Pachymorpha spinosa Brock & Hasenpusch, 2007

Brock, Paul D. & Hasenpusch, Jack, 2007, Studies on the Australian stick insects (Phasmida), including a checklist of species and bibliography, Zootaxa 1570 (1), pp. 1-81 : 48-51

Pachymorpha spinosa Brock & Hasenpusch , spec. nov. [Spiny Pachymorpha Stick-insect]

( Figs. 88–92 )

Description

Female (holotype) ( Figs. 88–92 ): Robust-looking (but elongate for the genus), medium-sized dark brown, mottled insect, rather tuberculate and carinate along all of it’s body, with a regular series of tuft-like spines. Body length 69 mm.

Head: Large, rather broad (4.5 mm), rather mottled with whitish streaks, for example on two raised tufts between eyes, and a patch well beneath eyes. Eyes brown, small (1.5 mm). Tubercles present. Antennae short, with 14 segments, whitish basal segments hugely broadened; second segment considerably shortened, third segment much longer, then a series of short segments until final, elongated segment.

Thorax: Pronotum three-fifths length of head, with bold central indentation, heavily tuberculated, central group of spines anteriorly and posteriorly, as in the mesonotum, which is over four times length. There are at least 10 larger well spread spines laterally or almost laterally, only a few longer spines near median. Spines also present ventrally. Metanotum distinctly shorter than mesonotum.

Abdomen: Noticeably carinate. Again, continuing with central spined tufts posteriorly on segments 1–5m then hardly raised. End of anal segment flat, rather beak-like, but not sharply tapered. Operculum carinate, tapered to rounded tip, not reaching half length of anal segment. Cerci not visible.

Legs: Robust, moderately long, and rather mottled with paler shades, including whitish blotches and spotting.

Paratype females (2)

Same description as holotype, except some spines more crooked. Body length the same, 69 mm. The large nymph is 55 mm, less spiny, but this may be due to variability in the species.

Male not known, possible specimens examined, including a non-spiny male from Mt. Lofty, near Adelaide (SAMA). However, further research is needed.

Holotype ♀, Australia, 23°59ʹS; 133°38ʹE, N[orthern] T[erritory], Waterhouse Range, 39 km SW. by S. of Alice Springs, 11.x.1978, M.S. Upton ( ANIC) . Paratypes (all Australia): ♀ juv., 24°11ʹS; 134°01ʹE, N[orthern] T[erritory], Ooraminna Camp, 56 km S. by E. of Alice Springs, 23.ix.1978, D.C.F. Rentz, Stop 110 ( ANIC), ♀, S[outh] A [ustralia], Mabel Ck , Sandhill, Pitfall 2, 29°21ʹ30S; 134°28ʹE, CRA Survey, x.1984 ( SAMA) .

Distribution So far known from near Alice Springs (Northern Territory) and South Australia.

Notes

This species is easily distinguished from other Pachymorpha species by the heavily spined head, thorax and abdomen. The first author only had time in SAMA to briefly examine possible material of this species, which includes material from as far south as Mt. Lofty, near Adelaide. Females appear to be variable, further research is needed. One almost smooth female from Blackwood in South Australia definitely belongs to a distinct as yet undescribed species, there are also several new Pachymorpha species in ANIC, mainly from New South Wales, warranting a revision of the whole genus.

Derivation of name Named after the distinctive spiny appearance of this species.

Phasmatidae : Platycraninae

Figures

FIGURE 88. Pachymorpha spinosa holotype female (ANIC), 69 mm.

FIGURES 89–92. Pachymorpha spinosa holotype female. 89. head and thorax. 90. end of abdomen, dorsal view. 91. end of abdomen, lateral view. 92. end of abdomen, ventral view.