Decidia magnifica Conle, Hennemann, Ramírez-Mora & Quiróz, 2009, n. sp.
Creators: name: Conle, Oskar V.
name: Hennemann, Frank H.
name: Ramírez-Mora, Manuel A.
name: Quiróz, John A.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2009
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Phasmida
Pseudophasmatidae
Decidia
Decidia magnifica

description: Decidia magnifica n. sp.   
 (Figs. 7 – 8, 9 – 10, 15 – 16, 18)   
 HT, 3: Colombia, Antioquia, Medellín, Santa Elena, En maleza, Oct., 1989, Andrés García leg. (MEFLG 14335).   
 PT, 1 3: Colombia, Antioquia, Medellín, Santa Elena, En arbusto, Jul., 1940, F. L. Gallego leg. (MEFLG 14334); PT, 1 3: Colombia, Antioquia, Medellín, Santa Elena, 4 Ago., 1939, F. L. Gallego leg. (MEFLG 14336).   
 PT, 1 3: Colombia (NHRS).   
 PT, 1 Ƥ: Colombia, Antioquia, Medellín, Santa Elena, En arbusto, Jul., 1940, F. L. Gallego leg. (MEFLG 14338); PT, 1 Ƥ: Colombia, Antioquia, Medellín, Santa Elena, En barbecho, Dic., 1957, F. L. Gallego leg. (MEFLG 14339).   
 PT, 1 3 nymph: Colombia, Antioquia, Medellín, Santa Elena, En planta, Ago., 1968, Arturo Jaramillo leg. (MEFLG 14337).   
 PT, 1 Ƥ nymph: Colombia, Antioquia, Santa Rosa de Osos, N6°38´56´´ W75°27´49´´, 2588 m, En Pinus patula, Jun., 1980. Alejandro Madrigal leg. (MEFLG 14341).   
 PT, 1 Ƥ nymph: Colombia, Antioquia, Santa Rosa de Osos, N6°38´56´´ W75°27´49´´, 2588 m, En pastura, Dic., 1980. Alejandro Madrigal leg. (MEFLG 14340).   
 Distribution: Central Colombia (Central Cordillera: Dept. Antioquia, 2588 m).   
 Etymology: The specific name magnifica (lat. = magnificent) refers to the strikingly beautiful colouration of the live 33 (Figs. 9 – 10).   
 Diagnosis: Closely related to the type-species D. soranus (Westwood, 1859) with which it shares the presence of tegmina and alae. It however differs by: the very pretty colouration (e.g. green body, orange antennae, blue head, bright red tegmina and costal region of the alae); less distinct ocelli and shorter alae of both sexes, which at best reach to abdominal tergite V (Ƥ) or VI (33). 33 furthermore differ by: the more strongly deflexed and almost hemispherical lateral surfaces, lack of a median tooth on the lateral margin and much shorter posteromedian projections of the anal segment (Fig. 15), as well as the apically more rounded cerci (Fig. 18). Ƥ may also be distinguished by the presence of rounded posterolateral lobes on abdominal tergites VII – IX and shorter subgenital plate, which hardly reaches half way along anal segment (Fig. 16).   
 Description: The colouration of the 33 is described from photos of a live specimen taken in Piedras Blancas, Antioquia, Colombia. That of the Ƥ is described from dried specimens only, so care must be taken since all dried and pinned specimens examined have lost their striking colouration during the preservation process.   
 Ƥ: Medium sized (body length 47.4 – 51.4 mm) and rather robust for the genus with scale-like tegmina (6.6 – 7.6 mm) and well developed alae (17.7 – 18.6 mm).   
 Colouration: The colours here described are believed to be more intense in live insects and may be similar to those seen in live 33 (Figs. 9 – 10). General colour of body and legs dark olive green, the abdomen brownish; subgenital plate and cerci somewhat darker than rest of abdomen. Head dark lapis-blue, eyes bright yellow to pale orange. Scapus and pedicellus dark bluish green with a slight metallic gloss; rest of antennae plain orange and becoming dark aubergine towards the apex. Posterior margins of pronotum and mesonotum yellow. Tegmina and costal region of alae black and of slightly velvet-like appearance, all veinlets yellow to pale orange and forming a conspicuous net-like structure. Anal region of alae translucent brown. Apical portion of tibiae and all tarsi reddish brown. Entire body and legs finely but densely hirsute; hairs pale orange.   
Head: Cheeks strongly convex and ocelli conspicuously reduced. Antennomere III slightly longer than scapus and pedicellus combined.  
Thorax: Mesonotum slightly trapezoidal, about 1.3x longer than wide and roughly 1.3x longer than pronotum. Tegmina scale-shaped, broadly oval with the posterior margin rounded; slightly projecting over posterior margin of metanotum. Alae ± reaching to posterior margin of abdominal segment V.  
 Abdomen: Median segment roughly equal in length to metanotum. Lateral margins of tergites II – VI gently rounded, those of VII – IX a distinct, roundly triangular posterolateral lobe. Posterior margin of anal segment roundly truncate and lateral margins with a shallow median excavation. Cerci round in cross-section and slightly tapered towards apex. Subgenital plate short and roughly reaching half way along anal segment (Fig. 16).   
Legs: Profemora a little shorter than combined length of head, pro- and mesonotum. Mesofemora about equal in length to pro- and mesonotum combined. Metafemora projecting over posterior margin of abdominal segment VII. Tarsi roughly 2/3 the length of corresponding tibiae, basitarsus about 2x longer than 2nd tarsomere.  
 33 (Figs. 8, 9–10): Medium sized (body length 43.3 – 46.5 mm) and moderately slender for the genus with scale-like tegmina (5.3 – 5.7 mm) and well developed alae (15.2 – 16.6 mm); slightly shorter but much more slender than Ƥ.   
 Colouration: Similar to Ƥ but colours much more intense. General colour of body bright apple green with the three terminal abdominal segments olive. Posterior margins of all body segments aubergine. Cerci dark aubergine basally and black apically. Head dark lapis-blue, eyes bright yellow. Scapus and pedicellus dark bluish green with a slight metallic gloss; rest of antennae first bright orange and then turning to dark blue towards the apex. Tegmina and costal region of alae bright red with all veinlets yellow to pale green and forming a conspicuous net-like structure. Anal region of alae translucent with a slight orange wash. Legs mid green, the apical portion of the tibiae and all tarsi reddish brown (Figs. 9 – 10).   
Head: As in Ƥ.  
Thorax: Mesonotum almost 2x longer than wide and about 1.7x longer than pronotum. Tegmina as in Ƥ. Alae ± reaching posterior margin of abdominal segment IV.  
Abdomen: Tergite IX with a strongly developed longitudinal lateral bulge. Anal segment strongly globose with the lateral surfaces projecting almost hemispherically (Fig. 15). Posterior margin medially indented and with a short, rounded projection at each outer corner. Cerci almost straight in lateral aspect, the apical half broadened and laterally compressed (Fig. 18). Poculum very bulgy and roughly reaching apex of anal segment.  
Legs: Profemora slightly longer than combined length of head, pro- and mesonotum. Mesofemora a little longer than pro- and mesonotum combined. Metafemora projecting over posterior margin of abdominal segment VII. Tarsi as in Ƥ.
description: Published as part of Conle, Oskar V., Hennemann, Frank H., Ramírez-Mora, Manuel A. & Quiróz, John A., 2009, Studies on neotropical Phasmatodea VIII: Revision of the genus Decidia Stål, 1875 with the description of a new species from Colombia (Phasmatodea: Pseudophasmatidae: Pseudophasmatinae: Anisomorphini), pp. 33-51 in Zootaxa 2089 on pages 42-44, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.187440