Jérôme Constant

Extreme convergence in egg-laying strategy across insect orders

The eggs of stick and leaf insects (Phasmatodea) bear strong resemblance to plant seeds and are commonly dispersed by females dropping them to the litter. Here we report a novel egg-deposition mode for Phasmatodea performed by an undescribed Vietnamese species of the enigmatic subfamily Korinninae that produces a complex egg case (ootheca), containing numerous eggs in a highly ordered arrangement. This novel egg-deposition mode is most reminiscent of egg cases produced by members of unrelated insect orders, e.g. by praying mantises (Mantodea) and tortoise beetles (Coleoptera: Cassidinae). Ootheca production constitutes a striking convergence and major transition in reproductive strategy among stick insects, viz. a shift from dispersal of individual eggs to elaborate egg concentration. Adaptive advantages of ootheca formation on arboreal substrate are likely related to protection against parasitoids and desiccation and to allocation of specific host plants. Our phylogenetic analysis of nuclear (28S, H3) and mitochondrial (COI, COII) genes recovered Korinninae as a subordinate taxon among the species-rich Necrosciinae with Asceles as sister taxon, thus suggesting that placement of single eggs on leaves by host plant specialists might be the evolutionary precursor of ootheca formation within stick insects.

Review of the Family Issidae (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha) in Vietnam with Description of a New Species

Abstract. A list of 18 species of the planthopper family Issidae known from Vietnam is given. Pseudochoutagus rubens sp. nov. is described from Northern Vietnam. New records for Macrodaruma pertinax Fennah, 1978 and Euxaldar jehucal Fennah, 1978 are provided. Convergence in body shape for the issid genera Pseudochoutagus Che, Zhang et Wang, 2011 and Choutagus Zhang, Wang et Che, 2006 and for the genus Philagra Stål, 1863 (Aphrophoridae) is mentioned for the first time.

The cicada genus Karenia Distant, 1888 (Hemiptera: Cicadidae), with description of a new species

The cicadas of the genus Karenia are reviewed, and Karenia tibetensis sp.nov. (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) is described from Tibet, China. Pictures of the male adult and illustrations of the male genitalia are provided. A key to the species of Karenia is presented and the distribution of the Karenia species is discussed.

Revision of the Eurybrachidae (XIV). The New Australian Genus Loisobrachys (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha)

Abstract. The new genus Loisobrachys is described for a new species from Eastern Australia, Loisobrachys convexa sp. nov. The female genitalia are illustrated and photos of habitus and a distribution map are provided with the description of the species. The suprageneric position is discussed and the new genus is provisionally placed in the tribe Patybrachyini Schmidt, 1908.

Morphology of the terminalia of the stick insect Dajaca napolovi from Vietnam (Insecta: Phasmatodea)

Aschiphasmatinae is a small group of stick insects from the Oriental region whose genital morphology has been rarely described in detail. The subfamily is of particular interest, as phylogenetic studies have shown Aschiphasmatinae to be the sister group to the remaining Euphasmatodea. In this paper, the male and female terminalia are described for the first time in Dajaca napolovi Brock, a little known aschiphasmatine species from Vietnam. In the male, the transversally undivided abdominal sternum IX and gently incurved cerci with a conspicuous apical tooth represent apomorphies of Aschiphasmatinae. Thorn pads on the hind margin of abdominal tergum X consist of only a single row of 6–7 ventrally oriented teeth. The simple thorn pad structure of Aschiphasmatinae can represent an ancestral condition for Euphasmatodea. The vomer on venter X is well‐developed and features two unusually large basal apodemes and a strongly developed apical spine showing a specialized streaked surface micropattern. Female terminalia are characterized by an unkeeled abdominal sternum VIII covering the reduced primary ovipositor. Gonapophysis VIII does not extend beyond the tip of gonapophysis IX. An asymmetry concerning the size of the paired gonapophyses is reported for the first time in Phasmatodea.

Neotype of Pseudagrion approximans Selys, 1876 designated to resolve a nomenclatorial confusion in the genus Aciagion Selys, 1891 (Odonata: Coenagrionidae)

To resolve a prevailing nomenclatorial confusion present in the genus Aciagrion, A. tillyardi Laidlaw, 1919 is placed in synonymy of A. approximans (Selys, 1876). The neotype of “Pseudagrion approximans”, a male specimen from Khasi Hills preserved in Coll. Selys Longchamps at RBINS, is designated to replace the lost holotype, which was an incomplete specimen of unknown provenance. Secondary sources suggest that Selys Longchamps himself had compared the present neotype specimen with the holotype.

Phamartes coronatus gen. nov. sp. nov. a new genus and species of stick insect from Bach Ma National Park, central Vietnam (Phasmida, Diapheromeridae, Necrosciinae)

A new genus and species of stick insect Phamartes coronatus gen. nov. sp. nov. from Bach Ma National Park, central Vietnam is described and illustrated from both sexes and the egg. The genus is most closely related to Oxyartes Stål, 1875, but easily distinguishable by the presence of fully developed alae, the head armature and the split and asymmetrical anal segment, a character previously unknown in Necrosciinae.

A new species of Polydictya from Sumatra and notes on P. chantrainei Nagai et Porion, 2004 (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha: Fulgoridae)

Abstract. A new species of Polydictya Guérin-Méneville, 1844, P. duffelsi sp. nov., is described from Sumatra and illustrated. The species is compared with the other Polydictya species showing hind wings red basally and an identification key to those species is proposed. Hind wing colour variation is reported for P. chantrainei Nagai et Porion, 2004 and the species is mentioned for the first time from Myanmar and Laos. A distribution map is given for P. duffelsi and P. chantrainei.

Revision of the Eurybrachidae (IX). The new Oriental genus Nilgiribrachys (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha)

Abstract The genus Nilgiribrachys Constant n. g. is described for a species from Southern India, Nilgiribrachys rubroviridis Constant n. sp. Illustrations, photos of habitus and a distribution map are provided with the description of the species. The suprageneric placement is dicussed and the new genus is provisionally placed in the tribe Loxocephalini Schmidt 1908.

Fig. 4 In The Oriental Stick Insect Genus Orestes Redtenbacher, 1906: Taxonomical Notes And Six New Species From Vietnam (Phasmida: Heteropterygidae: Dataminae)

Fig. 4. Orestes spp., diagnostic characters of ♀♀ (not to scale). A–D, head, lateral view. A, O. bachmaensis sp. nov. B, O. dittmari sp. nov. C, O. draegeri sp. nov. D, O. subcylindricus (Redtenbacher, 1906) comb. nov. E–H, apex of abdomen, anterolateral view. E, O. botot sp. nov. F, O. dittmari sp. nov. G, O. krijnsi sp. nov. H, O. mouhotii (Bates, 1865). I–J, mesonotum, lateral view. I, O. botot sp. nov. J, O. subcylindricus (Redtenbacher, 1906) comb. nov. K–L, abdomen dorsal view. K, O. draegeri sp. nov. L, O. krijnsi sp. nov. M–N, metafemur, lateral view. M, O. bachmaensis sp. nov. N, O. dittmari sp. nov. C = carina; PmN = posteromedian notch;PlM = posterolateral margin.