Unmasking a master of camouflage: The rich morphology, taxonomy, and biology of the Brazilian stick insect Canuleius similis (Phasmatodea: Heteronemiidae), with general considerations on phasmid genitalia

On seven undescribed leaf insect species revealed within the recent "Tree of Leaves" (Phasmatodea, Phylliidae)

With the recent advance in molecular phylogenetics focused on the leaf insects (Phasmatodea, Phylliidae), gaps in knowledge are beginning to be filled. Yet, shortcomings are also being highlighted, for instance, the unveiling of numerous undescribed phylliid species. Here, some of these taxa are described, including Phylliumiyadaonsp. nov. from Mindoro Island, Philippines; Phylliumsamarensesp. nov. from Samar Island, Philippines; Phylliumortizisp. nov. from Mindanao Island, Philippines; Pulchriphylliumheraclessp. nov. from Vietnam; Pulchriphylliumdelisleisp. nov. from South Kalimantan, Indonesia; and Pulchriphylliumbhaskaraisp. nov. from Java, Indonesia. Several additional specimens of these species together with a seventh species described herein, Pulchriphylliumanangusp. nov. from southwestern India, were incorporated into a newly constructed phylogenetic tree. Additionally, two taxa that were originally described as species, but in recent decades have been treated as subspecies, are elevated back to species status to reflect their unique morphology and geographic isolation, creating the following new combinations: Pulchriphylliumscythe (Gray, 1843) stat. rev., comb. nov. from Bangladesh and northeastern India, and Pulchriphylliumcrurifolium (Audinet-Serville, 1838) stat. rev., comb. nov. from the Seychelles islands. Lectotype specimens are also designated for Pulchriphylliumscythe (Gray, 1843) stat. rev., comb. nov. and Pulchriphylliumcrurifolium (Audinet-Serville, 1838) stat. rev., comb. nov. from original type material.

Revision of the Neotropical stick insect genus Ocnophila (Phasmatodea: Diapheromeridae) with a new species from Colombia

The genus Ocnophila Brunner, 1907 is here redescribed with an emended diagnosis, containing three valid species from Venezuela and Colombia: Ocnophila integra Brunner, 1907 with Ocnophila signatior Brunner, 1907 syn. nov. as a new junior synonym, Ocnophila iphicla (Westwood, 1859) and Ocnophila serrata sp. nov. In addition to the description of the new species we redescribe O. integra and O. iphicla, also providing a description of the male genitalia for O. integra. For the other species previously contained in the genus, we synonymize Ocnophila brevifemur Brunner, 1907 syn. nov. and Ocnophila armata Brunner, 1907 syn. nov. under Pygirhynchus bispinosus (Redtenbacher, 1906), Ocnophila inaequalis Brunner, 1907 syn. nov. under Libethra venezuelica Brunner, 1907, and transfer the remaining species to other genera, resulting in the following new combinations: Agamemnon illegitimus (Brunner, 1907) comb. nov., A. poeyi (Bolívar, 1888) comb. nov., Canuleius nattereri (Brunner, 1907) comb. nov., C. pedestris (Brunner, 1907) comb. nov., Dyme acanthonota (Günther, 1930) comb. nov., D. borellii (Giglio-Tos, 1898) comb. nov., D. ramulus (Giglio-Tos, 1898) comb. nov., Exocnophila cornuta (Brunner, 1907) comb. nov., E. tuberculata (Brunner, 1907) comb. nov., Litosermyle inconspicua (Brunner, 1907) comb. nov., Lit. nana (Shelford, 1913) comb. nov., Lit. riveti (Shelford, 1913) comb. nov., Lit. submutica (Brunner, 1907) comb. nov., Libethra aculeata (Brunner, 1907) comb. nov., Libethroidea willemsei (Günther, 1935) comb. nov., Pygirhynchus fortior (Brunner, 1907) comb. nov., P. oryx (Westwood, 1859) comb. nov., P. scops (Kaup, 1871) comb. nov., Pseudosermyle meditans (Brunner, 1907) comb. nov., Sermyle aurita (Rehn, 1905) comb. nov., and S. ciliata (Brunner, 1907) comb. nov. Furthermore, Pygirhynchus carioca Piza, 1944 syn. nov. is synonymized under P. fortior comb. nov. We provide a description of the male and egg of Litosermyle Hebard, 1919, previously known only from females, through the illustration and redescription of Lit. inconspicua (Brunner, 1907) comb. nov. Finally, we include Dubiophasma Zompro, 2001, Exocnophila Zompro, 2001, Litosermyle, Ocnophila and Parocnophila Zompro, 1998 in Oreophoetini.

Cladomorphus petropolisensis, a New Species of Stick Insect from the Atlantic Forest, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Simple Summary

The order Phasmatodea includes the longest Brazilian insects, known by their remarkable morphological and behavioural adaptations for camouflage such as sticks, moss, and leaves; they are predominantly nocturnal and phytophagous insects. Cladomorphus phyllinus Gray, 1835 is one of the most common and best-known stick insect species in Brazil. It feeds mainly on guava leaves, angico, and powder-puff, and reproduces sexually and asexually. Cladomorphus phyllinus presents marked sexual dimorphism in the adult: winged males are significantly smaller in size than females and can reach up to 13 cm, while females can reach 23 cm in length and are apterous. A female specimen collected in the Atlantic Forest in Petrópolis, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, was compared with a C. phyllinus specimen, identified according to published literature. The differences between the two specimens related to the general size and several morphological characters were observed. In order to add evidence that the recently collected specimen belonged to a species distinct from C. phyllinus, part of the cytochrome oxidase I (COI) gene was sequenced and analysed. The comparative analysis of the COI sequences from the two specimens revealed significant differences that, together with the morphological characters and recorded sympatry of the two specimens, support the existence of a new species, which is described here as Cladomorphus petropolisensis.

Abstract

Cladomorphus petropolisensis sp. nov., a new species of stick insect from Petrópolis, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, is herein described and compared to the other sympatric species, C. phyllinus Gray, 1835 (Phasmatidae, Cladomorphinae). The description of the new species is supported by morphological and molecular evidence. Kimura-2-parameter (K2P) intraspecific COI divergences among the holotype of C. petropolisensis sp. nov. and C. phyllinus individuals ranged from 2.9% to 4.4%, which are suggestive of distinct species, especially when considering that all Cladomorphus individuals studied were collected in the Petrópolis municipality. The new species can be distinguished from C. phyllinus Gray, 1835 by several characteristics: smaller size, the presence of two spines on the hind femora, the relative longer length of the ovipositor, and spiny tegument, especially in the mesonotum, sculpturing of the operculum of the egg.