Nesiophasma sobesonbaii Hennemann & Damastra & Damaledo & Cumming & Tirant 2023, n. sp.

Nesiophasma sobesonbaii n. sp. (Fig. 1-7) ZooBank: http://zoobank.org/ 45EBF9BB-7B35-4D9E-BD4D-4512443B14DB Holotype, ♀, ex Zucht F. Hennemann 2022 (F1-Gen.), Herkunft: Indonesien, West Timor, Provinz East Nusa Tenggara, Nekamese Dist., Desa Oemasi SE of Kupang, 14.IV.2021, leg. Davis Marthin Damaledo [IMQC, ex coll. FH]. Paratype, ♂, Indonesia, West Timor, Prov. East Nusa Tenggara, District Nekamese, Oemasi, Desa Oemasi SE of Kupang, 7.III.2021, leg. Davis Marthin Damaledo [IMQC]. Paratype, ♀, Indonesia, West Timor, Prov. East Nusa Tenggara, District Nekamese, Oemasi, Desa Oemasi SE of Kupang, 7.III.2021, leg. Davis Marthin Damaledo [IMQC]. Paratypes, 36 eggs, Indonesia, West Timor, Prov. East Nusa Tenggara, District Nekamese, Oemasi, Desa Oemasi SE of Kupang, 14.IV.2021, leg. Davis Marthin Damaledo [coll. FH, No. 1311-E]. Paratypes, 3 ♂♂, 6 ♀♀, 30 eggs: ex Zucht F. Hennemann 2022 (F1- Gen.), Herkunft: Indonesien, West Timor, Provinz East Nusa Tenggara, Nekamese Dist., Desa Oemasi SE of Kupang, 14.IV.2021, leg. Davis Marthin Damaledo [coll. FH, No’s 1311-1 to 19 & E1]. Paratypes, 2 ♂♂, 6 ♀♀: ex Zucht F. Hennemann2023 (F2-Gen.)2023, Herkunft: Indonesien, West Timor, Provinz East Nusa Tenggara, Nekamese Dist., Desa Oemasi SE of Kupang, 14.IV.2021, leg. Davis Marthin Damaledo [coll. FH, No’s 1311-10 to 17]. Etymology. – This large new species is named in honour of king Sobe Sonbai III. Sobe Sonbai III was a king (keizer) from Timor Island who opposed the Dutch East Indies colonial government until he was arrested in 1907. Sobe Sonbai III was a descendant of Keizer Laurai of the Molo or Oenam Kingdom referred to as the Sonbai or Sonbay. Following the death of Keizer Sonbai in 1885, however, the ‘empire’ collapsed. Several states strove to assert their independence and no less than 17 pretenders vied for the keizer’s crown. The eventual winner of that struggle was Sobe Sonbai III, and although he was not accepted by all other Timorese rulers, he was viewed by the Dutch as a serious threat to their authority (Van Hulstijn 1926:129; Lamster 1945:168; Farram, 2009: 194). Differentiation. – Females of this new species most closely resemble those of N. sananaense Hennemann, 2021 but differ by the smaller size (body length including subgenital plate <220.0 mm), slightly shorter body segments, fewer but more pronounced teeth of the limbs, shape of the praeopercular organ, and much shorter gonapophyses VIII, that hardly project beyond the apex of the anal segment (projecting by notably more than the length of the anal segment in sananaense). Males may be separated from all congenerics by the unique colouration, with bodies that are light cream to moderate brown, a head that is mostly white with a faint ochre postocular streak, and the limbs green. Their general morphology resembles N. spinulosum (Brunner v. Wattenwyl, 1907) but differs in the chromatic traits and by a slightly longer median segment which is more than half the length of the metanotum, less numerous but more pronounced teeth on the limbs, and characters of the terminalia such as apically in-curved and hook-like cerci, more broadened anal segment, and a narrower vomer. From the three other known eggs of the genus, Nesiophasma sobesonbaii n. sp. are most similar to N. kuehni (Brunner v. Wattenwyl, 1907) but differ by the somewhat smaller dimensions, comparatively more pronounced ridges and bulges of the capsule surface, more bulging opercular collar, broader micropylar plate that has the outer margin more strongly swollen, as well as the more slender and higher, peg-like capitulum. Description of ♀ (Fig. 1, 3A-D, 6, 7C-D) Moderately large (body length including subgenital plate 180.0-212.0 mm) and slender for the genus with a long and lanceolate subgenital plate. Colouration. – General colouration mostly uniformly green (Fig. 1 A-B, 6D-E, 7C), rarely with drab, brown dorsal mottling on meso- and metanotum andabdominal terga (Fig.6 A-C, 7D). Upper portion of mesopleurae yellow to light orange with a bright red longitudinal line running along the upper margin (Fig. 6E); upper margin of metapleurae yellow to orange with a short red line anteriorly. Pronotum mostly yellowish (greyish in older specimens). Head pale greyish yellow with a faint and washed green postocular streak(Fig. 6E). Eyesgreenwith afine brown longitudinal medianline.In green specimens the basal three antennomeres are dark green (drab in brown specimens), the following antennomeres are creamish brown and gradually become reddish brown towards the apex; each antennomere has the apical portion somewhat darkened. Lateral inter-segmental membranes of abdominal segments II-VII whitish yellow to pale green (or light cream-coloured in brown specimens). Praeopercular organ with a large dark brown marking close to the posterior margin of abdominal sternum VII. Cerci reddish brown. Gonapophyses and basal inner portion of subgenital plate rusty red (Fig. 3D). Basal portion of coxae orange (Fig. 6C). Legs a slightly darker green than the body in green specimens, or drab to ochre with a slight orange hue in brown specimens. Bases of profemora rosy red interiorly (Fig. 1F), bases of meso- and metafemoradull yellow to buff or occasionally blackish (Fig. 6C). Dentations of the front legs dark green, those of the mid and hind legs dark green and tipped with black (Fig. 1 G-H). Head (Fig. 1 C-E). – Elongate-ovoid, with vertex gently rounded and smooth, broadest slightly behind the eyes and gradually narrowing towards the posterior; almost 1.5x longer than wide. Between the bases of antennae are two small impressions that are connected by a shallow furrow. Eyes small, subcircular, their diameter contained about 2.5x in the length of the genae. Antennae reaching to posterior margin of abdominal segment II. Scapus compressed dorsoventrally gently arched towards the exterior and almost 2x longer than wide, pedicellus cylindrical, III narrowing towards apex and almost 2x longer than pedicellus. Thorax. – Pronotum noticeably shorter and somewhat narrower than head, roughly rectangular with the lateral margins weakly concave and the anterior margin distinctly concave (Fig. 1C); a fine longitudinal median furrow throughout the entire length; transverse median sulcus shallow, short and almost straight (Fig. 1D). Mesothorax about 5.7x longer than prothorax, about 5.3x longer than wide, constricted anteriorly and gently swollen pre-medially. Metanotum slightly more than half as long as mesonotum, rectangular and 4.5x longer than wide. Meso- and metasternum with a weak longitudinal median keel. Abdomen (Fig. 3 A-D). – Abdomen considerably longer than head and thorax combined. Median segment slightly trapezoidal and about half the length of metanotum. Abdominal segments II - V slightly increasing in length, V and VI roughly equal in length and VII about as long as II; II 1.6x and VI almost 2x longer than wide. III is the broadest segment with the following segments gently but gradually narrowing. Terga III-VII somewhat deflexed with lateral margins gently convex. Praeopercular organ formed by a blunt pale purple median swelling near the posterior margin of sternum VII with a wide and weakly indented, granulose area in front, which is marked by a dark reddish-brown marking (Fig. 3C). Tergum VIII slightly longer than wide and less than half the length of VII, IX transverse. Anal segment (= tergum X) with the lateral margins roundly excavated near the base of the cerci (Fig. 3A, D), the posterior margin distinctly bi-lobed with a deep and narrow median indentation (Fig. 3B). Cerci conical and strongly tapered towards a narrow tip and not reaching the apex of the anal segment. Gonapophyses VIII rather short for the genus and just slightly projecting beyond the anal segment (Fig. 3B); gently up-curved and inner surface with a deep longitudinal furrow. Subgenital plate long, lanceolate, with basal portion slightly bulging, weakly down-curved in the apical half (Fig. 3A, D) and gradually narrowing towards a narrow but blunt tip (Fig. 3 B-C); projecting over apex of abdomen by about the combined lengths of abdominal terga VII-X. Legs. – Allmoderatelylong and stocky,profemoraalmost aslongashead, pro- and mesothorax combined, mesofemora notably longer than metathorax, metafemora projecting over posterior margin of abdominal segment IV and metatarsi roughly reaching the tip of the abdomen. All carinae coarsely dentate; teeth of tibiae smaller than those of femora but more numerous and mid and hind legs with dorsal teeth smaller than ventral teeth. The two apical teeth of the two exterior ventral carinae of meso- and metafemora slightly enlarged. Posterodorsal carina of profemora rather serrate with the teeth slightly decreasingin size towardsthe apex.Medioventral carina of all femora indistinctand unarmed (Fig. 1F, H). Basitarsi slender.Probasitarsus aslong as tarsomeres, meso- and metabsitarsus somewhat shorter than remaining tarsomeres combined; the latter two with all carinae minutely dentate. Description of ♂ (Fig. 2, 3 E-G, 7A-B) Medium sized (body length 106.0-110.0 mm) for the genus, shape moderately slender. Entire body smooth and shiny. Colouration. – General colour of body light creamish to moderate brown or ochre, posterior margin of abdominal terga chestnut brown. Pronotum with a greenish hue and upper portions of meso- and metapleurae medium green. Meso- and metasternum with a faint dark green marking posteriorly. Head mostly white to light cream and with a faint greenish ochre postocular streak (Fig. 7B). Eyes light olive with a fine brown longitudinal median line. Basal three antennomeres dark green, the following dark greyish olive and from the median portion of the antennae onwards gradually transition to reddish brown. Anal segment somewhat lighter colour than preceding terga and with a slight greyish hue. Vomer greyish dark green and with the apex brown. Legs plain green with the outer basal portion of the profemora

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