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© Hong Kong Entomological Society HKEB 9(2) October 2017
9
First record of Neososibia brevispina Chen & He, 2000 from Hong Kong
(Phasmida: Diapheromeridae: Necrosciinae)
George Ho Wai-Chun
P. O. Box No.73749, Kowloon Central Post Oce, Hong Kong. Email: georgehwc@hotmail.com
ABSTRACT
Neososibia brevispina Chen & He, 2000 is reported for
the rst time from Hong Kong.
Key words: Stick insects, Neososibia, new record,
Hong Kong
香港新紀錄種 - 短刺新健䗛 Neososibia brevispina
Chen & He, 2000 (䗛目: 笛䗛科: 長角枝䗛亞科)
何維俊
香港九龍中央郵政信箱73749號
摘要: 本文記述香港長角枝䗛亞科1新紀錄種: 短刺新健
䗛 Neososibia brevispina Chen & He, 2000｡
關鍵字: 竹節蟲, 新健䗛屬, 新紀錄, 香港
INTRODUCTION
The earliest work on the taxonomy of Hong Kong stick
insects was provided by Brock and Seow-Choen (2000),
who recorded seven genera and nine species. Later,
four species including Entoria hei Ho, 2013, Necroscia
shukayi (Bi, Zhang & Lau, 2001), Planispectrum
hongkongense Zompro, 2004, and Sinophasma
mirabile Günther, 1940 were added to the list of Hong
Kong stick insects (Bi et al., 2001; Zompro, 2004: Ho,
2008, 2013a). The most recent comprehensive work
on the Hong Kong stick insects was provided by Ho
(2013b), in which 15 genera and 18 species were
recorded. Three species, Dajaca napolovi Brock, 2000,
Micadina yingdeensis Chen & He, 1992 and Tirachoidea
jianfenglingensis (Bi, 1994), were reported for the rst
time from Hong Kong by Ho (2013b).
The present author has conducted regular stick insect
surveys throughout the territory since 2008, in the course
of which an adult female Neososibia brevispina Chen
& He, 2000 was found on Ma On Shan in June 2016.
This represents the rst record of the genus Neososibia
Chen & He, 2000 from Hong Kong. After this addition,
16 genera and 19 species are currently attributed to the
Phasmida of Hong Kong.
MATERIALS & METHOD
The systematic treatment is according to Chen and He
(2008) and Hennemann et al. (2008). Description of
colouration is based on the dried specimen. Illustrations
are based on the examined material which was dried
and pinned. No food plant eaten by the collected
specimens was observed. No egg was collected.
Measurements are given in mm. The mentioned
material is deposited in the Museum of Biology, Sun
Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong (SYSBM)
and private collection of George Ho Wai-Chun, Hong
Kong (GH).
RESULTS
Neososibia Chen & He, 2000
Type-species: Neososibia brevispina Chen & He,
2000: 31, by original designation.
Distributions: China (Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou
and Hong Kong).
Notes: Currently three Neososibia species, N.
brevispina Chen & He, 2000, N. jinxiuensis Chen &
He, 2008 and N. guizhouensis Chen & Ran, 2002, are
known.
Neososibia brevispina Chen & He, 2000 (Figs. 1-3)
Type: Holotype, ♀, Fengkai, Guangdong, China, 24
May 1986, Lan Dean (SYSBM).
Other material examined: 1♀, Ma On Shan, Hong
Kong, 4 June 2016, George Wai-Chun Ho, GH-01040
(GH).
Description of female (Figs. 1-3): Large size. Body
slender and cylindrical. General colouration of body
brown. Legs brown with black markings. Head oval.
Vertex unarmed. Occiput gently convex, posterior
margin with indistinct swellings. Compound eyes small
and rounded. Antennae long and liform, densely
covered with short bristles; scapus longer than
pedicellus, almost as long as third segment. Pronotum
rectangular, longer than wide. Mesonotum parallel-
sided, l onger than combined length of me tanotum and
median segment, with a few short spines along each
side of median longitudinal line, lateral margins with a
few small granules. Metanotum distinctly longer than
median s egment, median l ongitudinal line indistinct.
Abdomen cylindrical. Seventh sternum with a pair
of horn-like praeopercular organs on posterior area.
Seventh to ninth tergites with a crest-like structure
on posterior area. Anal segment almost as long as
eighth tergum, l onger than ninth tergum, with a small
emargination on posterior margin. Subgenital plate
scoop-shaped, posterior m argin rounded and reaching
posterior margin of ninth tergum. Cerci small and apices
rounded. Legs slender and long. Forelegs and hindlegs
unarmed. Midlegs lost. Profemora and metafemora
shorter than corresponding tibiae. Profemora distinctly
George Ho Wai-Chun
HKEB 9(2) October 2017 © Hong Kong Entomological Society
10
curved basally. Anteroventral and posteroventral
carinae of profemora and metafemora with small spines
near apices.
Measurements: See Table 1.
Distribution: China (Guangdong and Hong Kong).
Notes: The male is unknown. The midlegs of the female
specimen are lost.
CONCLUSION
In this study, Neososibia brevispina Chen & He, 2000
[Guangdong] is reported for the rst time from Hong
Kong. N. brevispina is similar to N. guizhouensis Chen
& Ran, 2002 [Guizhou], but can be separated by small
granules on the lateral margins of the mesonotum in
the female. This species is previously known only from
the type-locality at Fengkai, northwestern Guangdong.
The segregated distribution of this species indicates
the potential existence of populations in northeastern,
central and southern Guangdong.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I wish to deeply thank Graham Reels, UK for proofreading
the manuscript and the Museum of Biology, Sun Yat-Sen
University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China (SYSBM) for
giving access to the corresponding collection.
REFERENCES
Bi, D.Y., Zhang, W.N. and Lau, C.S.K., 2001. Study
on the walking stick insects (Phasmatodea) and the
genus Sipyloidea from Hong Kong district of China.
Entomotaxonomia 23(4): 253-258.
Brock, P.D. and Seow-Choen, F., 2000. The Stick
insects (Insecta: Phasmida) of Hong Kong. Serangga
5(1): 113-147.
Chen, S.C. and He, Y.H., 2000. Three new genera and
two new species of Heteronemiidae (Phasmatodea)
from South China. In: Systematic and faunistic research
on Chinese insects. Proceedings of the 5th National
Congress of Insect Taxonomy (Zhang, Y.L., ed.). China
Agricultural Scientech Press, Beijing, China: 31-35.
Chen, S.C. and He, Y.H., 2008. Phasmatodea of China.
China Forestry Publishing House, Beijing, China. 476pp.
Hennemann, F.H., Conle, O.V. and Zhang, W.W., 2008.
Catalogue of the Stick and Leaf-insects (Phasmatodea)
of China, with a faunistic analysis, review of recent
ecological and biological studies and bibliography
(Insecta: Orthoptera: Phasmatodea). Zootaxa 1735:
1-76.
Ho, G.W.C., 2008. Sinophasma mirabile Günther,
1940 (Phasmatodea: Necrosciinae) - a new record of
stick insect from Hong Kong. Bulletin of Hong Kong
Entomological Society 1: 14-17.
Ho, G.W.C., 2013a. A new species of Entoria Stål,
1875 from Hong Kong (Phasmatodea: Phasmatidae:
Clitumninae). Journal of Orthoptera Research 22(1):
29-33.
Ho, G.W.C., 2013b. Insect Fauna of Hong Kong,
Fascicle 2: The Stick Insects of Hong Kong. Hong Kong
Entomological Society, Hong Kong. 184pp.
Zompro, O., 2004. Revision of the genera of the
Areolatae, including the status of Timema and
Agathemera (Insecta, Phasmatodea). Abhandlungen
des Naturwissenschaftlichen Vereins Hamburg (NF)37:
1-327.
10 George Ho Wai-Chun
HKEB 9(2) October 2017 © Hong Kong Entomological Society
© Hong Kong Entomological Society HKEB 9(2) October 2017
11
TABLE & FIGURES
Female
Body 117.0
Head 7.0
Antennae 76.0
Pronotum 6.0
Mesonotum 28.0
Metanotum 12.0
Median segment 5.5
Profemur 29.0
Mesofemur lost
Metafemur 24.0
Protibia 32.0
Mesotibia lost
Metatibia 30.0
Table 1. Measurements of Neososibia brevispina Chen & He, 2000 (mm)
Figures 1-2. Neososibia brevispina Chen & He, 2000 [scale bars 5 mm] (Drawings by author). 1. Female, end of
abdomen, dorsal view. 2. Female, end of abdomen, lateral view
Figure 3. Habitus of female Neososibia brevispina Chen & He, 2000 [scale bar 5 mm] (Photo by author).
New record of Neososibia brevispina from Hong Kong
