prov. Alajuela, Costa Rica, 13 a 28 jun 1992, III curso Paratax- on. L–N 308800, 397800; Costa Rica MNCR-A CRI000 695860 [MNCR-A].
PT, ♂: Estac. Cacao, 1000–1400m, SWside Volcan Cacao, Guanac. pr. Costa Rica, Jul 1988, Janzen & Hallwachs, 323300, 375700 [MNCR-A].
PT, ♂: Est. Cacao, lado SO Vol. Cacao, P.N. Guanacaste, Guanacaste, Prov. Guanacaste, Costa Rica, 800–1600m, Jul 1993, J.F. Quesada, L S 323300_375700 #2218; Costa Rica MNCR-A CRI001 953736 [MNCR-A].
PT, ♂: Costa Rica, Prov. Guanacaste, A.C.G., Santa Cruz, P.N. Guanacaste, Cerro El Hacha, Casa Est. Forestal. 400m, 4 EB 1988, Solís. Manual, L _N_320000_364000 #5275; INB0003357975 MNCR-ACRI Costa Rica [MNCR-A].
PT, ♂: Costa Rica, Prov. Heredia, Z.P., La Selva, Sarapiqui, Estacion El Ceibo, 400–500m, 25 MAY 2005, I. Chavez, Libre, L _N_256500_52770 #80877; INB0003959512 MNCR-ACRI Costa Rica [MNCR-A].
PT, ♂: Estac. Mengo, 1100m, SWside Volcan Cacao, Guanac. Pr., Costa Rica, 7 MAY 1988, Janzen & Hallwachs, W85 28'10'', N10 56'48''; Costa Rica MNCR –A CRI001 011372 [MNCR-A].
PT, ♂: Buen Amigo, San Luis Monteverde, Prov. Punta., Costa Rica, 1000–1350m, 20 MAR –14–ABR 1995, M. Segura, 250850 442250, #4410 [MNCR-A].
PT, ♂: Costa Rica, Tilaran, 800 m, Guanacaste, V.1932; F. Nevermann leg., Eing. Nr. 104, 1932; PHA 74, Zoologisches Museum Hamburg [ZMUH].
Diagnosis: This new species is easily recognised by the shortened and heavily spinose mesothorax, which is less than 4x the length of the pronotum and strongly swollen medially in ♀♀ (Fig. 16E). Females furthermore differ from all other species in the genus by the extremely long subgenital plate, which projects beyond the apex of the abdomen by considerably more than the combined length of abdominal terga VIII–X (Figs. 16A–D). The shape of the subgenital plate resembles P. perarmatus (Redtenbacher, 1908) in being strongly convex and bulgy in the basal portion (Figs. 16A–B) but in addition to the characteristic shape of the mesothorax, the more flattened vertex and lack of prominent cephalic horns (Fig. 16E) as well as the strongly deflexed abdominal tergum VII and tessellated anala fan of the alae (striped radially in perarmatus) readily distinguish ♀♀ of this new species. Males resemble those of P. perarmatus, in having a spinose mesonotum, green longitudinal stripe along the tegmina and costal region of the alae as well as the green legs with brown apices of the femora and tibiae. But in addition to the very prominent mesothoracic armature (Fig. 15G), relatively shorter mesothorax and more stocky habitus ♂♂ of this new species differ by the less prominent cephalic horns (Fig. 15G), laterally deflexed abdominal tergum VII (Figs. 15E–F) and less numerous but more defined translucent spots in the anal region of the alae.
Etymology: The name (speciosus lat. = magnificent) refers to the very large size, stocky habitus and prominent armature of the mesothorax of this impressive new species.
Description: ♀♀ (Figs. 13, 16, 20A). Large to very large for the genus (body length incl. subgenital plate 179.0–196.0 mm), form twig –like and very stocky with a strongly swollen and heavily spinose mesothorax an extremely long and lanceolate, basally convex subgenital plate. General colouration ranging from reddish mid brown (holotype; possibly discoloured due to provisional storage in spirits) to pale greyish brown with a slight greenish wash (paratype). Tegmina and costal region of alae with faint paler mottling and with the anterior margin pale cream and then with a washed mid to dark green longitudinal streak; basal portion and ventral surface of costal region of alae dull red. Anal region of alae somewhat unevenly transparent grey with numerous black longitudinal markings along the anal veins (Fig. 20A). All of the larger tubercles and spines of the head and thorax as well as the lobes and teeth of the extremities dull reddish and often tipped with black. Antennae greyish brown dorsally and dark blackish brown ventrally; the terminal segment pale cream.
Head: Ovoid, indistinctly longer than wide, the vertex moderately convex, rounded and with a distinct impressed longitudinal median fissure. Between the eyes with a pair of low, rounded swellings. Vertex set with several low nodes and blunt tubercles of variables sizes, two of the central ones somewhat larger than all the others; a further pair of prominent blunt tubercles near posterior margin (Fig. 16E). Genae smooth except for 2–3 small nodes. Eyes fairly small, circular and convex; their diameter contained about 2.4x in length of genae. Antennae long and roughly reaching to posterior margin of metanotum, consisting of 29–32 segments. Scapus slender, 2x longer than wide, compressed dorsoventrally with only the outer lateral margin gently deflexed in apical half. Pedicellus subcylindrical and about half the length of scapus. Third antennomere somewhat longer and narrower than pedicellus.
Thorax: Pronotum about as long but very slightly narrower than head, about 1.4x longer than wide, rectangular and with the lateral margins gently concave. Median transverse sulcus moderately pronounced, gently curved and expanding over entire width of segment; longitudinal median line distinctly impressed in anterior half of segment. Surface very minutely granulose, a small pair of tubercles in front of transverse median sulcus, a small pair of nodes just behind the sulcus and four prominent conical spines arranged in a transverse row just before posterior margin (Fig. 16E). Mesothorax broad and about 3.7x longer than pronotum, distinctly swollen pre–medially (Fig. 16E) and with anterior portion somewhat constricted and narrower than posterior margin. Mesonotum with a well pronounced longitudinal median fissure, the median portion swollen and gently gibbose; all over heavily armed with prominent conical spines of variable sizes, these somewhat clustered and more numerous in the swollen median portion of the disc. Mesopleurae armed with a longitudinal row of prominent conical spines, the metapleurae set with about seven smaller blunt spines, the pre-coxal one being the largest. Mesosternum sparsely set with medium–sized conical spines, that become smaller and less numerous towards the posterior; metasternum with two pairs of fairly prominent spiniform tubercles in anterior half and a few additional smaller tubercles. Tegmina fairly slender and oval in shape with the central hump weakly pronounced and reaching about one-thirds the way along median segment.Alae reaching two-thirds along abdominal tergum II.
Abdomen: Median segment 1.3x longer than metanotum and 1.4x wider than long, smooth and almost equal in length to segment II. Segments III–V equal in length and somewhat longer than II, VI and VII; on average only about 1.2x longer than wide; II widening towards the posterior, III broadest segment and IV–VI very slightly narrowing. Terga II–VII unevenly but distinctly multi-carinate and with a pair of closely placed irregular median longitudinal carinae, which are somewhat more raised at posterior margin of each tergum. Tergum VII prominently deflexed laterally with the lateral margins broadly rounded and widest in posterior half of segment; wider than all preceding segments (Figs. 16C–D). Sterna II–VII with four irregular longitudinal carinae. Praeopercular organ a distinct, node-like swelling close to posterior margin of sternum VII, that is formed by the two medio-longitudinal carinae (Fig. 16D). Terga VIII–X very much narrower than all preceding; VIII strongly narrowed medially, about two-thirds the length of VII, about 1.5x longer than wide, strongly convex and with two very pronounced longitudinal median carinae. IX much shorter and rectangular. Anal segment about as long as IX and narrowed at posterior, the posterior margin with a very wide and shallow emargination and the outer portions angulate. Epiproct fairly large, shield–shaped, roundly triangular and with a distinct median keel; projecting considerably over posterior margin of anal segment (Fig. 16C). Cerci very small, compressed laterally at the base and with the apex somewhat club-like and incurved; roughly reaching to posterior margin of anal segment. Subgenital plate very long (Figs. 16A–D), distinctly keeled longitudinally with the basal portion convex and boat shaped (Figs. 16A–B); lanceolate in shaped and in dorsal aspect unevenly narrowing towards a blunt apex (Fig. 16C); extending over apex of abdomen by considerably more than the length of terga VIII–X taken together.
Legs: All short and stocky; profemora slightly shorter than mesothorax, mesofemora as long as metathorax and hind legs reaching about halfway along abdominal segment VI. Profemora with anterodorsal carina distinctly raised and very gently wavy, the posteroventral carina with about 8–10 small teeth. Medioventral carina with a few small tubercles. Protibiae with anterodorsal carina moderately deflexed, lamellate and gently wavy; the posteroventral carinae strongly lamellate and expanded with the margin unevenly undulate. Meso- and metafemora swollen with the two outer lower carinae somewhat rounded and deflexed sub-basally; this portion of both carinae armed with four strong spines; two tooth-like spines on these carinae sub-apically. Posterodorsal carina of mesofemora with a large and broadly triangular sub-apical lobe and 2–3 medium spines in basal portion (Fig. 16E); anterodorsal carina alike but armature much less pronounced. Medioventral carina of meso- and metafemora fairly distinct, obtuse and armed with 4–5 fairly prominent spines, the median ones of which are the largest. Ventral carinae of meso- and metatibiae roundly deflexed sub-basally and otherwise set with a few rather small dentations. Anterodorsal carina with a distinct rounded lobe sub-basally and a somewhat smaller and rather tooth-like lobe near the apex. Probasitarsus almost as long as following two tarsomeres combined; dorsal carina forming an almost semi-circular lobe; a much smaller dorsal lobe present on tarsomeres II and III. Meso– and metabasitarsus slightly longer than following tarsomere and with dorsal carina just very gently raised.
♂♂ (Figs. 14, 15, 20C). Large and stocky for the genus (body length 93.0–107.0 mm) with a fairly short and heavily spinose mesothorax, well-developed alae (length 51.5–59.0 mm) and distinctive brown and green colouration. General colouration of head and body greyish to greenish mid brown, the mesothorax and metasternum with a green wash and most of metapleurae yellowish green. Most of ventral body surface as well as the thoracic pleurae with lichenose whitish mottling and speckles, the abdominal sterna in particular. Thoracic armature mostly dull reddish. Tegmina dark brown with a slight greenish wash, the anterior margin in the median portion broadly pale cream to white and followed by a washed green longitudinal streak; often with a white marking or indistinct median streak near posterior margin. The costal region of the alae mostly dark brown with a reddish wash and with a bold, washed green streak along basal half of anterior margin; the extreme outer border of the anterior margin pale cream basally; dull red ventrally. Anal region of alae translucent dark grey with numerous small, rounded transparent patches; all anal veins slightly marked with darker grey and with interruptions at the transparent patches (Fig. 20C). All femora pale to mid green with the apical quarter dark brown; the tibiae green with the apical and basal portions brown. Antennae reddish mid brown to dull orange with the basal half dark brown ventrally; the terminal antennomere pale cream.
Head: Generally as in ♀♀, but vertex less convex, the cephalic armature considerably less pronounced and sparse and the two swellings on frons somewhat more distinct (Fig. 15G). The eyes relatively larger and projecting more than hemispherically from head capsule with their diameter contained only about 1.4x in length of genae. Antennae slightly projecting over posterior margin of median segment and usually with 28 segments; otherwise as in ♀♀.
Thorax: Pronotum generally as in ♀♀, but surface less granulose (Fig. 15G). Mesothorax fairly short and only about 3.3x longer than pronotum; very gently swollen medially. Mesonotum with a fine longitudinal median carina and heavily armed with a variable number of very prominent, conical and fairly blunt spines of variable sizes; usually one notably enlarged, massive pair pre-medially (Fig. 15G). The mesopleurae with a median longitudinal row of spiniform tubercles, the metapleurae only with a marginal row of about seven very small tubercles. Mesosternum irregularly set with medium spiniform tubercles, the metasternum with a medium pair of low conical spines and otherwise only with a very few scattered small tubercles. Tegmina oval in outline and somewhat narrowed in the apical portion, slightly projecting over posterior margin of metanotum and strongly convex with a fairly prominent, rounded central hump. Alae ± reaching to posterior margin abdominal tergum VI.
Abdomen: Median segment notably longer than metanotum, about 2.2x longer than wide and smooth. Segments II to VII very slightly decreasing in length and on average about 3.2x longer than wide; II–VI roughly uniform in width. Terga V–VIII with a closely placed pair of longitudinal median carinae and a further notably more pronounced lateral carina; these carinae very indistinct to obsolete on II–IV. VII with lateral margins in posterior half strongly deflexed to form a prominent, rounded lobe that laterally extends by as much as half of the width of segment (Figs. 15E–F). Sterna II–VII with four irregular but acute longitudinal carinae, the inner pair roundly raised just before posterior margin of each sternum. Tergum VIII about three-quarters the length of VII and distinctly narrowed medially, the posterolateral angles somewhat expanded; IX three-quarters the length of VIII and gently narrowed medially. Anal segment about two-thirds the length of IX with lateral margins somewhat convex and the base slightly narrowed; posterior margin broadly bi-lobed with a small and shallow indention medially (Fig. 15E); ventral surface of outer portions of posterior margins armed with a few small denticles. Epiproct very small and fully concealed by anal segment. Cerci small, compressed laterally with the apex obtusely scoop-shaped; notably projecting over posterior margin of anal segment. Vomer triangular in shape, slightly longer than breadth of base with the terminal hook narrowed, acutely pointed, very slightly dextrad-directed and upcurved (Fig. 20E). Poculum convex and cup-shaped in basal portion a distinct conical projection at the angle (Fig. 15D), the apical half increasingly flattened, carinate longitudinally and slightly projecting over posterior margin of abdominal tergum IX; the posterior margin distinctly bi-lobed with a deep triangular median excavation (Fig. 15F).
Legs: Relatively longer and slenderer than in ♀♀; profemora about equal in length and mesofemora slightly shorter than mesothorax, hind legs reaching roughly half way along abdominal segment VI. Anterodorsal and posteroventral carina of profemora just weakly expanded, the former smooth and the latter set with a few small dentations. Anterodorsal carina of protibiae moderately raised, gently wavy forming a small, ± distinctly rounded lobe sub-apically; the posteroventral carina moderately lamellate with the margin almust uniform. Armature of mid and hind legs generally as in ♀♀, but with the exception of the distinct sub-apical dorsal triangular lobe of the meso- and metafemora, less pronounced. The meso- and mertafemora muchh less widened sub–basally. Probasitarsus almost as long as following two tarsomeres combined and with a large obtusely angular dorsal lobe; second and third tarsomere with a much smaller angular dorsal lobe (Fig. 15G). Meso- and metabasitarsus almost as long as following two tarsomeres combined, dorsal carina just moderately raised and roundly triangular.
Variability: The two ♀♀ at hand show slight differences in size, colouration, armature of the mesothorax and length of the subgenital plate. While the holotype is almost plain reddish mid brown (perhaps due to provisional storage in spirits, Figs. 13A–C) the paratype is greyish to ochraceous brown with a slight greenish hue and has a washed, dull green longitudinal median streal on the tegmina and costal region of the alae (Figs. 13D–E. The available ♂♂ are fairly constant in colouration and merely show slight variation in the size and shape of the mesothoracic spines.
Comments: This beautiful new species is the largest and most stocky representative of the genus and appears to be closely related to P. perarmatus (Redtenbacher, 1908). A reasoning is given in the discussion section below. Eggs unknown.
Distribution (Fig. 32): Costa Rica (Prov. Guanacaste: Volcan Cacao 1000–1400 m; Cerro el Hacha 400 m; Tilarán 800 m; Prov. Heredia: Sarapiqui, Estacion El Ceibo 400–500 m; Prov. Alajuela: Parque Nacional Rincon de la Vieja nr. Colonia Blanca 800 m).
description: Published as part of Hennemann, Frank H., Conle, Oskar V., Valero, Pablo & Nishida, Kenji, 2022, Studies on Neotropical Phasmatodea XXV: Revision of Pterinoxylus Serville, 1838, with the descriptions of two new species from Costa Rica. (Phasmatodea: Oriophasmata: Cladomorphinae: Pterinoxylini), pp. 1-72 in Zootaxa 5208 (1) on pages 37-43, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5208.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/7318962