Ocreatophasma elegans Hennemann & Conle 2024, gen. n., sp. n.
Creators: name: Hennemann, Frank H.
name: Conle, Oskar V.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2024
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Phasmida
Phasmatidae
Ocreatophasma
Ocreatophasma elegans

description: Ocreatophasma elegans gen. n., sp. n.   
urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 0C7F0677-2724-4374-995F-552AFF462DC3  
(Figs. 41C, 42A, 42G–H, 85K, 90G)  
 HT, ♀: Museum Paris, Perou — Loreto, S. Poulain rec.; Rio Ampiyacu, Estirón - XII–1982; Purme de 27 AN (Andres) [MNHN].   
 Diagnosis. Females of this new species (Fig. 41C) may be separated from O. modestum sp. n. by the larger size, node-like granules of the mesonotum, much broader and transverse anal segment (Fig. 42G), bi-tubercular praeopercular organ (Fig. 90G) and shorter subgenital plate which does not reach to the posterior margin of the anal segment (Fig. 42H).   
 Etymology. The name (elegans lat. = slender, elegant) refers to the very slender and elongate shape of this new species. Neuter.   
 Description. ♀♀ (Fig. 41C): Large for the genus (body length 165.0 mm) with node-like granules on the mesonotum, a distinctly broadened anal segment that is wider than long and a short subgenital plate that does not reach to the apex of the abdomen. General colour of the unique holotype buff to ochreous or greyish light brown and all over minutely flecked with dark brown; abdomen somewhat darker reddish brown due to preservation. Frons and area between the eyes whitish, the enlarged node-like granules and medio-longitudinal carina of the meso- and metanotum cream. Eyes dark brown, the antennae mid brown with a slight orange wash.   
Head (Fig. 42A): Flattened, 1.25x longer than wide, widest at the eyes and slightly gradually narrowing towards the posterior; vertex somewhat impressed anteriorly, otherwise flat and with an impressed coronal line. Frons with two fairly distinct impression, each of which have a node-like central swelling. Area between the eyes with an obtuse transverse swelling. A very few small, node-like granules on vertex and a longitudinal row of about 6–7 such granules on genae. Eyes circular in outline and their diameter contained 2.8x in length of genae. Antennae almost reaching to posterior margin of metanotum. Scapus increasingly flattened dorsoventrally towards base, roughly rectangular in dorsal aspect and about 1.5x longer than wide. Pedicellus slightly oval in cross-section and just a little more than half the length of scapus. Antennomere III slightly longer than pedicellus and gradually constricted towards the apex.  
Thorax: Pronotum about as long but notably narrower than head, basically rectangular in shape and 1.9x longer than wide; just slightly narrowed post-anteriorly. Transverse median sulcus shallow and very short, straight; the median line weakly impressed (Fig. 42A). Just behind anterior margin with a distinct transverse furrow but the surface otherwise smooth. Mesothorax 7.5x longer than pronotum, and uniform in diameter; the pleurae just weakly widened posteriorly. Mesonotum with a distinct medio-longitudinal carina and set with some irregularly dispersed node-like granules (Fig. 42A); a fine longitudinal carina close and roughly parallel to lateral margins, which is set with some distant node-like granules. Metanotum sculptured like mesonotum and slightly less than half of its length. Meso- and metapleurae with a longitudinal marginal carina that is set with a few small tubercles. Meso- and metasternum with a very prominent and acute medio-longitudinal keel, the latter otherwise with a few scattered granules (Fig. 85K).  
Abdomen: Median segment slightly more than one-third the length of metanotum, rectangular and 2.3x longer than wide; lateral margins weakly concave and the median line very fine. Segment III 1.8x longer than median segment and 4x longer than wide. III–V slightly increasing, IV and VII notably decreasing in length with V longest and 4.5x longer than wide and VII only 2.5x longer than wide; all roughly uniform in width. Terga all with a fine medio-longitudinal line and very minutely granulose; the carina most distinct on VII and VIII and forming a small tooth-like swelling on VI–VIII. Sterna with the medio-longitudinal keel obtuse and somewhat more pronounced. Praeopercular organ on sternum VII formed by two obtuse swellings close to posterior margin, that are connected by a transverse ridge (Fig. 90G). Tergum VIII trapezoidal in dorsal aspect with posterior margin 1.4x wider than anterior margin and slightly more than half the length of VII; posterolateral angles protruded into a small and obtuse triangular tooth. IX about two-thirds the length of VIII, wider than long and with the lateral margins deflexed and parallel-sided. Anal segment widest of all segments and 2x wider than long; the posterior margin basically 6–dentate with the posterolateral angles notably protruded and with a small, semi-circular excavation medially (Fig. 42G). Lateral margins somewhat deflexed (Fig. 42F) and the dorsal surface with a very fine medio-longitudinal carina and a small central pit on each side. Epiproct small, scale-shaped, transverse and with a minute posteromedian indention. Cerci small, acuminate, slightly compressed dorsoventrally and projecting beyond posterior margin of anal segment. Paraprocts notably enlarged and with the inner posterior angles protruded, digitiform and roughly reaching to tips of cerci (Fig. 42H). Gonapophyses VIII slender, gently upcurved and roughly reaching to tip of subgenital plate. The subgenital plate moderately bulgy longitudinally with the apical portion narrowing towards a rather obtuse tip that does not reach to the apex of the abdomen (Fig. 42H).  
Legs: Profemora about as long as mesothorax, mesofemora as long as metathorax and metafemora reaching slightly beyond posterior margin of abdominal segment III. Posterodorsal carina of protibiae blade-like and strongly deflexed as typical for the genus and weakly increasing in height near apex of tibia. Dorsal carina of probasitarsus strongly raised, deflexed and forming a widely rounded lobe; about as long as remaining tarsomeres combined. Tarsomere II–IV also with a rounded dorsal lobe, that gradually decreases in height. Meso- and metabasitarsi about as long as remaining tarsomeres combined except claw.  
 Comments. Males and eggs unknown. Measurements in table 24.
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 121-122, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5444.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/11071464