Microphyllium haskelli Cumming & Leong & Lohman 2017, gen. nov.
Creators: name: Cumming, Royce T.
name: Leong, Jing V.
name: Lohman, David J.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2017
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Phasmida
Phylliidae
Microphyllium
Microphyllium haskelli

description: Microphyllium haskelli Cumming, gen. nov.
(Figs. 3A&B, 4A&B, 5A&C, 6C, 7C, 9A, 10A, 11A&B)
Material examined [3♂, 1♀ adult, & 1♀ L-4 nymph]: HOLOTYPE: 1♂: Philippines, North Luzon, Mountain Province, Mt. Barlig (June, 2014) [Coll. RC 16-099]. (Deposited in the National Museum of the Philippines type collection. PNM)
PARATYPES: 1♂: Philippines, North Luzon, Mountain Province, Mt. Polis (July, 2014) [Coll. RC 16-098] (Deposited in the San Diego Natural History Museum collection. SDNHM)
1♂: Philippines, North Luzon, Mountain Province, Mt. Polis (July, 2014) [Coll. RC 16-097] (Retained within the Royce Cumming Collection.)
1♀: Philippines, North Luzon, Mountain Province, Mt. Polis (May, 2014) [Coll. RC 16-128]; (Retained within the Royce Cumming Collection.)
1♀ (L-4 nymph): Philippines, North Luzon, Mountain Province, Mt. Polis (December, 2014) [Coll. RC 16- 183] (Retained within the Royce Cumming Collection.)
Comparison. With the males and females of M. haskelli confirmed through genetic analysis, each gender is compared against the holotypes of the two currently recognized species. Side by side comparison between the females of M. pusillulum and M. haskelli can be found in Table 4, and comparisons between males of M. haskelli and M. spinithorax can be found in Table 5.
Description. Description of the coloration based upon the dried specimens. Both paratype male specimens match closely to the holotype in morphology and coloration. The female description is based on adult specimen [Coll. RC 16-128]. Many features characterize this species such as: smallest of the adult female Microphyllium examined at only 40.5 mm long, and with a rather stout mesopraescutum and mesopleurae; protibiae rather long and slender; profemora with a smooth triangular lobe with small teeth; abdomen smooth sided and wide (maximum width 20.6 mm). Also, many features heavily and irregularly granulose (head capsule, pronotum, prosternum, mesosternum).
♂♂. Coloration. Pale green throughout most of the body but with antennae an off orange and thorax that is more brown than pale green.
Morphology. Head capsule broad with slightly convex cheeks and rough vertex with ~40 unevenly spaced granules in no apparent pattern (Fig. 10A). Compound eyes large and bulbous, no ocelli present, instead there is a notable furrow between the antennal fields. Antennae with 21 segments that are short and with beadlike rounded segments. Apical antennomere cylindrical with full rounded apex, about 2x longer than wide. Pronotum lateral sides convex with a slight rim, wider rim on the anterior margin which is concave. Pronotum face irregularly granulose with ~20 granules, a slight groove along the median plane with a notable pit to the anterior and another closer to the center. Pro- and mesosternum heavily granulose throughout with evenly sized but irregularly spaced nodes. Mesopraescutum not cleanly formed, rising above the mesopleurae sharply not allowing the lateral margins to be distinct, the rudimentary margins of the mesopraescutum are marked with +/-4 tubercles of varying size and spacing. Overall mesopraescutum marked with 8–10 irregularly spaced and sized tubercles/nodes. Of these, those on the median plane are; two on the anterior rim, one in the center and a notably larger tubercle on the posterior at least 2X the size of any other on the mesopraescutum. Mesopleurae only slightly diverging with five spiniform tubercles unevenly spaced. Surface of the mesopleurae are marked with two pits on the posterior half and an irregularly granulose surface throughout. Tegmina (length 8.6–9.5 mm, maximum width 2.8–2.9 mm), extending three-quarters of the way into abdominal segment III. Alae (length 17.3–18.1 mm), well developed oval configuration, only slightly sclerotized on the exposed fold. Abdominal segment II slightly diverging, segments III–VIII with approximately parallel margins, IX–X gradually tapering towards the pointed apex. Poculum rather long and tapering, completely covering the vomer and projects will into the anal segment (Figs. 11A & B). Profemora slender with a slight interior lobe on the anterior half with three small teeth and no exterior lobe (Fig. 9A). Protibiae without lobes (Fig. 9A). Exterior and interior lobe of meso- and metafemora gently rounded and of equal size, interior lobes slightly serrate. Meso- and metatibiae lacking lobes.
♀♀. Coloration. Cream to pale green throughout most of the body and tegimina, thorax closer to pale orange in color. Compound eyes burnt orange in color. The granulation throughout is of a similar color to the surface upon which it is found.
Morphology. Head capsule approximately as long as wide with an irregularly granulose vertex (some arranged in anterior to posterior lines, others without a detectable pattern) with a notable posteromedian tubercle. The small protuberance between the compound eye and antennal base has a notable pit in the center. The frontal convexity has a slight covering in setae and is approximately a third the size of the compound eyes. Antennae moderately slender and elongate (1.8 mm), shorter than postocular section of head capsule (2.2 mm), and consisting of nine segments (Fig. 5A). Antennae covered in setae of varying sizes, with the apical antennomere (IX) with the most variety in size and the greatest density. Apical antennomere cylindrical with rounded apex, about 2x longer than wide and> 2x as long as VIII. Pronotum roughly rectangular, widest at the anterior, which has a distinct concave rim. Lateral rims on the pronotum are roughly parallel until the posterior third where the rim begins to weaken and converge on the posterior which lacks a distinct rim. Face of pronotum irregularly granulose with a distinct furrow in the center on the median plane, and a weaker furrow perpendicular to it. Prosternum irregularly granulous, rather small and compact and with a notable protuberance in the center about twice the size of those around it. Mesopraescutum at its widest point, twice as wide as long (width-length ratio 2.05:1), gradually narrowing towards the posterior. Lateral margins marked with 5 major and 1–2 minor tubercles of various sizes. Mesopraescutum disk with a slight rim on the anterior margin, and along the median plane there are two distinct tubercles close together with the posterior one being about twice the size as the anterior protuberance found on the rim (Fig. 6C). The anterior protuberance found on the rim is also slightly split with two distinct points. Mesopleurae gradually diverging with lateral margins armed with 5 unevenly spaced tubercles, the most prominent of which are on the anterior. Mesopleurae face also marked with several weak granules as well as a clear pit located in the center. Mesosternum irregularly granulous throughout. Tegmina (length 24.4 mm, maximum width 9.6 mm) extending to the posterior margin of abdominal segment VII. Alae rudimentary. Abdominal segments II–IV gradually widening with the posterior of segment IV the widest segment and V–X gradually tapering towards the apex. Anal segment at its widest, wider than long (width-length ratio 1.72:1), with a pointed apex. Subgenital plate short, only extending slightly over the posterior of segment IX, ending in a rounded point (Fig. 7C). Gonapophyses rather short as well only slightly protruding from under the subgenital plate (Fig. 7C). Profemora with a very narrow exterior lobe. Interior lobe wider than exterior lobe, obtuse in angle, and only slightly dentate with 3+/- distinct teeth. Protibiae lacking an exterior lobe and the interior lobe is reduced to a sliver. Exterior and interior lobe of mesofemora gently rounded, interior lobe with slight dentation and only slightly wider than exterior. Exterior and interior lobe of metafemora gently rounded with exterior lobe rather thin, interior lobe slightly serrate.
Measurements of the holotype and paratypes can be found in table 2 and can be compared against measurements of M. pusillulum and M. spinithorax specimens found in table 3.
Species M. spinithOrax M. pusillulum
Author Zompro, 2001 (Rehn & Rehn, 1933) * Taken from the original description. **First author’s measurements.
***Including head and cerci, excludes antennae. ****Missing from the specimen.
M. pusillulum M. haskelli
(Rehn & Rehn, 1933) Cumming sp. nov.
M. haskelli Cumming sp. nov. M. spinithOrax Zompro, 2001 * *Taken from Zompro, 2001 original description. **As illustrated by Wedmann, S. et al., 2007.
Etymology. This new species is a patronym named in honor of world famous forensic entomologist Dr. Neal H. Haskell of Rensselaer, Indiana, United States. Dr. Haskell has been an invaluable mentor to the first author as he works on his master’s degree.
description: Published as part of Cumming, Royce T., Leong, Jing V. & Lohman, David J., 2017, Leaf insects from Luzon, Philippines, with descriptions of four new species, the new genus Pseudomicrophyllium, and redescription of Phyllium (Phyllium) geryon Gray, 1843, (Phasmida: Phylliidae), pp. 101-131 in Zootaxa 4365 (2) on pages 106-109, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4365.2.1, http://zenodo.org/record/1117461