Phanocles berezini Hennemann & Conle 2024, sp. n.
Creators: name: Hennemann, Frank H.
name: Conle, Oskar V.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2024
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Phasmida
Diapheromeridae
Phanocles
Phanocles berezini

description: Phanocles berezini sp. n.   
urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 76810A6A-E77D-4C1D-97F3-B04F8A52F8FC  
(Figs. 54D, 57B, 64E–G, 92A, 100A, 120A)  
 HT, ♀: Ex Zucht F. Hennemann 2011–12, Herkunft: Mexico, Oaxaca, Xadani village nr. Hoatulco City, V.2006, leg. Mikhail Berezin [ZSMC, ex coll. FH]   
 PT, 19 ♀♀, eggs: Ex Zucht F. Hennemann 2011–12, Herkunft: Mexico, Oaxaca, Xadani village nr. Hoatulco City, V.2006, leg. Mikhail Berezin [FH, 0718–1 to 19, E].   
 PT, 70 ♀♀, 54 eggs: Ex Zucht: O. Conle 2009, Mexico: S-Mexiko, Oaxaca, Xadani village near Hoatulco City, Gen F 3, leg. Mikhail Berezin 2006 [OC, 0465–1 to 71].   
 Diagnosis: Females of this new species (Fig. 54D; the only sex known) strongly resembles members of Lanceobostra gen. n. but the elongated gonapophyses VIII, prominent, laterally compressed cephalad horns (Fig. 57B), lack of a distinct medio-longitudinal keel on the mesosternum place this new species in Phanocles. The eggs (Fig. 100A) are unusual for Phanocles because of the not pitted, just very weakly coriaceous and shiny capsule surface and also rather resemble eggs of Lanceobostra gen. n. In some aspects, ♀♀ of this new species resemble the Mexican P. mexicanus sp. n. and P. rotundatolobatus sp. n. from Guatemala, but differ from both species by the slenderer shape, less numerous tubercles of the thoracic segments, much more prominent and laterally compressed cephalad horns (Fig. 57B), lack of a posterolateral lobe of abdominal tergum VII (Figs. 64E–G), longer and more acuminate subgenital plate and much less developed medio-dorsal lobe of the basitarsi. The large cephalad horns and long subgenital plate also resemble P. acutecornutus sp. n. from Bolivia and Ecuador, but in addition to the very distant geographic distribution, ♂ of this latter species have the horns of the head conical, the mesonotum entirely smooth but with a distinct medio-longitudinal carina and abdominal tergum bears a prominent rounded posterolateral lobe.   
 Etymology: Dedicated to Mikhail Berezin (Moscow, Russia), the collector of this new species for kindly forwarding a culture stock to the authors.   
 Description. ♀♀ (Fig. 54D, 120A): Medium sized (body length including subgenital plate 136.0– 158.5 mm) and very slender species with a flattened but prominently bi-cornute head, sparsely tubercular thorax and a very long, lanceolate subgenital plate. General colouration variable, ranging from dark over mid brown and ochre to green. Abdominal terga II–VI each with a ± distinct dark marking posteromedially. Largest tubercles of pro- and mesothorax with black tips. A narrow, dark diagonal marking between upper margin of eye and the cephalad horns. Eyes dull ochre. Bases of all femora irregularly flecked with dark brown to black. Antennae pale to mid brown dorsally, basal half blackish ventrally.   
Head (Fig. 57B): Fairly elongate, about 1.3x longer than wide, broadest at the eyes and gently narrowing towards the posterior, vertex very slightly convex and with a distinctly impressed coronal line. Frons with a distinct, transverse groove. Behind the eyes with a pair of very large, laterally compressed horns, which are slightly converging towards the anterior and have the anterior and apical margin lamellate and irregularly dentate; these variable in size and shape and almost equal in height to head capsule. Between them a pair of small but acute spines and two small, shallow, rectangular impressions directly posterior to them. Eyes moderately convex, roundly triangular in outline and their diameter contained 2.2x in length of genae. Antennae roughly reaching to posterior margin of abdominal segment II or III. Scapus strongly compressed dorsoventrally, about 2.2x longer than wide and with the lateral margins gently convex. Pedicellus elongate, round in cross-section, slightly narrowing towards the apex and roughly half the length of scapus.  
Thorax: Pronotum about equal in length but narrower than head, 1.6x longer than wide and roundly rectangular in dorsal aspect; the lateral margins weakly concave pre-medially and convex in posterior half. Anterior margin with a pair of blunt tubercles medially and often with a further lateral granule. Transverse median sulcus shallow, weakly arched and almost expanding entire width of segment. Surface otherwise unevenly supplied with small, blunt tubercles in the median portion and along lateral margins; a pair of distinct black tipped median tubercles in front and behind transverse median sulcus and one pair near posterior margin (Fig. 57B). Mesothorax 5.3x longer than prothorax with posterior portion very slightly widened. Mesonotum sparsely set with node-like tubercles of various sizes, which become fewer towards the posterior of segment; the largest tubercles tipped with black and a fine longitudinal marginal row of granules near lateral margins. Metanotum sculptured like mesonotum and with the lateral row of granules forming an obtuse carina; slightly less than one-third the length of mesonotum and weakly narrowing towards the posterior. Meso- and metapleurae with a longitudinal row of variably sized, acute granules along upper margin and otherwise minutely granulose. Meso- and metasternum distinctly but unevenly granulose and with a fine, granulose longitudinal carina along lateral margins.  
Abdomen: Median segment scarcely longer than metanotum, gently constricted medially and about 3x longer than wide; sparsely supplied with node-like tubercles of moderate size. Segment II somewhat longer than median segment, II–V slightly increasing and VI and VII decreasing in length with VII only about two-thirds the length of V; V about 3.4x longer than wide. II–VI of uniform width, VII somewhat narrower than preceding with lateral margins parallel-sided. Terga very sparsely and minutely granulose, II–VI often with a transverse, posteromedian tubercle, which is most decided and occasionally forms a spine-like projection on V and VI. Sterna sparsely and minutely granulose and with a fine longitudinal carina along each lateral margin. Praeopercular organ formed by two small, rounded, lobe-like and converging expansions of the lateral carinae; between these lobes with a conspicuous bold dark brown to black marking (Fig. 92A). Terga VIII–X noticeably narrower than preceding, of uniform width and parallel-sided. VIII less than half the length of VII and some 2.2x longer than wide, IX about thre-quarters the length of VIII. Anal segment longer than IX, carinate longitudinally with the apical portion narrowed and the posterior margin with a roundly triangular median emargination; the outer angles obtusely triangular (Fig. 64F). Epiproct small, roundly triangular and wider than long. Cerci small, elongate, round in cross-section and slightly constricting towards a narrow but blunt tip; just not reaching to apex of anal segment. Gonapophyses VIII very elongate, filiform with the apex slightly thickened and upcurved; projecting over apex of abdomen by about 2x the length of anal segment. Subgenital plate long, naviculate and lanceolate in shape, distinctly keeled longitudinally with the apex acuminate and projecting beyond apex of abdomen by more than combined length of terga VIII–X (Figs. 64E–G). Legs:All long and slender. Profemora a little longer than mesothorax, mesofemora about three-quarters the length of mesothorax, metafemora slightly projecting over posterior margin of abdominal segment IV and metatibiae roughly reaching to apex of anal segment. Mesofemora weakly downcurved and the two outer ventral carinae usually with one or two small teeth sub-basally (may be lacking). Medioventral carina of meso- and metafemora with 2–5 small spines apically. Probasitarsus elongate and a little longer than remaining tarsomeres combined; the dorsal carina gently raised and rounded. Meso- and metabasitarsi a little longer than following three tarsomeres combined with the dorsal carina very slightly raised and sometimes very indistinctly rounded in the basal half.  
 Egg (Fig. 100A). Fairly small for the genus, shape basically ovoid with the polar-area flattened and the dorsal egg surface more convex than all other parts of capsule; oval in cross-section, 1.25x longer high and 1.4x longer than wide. Capsule surface very weakly coriaceous and shiny; a mesh of very shallow bulges weakly indicated on dorsal surface around micropylar plate and around polar-area. Micropylar plate elongate, slender, weakly widened in the posterior half and about 0.7x the length of capsule; about 4x longer than width in median portion. Surface of plate smooth and slightly convex. Micropylar cup small and positioned at polar end of plate; the median line a fairly distinct, obtuse keel that almost reaches to polar end of capsule. Operculum oval and with a prominent, hollow, raised structure that is fairly typical for the genus and formed by a membranous excrescence of the outer margin; shape roundly conical with the lateral surface smooth and the anterior margin incurved and unevenly crenulate; height almost corresponding to half of capsule length. Colour of capsule uniformly dark brown with the dorsal surface and slightly raised bulges dull cream-coloured to grey. Micropylar plate very dark brown with the outer margin pale cream. Opercular excrescence dark orange at the base and gradually becoming yellow towards the top.   
Measurements [mm]: length including operculum 3.7–3.9, length 2.7–2.8, width 1.7–1.8, height 2.1–2.2, length of micropylar plate 1.7–1.8.  
 Comments. Several specimens and eggs were collected at the type-locality by Mikhail Berezin (Moscow, Russia) in May 2006. The eggs collected from these specimens gave rise to a parthenogenetic culture-stock, that was forwarded to the authors in 2010. Breeding in captivity has proven fairly easy in large, well-ventilated cages at average temperatures of 24–26°C and moderately high humidity. Bramble (Rubus fruticosus, Rosaceae), raspberry (Rubus idaeus, Rosaceae), roses (Rosa spp., Rosaceae), oak (Quercus robur, Fagaceae) and salal (Gaultheria shallon, Ericaceae) were accepted as alternative food plants. At around 70% the hatching rates of the parthenogenetically produced eggs were fairly high. Eggs hatched after 4–5 months and nymphs reached maturity after about six months. Females produced an average of 3– 4 eggs per day, which are simply flicked away by an abrupt movement of the abdomen. Males unknown.   
 Table 32: Measurements of Phanocles berezini sp. n.
description: Published as part of Hennemann, Frank H. & Conle, Oskar V., 2024, Studies on Neotropical Phasmatodea XXVI: Taxonomic review of Cladomorformia tax. n., a lineage of Diapheromerinae stick insects, with the descriptions of seven new genera and 41 new species (Phasmatodea: Occidophasmata: Diapheromerinae), pp. 1-454 in Zootaxa 5444 (1) on pages 163-165, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5444.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/11071464