Mearnsiana Rehn & Rehn, 1939

Genus Mearnsiana Rehn & Rehn, 1939 View in CoL

Differentiation. – This genus comprises the most colourful of all representatives of Obriminae ( Fig. 39). While the reduced body armature places Mearnsiana in what Hennemann et al. (2016) referred to as the Theramenes -group, molecular data place the genus in close relation to Aretaon Rehn & Rehn, 1939 , a genus that is restricted to Borneo and Palawan. Mearnsiana differs from Theramenes and Eubulides by the straight, not up-curved ♀ ovipositor ( Fig. 38N) and prominent compound posterior mesonotals and metanotals of ♂ ( Fig. 38E, 40D). From Aretaon the genus readily differs by the much stockier general shape and relatively shorter body segments,just weakly curved and almost not compressed base of the profemora as well the basically bright green colouration of both sexes. Females also differ by the laterally expanded mesothorax ( Fig. 38A), weakly developed thoracic armature and much reduced posterior meso- and metanotals ( Fig. 38B) as well as the wholly unarmed abdominal terga ( Fig. 38B). Males can also readily be separated from those of Aretaon by the much longer antennae, which roughly equal in length to the body, reduced cephalic spination and very large, bulgy poculum. The eggs are less elongated and bulgier than those of Aretaon and have a H-shaped micropylar plate with four lateral extensions ( Fig. 73 L-M).

Remarks. – This monotypic genus was originally described from a juvenile ♀ in a very early stage of development. Since in this genus immatures look very different from adult insects in being various shades of grey and brown in colour and are so much stockier than adults with all the armature considerably more pronounced, this has resulted in the description of a synonymic genus, which emphasizes the problems that are involved in the unfortunate fact that Rehn & Rehn (1939) described many of their new taxa from immature insects. Hennemann et al. (2016: 18) have therefore synonymised Hennobrimus Conle, 2006 with Mearnsiana , because the type-species merely represent fullygrown specimens of Mearnsiana . This is the same case with a species that was described by Lit & Eusebio (2005), which is synonymised with M. bullosa below. There appears to be a second still undescribed species on Mount Redondo, Dinagat Island north of Mindanao ( Bank et al., 2021). The numerous citations of Eubulides may be referred to in the Phasmida Species File (http:// Phasmida .SpeciesFile.org).

Distribution. – Philippines, endemic. So far recorded from the islands of Mindanao and Leyte.

Species included

1. Mearnsiana bullosa Rehn & Rehn, 1939: 459 , pl. 38: 47.

Distribution: Mindanao & Leyte.

2. Mearnsiana maranao n. sp.

Distribution: Mindanao.