Candovia dalgleishae, Forni & Cussigh & Brock & Jones & Nicolini & Martelossi & Luchetti & Mantovani, 2023

CANDOVIA DALGLEISHAE View in CoL BROCK & JONES SP. NOV.

(SUPPORTING INFORMATION, FIG. S6A, B)

[Dalgleish’s stick insect]

Z o o b a n k r e g i s t r a t i o n: u r n: l s i d: z o o b a n k. org:act: 93A1D5CA-92ED-43A1-947D-503BD20B6009.

Type material: Holotype: ♀, QUEENSLAND, Blackdown Tableland National Park , 23.582˚S, 149.063˚E, ii.2017, reared by B. Jones, DNA project PB-0168 ( QM) . Paratypes: QUEENSLAND: 3 ♂♂, same data, DNA project PB-0165 to PB-0167 ( QM) ; 1 ♀, 3 ♂♂, same data, i.2017, N. Tweed, DNA project PB-0188 to PB-0191 ( NHMUK). (Note, this DNA project data was provisionally labelled Candovia sp. D .)

Overview of both sexes: Elongate, pale greenish female, each side of head with a narrow, part blackish longitudinal band, running from eyes to back of head. Upper part of pronotum with two black lines well separated from narrow black median line, which runs length of body. The male has a dark green thorax (except black pronotum, hind part of mesonotum and metanotum) with pale yellowish brown head and abdomen, both with black streaks. Antennae black. Both sexes have hind part of thoracic and abdominal segments with broad orange band (preceded by indistinct darkish marks and more distinct marks beneath), also brown legs. Eyes paler than head with horizontal black line.

Female (Supporting Information, Fig. S6A): Head: longer than wide. Antennae long and pale, not as long as forelegs, with numerous indistinct segments, darkened at tip; basal segment and much shorter segment 2 broader than remaining segments. Thorax: smooth, pronotum slightly shorter than head, with central impression. Mesonotum just under 6 × length of pronotum. Mesonotum 1.5 × combined length of metanotum and short median segment. Wingless. Abdomen: elongate. Eighth segment much longer than ninth and tenth (anal), which are of similar size. Operculum tapered to tip, not reaching end of anal segment, which has rounded tip. Cerci short. Legs: elongate.

Male (Supporting Information, Fig. S6B): Apart from being much slenderer, similar in general appearance, except distinctive dark colour. Anal segment rounded at tip; cerci short. Poculum reaching about half length of ninth abdominal segment.

Egg (Supporting Information, Fig. S3E): Brown, dark with pale brown sculpturing, almost oval capsule. Micropylar plate central, broad and pointed at tip, lighter shade of brown than capsule ground colour, surrounded by broad pale whitish brown area.

Measurements (mm). Length of body: female 89, male 60–66. Head: female 4, male 2.5. Antennae: female 25, male 53 (tips broken off in both sexes). Pronotum: female 3.5, male 2.5. Mesonotum: female 20, male 14. Metanotum: female 9, male 6.5. Median segment: female 4, male 3. Femora, fore, mid, hind: female 27, 21, 26, male 22, 22, 24. Tibiae, fore, mid, hind: female 30, 24, 31, male 30, 25, 33. Cerci : female 0.4, male -. Eggs: Capsule length 2.2, width 1.1, height 1.2.

Distribution ( Fig. 2): This species is widespread, at least in the Blackdown Tableland National Park (Beth Ripper, Noelene Tweed, pers. comm.).

Habitat and foodplants: The species is found in forest and often seen paired, where they feed on Acacia and Eucalyptus spp. , also accepted in captivity.

Etymology: Named after Kirsten Dalgleish, a keen phasmid rearer who travelled a considerable distance to hand PDB samples of live Candovia spp. for molecular work.