Xeroderus kirbyi Gray

[Kirby’s Stick-insect]

(Figs. 1–2, 4–6)

Xeroderus kirbii Gray, 1835: 32 [= Xeroderus kirbyi Gray].

Lectotype ♀, AUSTRALIA [OUMNH] (Here designated, in order to fix the status of this species); Paralectotype ♁, AUSTRALIA [OUMNH]. (Comment: Gray described the species from both sexes ‘in coll. D. Hope’, so a ♁ from AUSTRALIA [MVMA, T13885] may not represent one of the original syntypes and should now be regarded as a doubtful paralectotype) .

Xeroderus kirbii Westwood, 1859: 102, pl. 31: 6-7 (First illustrations of both sexes); Kirby, 1904: 383, Vickery, 1983: 11; Balderson, Rentz & Roach, 1998: 376; Otte and Brock, 2005: 342; Brock and Hasenpusch, 2009a: 18, 37, 145; Brock and Hasenpusch, 2009b: 8; Velonà et al., 2015: 458. (Additional checklist and other references in Brock et al., 2023).

Xeroderus kirbyi Gray, 1837: 144 (Justified emendation of the original incorrect spelling. Most authors were unaware of this paper until 2017, hence the species has been listed as kirbii by many authors up to 2017, when it was used and reported in the Phasmida Species File, Brock et al., 2023); Redtenbacher, 1908: 308; Brock & Büscher, 2022: 561.

Cooktownia plana Sjöstedt, 1918: 44, pl. 7: 2-3. Lectotype ♁ nymph, AUSTRALIA: Queensland, Cooktown, ix.[NHRS] ( Here designated in order to fix the status of this species, by selecting the only specimen with data); Paralectotypes ♁, ♀ nymphs, AUSTRALIA [NHRS] (Synonymised by Brock & Hasenpusch, 2007: 75).

Habitat and foodplants. Melaleuca forest, coastal and inland feeding on Melaleuca spp. and Backhousia spp. (Myrtaceae) . Whilst likely in wet areas classed as tropical rainforest edges or rocky, rainforest-lined creeks, they are sometimes in dry forest, for example a moulting female in Davies Creek NP, north Queensland by Ross Coupland, 30.xi.2017. At Babinda falls, near Innisfail, a superbly camouflaged example was found resembling the mossy boulders it was found on (Fig. 6C) (by Sophie Kalkowksi-Pope, via Ross Coupland, who found an even better camouflaged male and female in nearby Golden Hole, Biggs Recreation area, Bartle Frere on 25 January 2023, on a trunk of Alphitonia excelsa in the afternoon) (Fig. 6A,B). The habit of resting on tree trunks to blend in with their surroundings, does not appear to always indicate these are foodplants, as adults may fly and hide away from foodplants. This species may be difficult to rear as nymphs tend to wander until they die in captivity. When kept on a potted unsleeved tree, they feed well and rest on the bark during the day (Jack Hasenpusch, pers. comm. March 2021).

Season. It has been noted as adults so far at least between September and March, nymphs in June to November.

Distribution (Fig. 4). Northern Queensland: Rockhampton to north of Cooktown (Brock & Hasenpusch, 2009b, ALA), with males occasionally attracted to lights run by David Rentz in Kuranda. In SE Queensland, examples include Coolum, Fraser Island, Gin Gin and Noosa (Brock & Hasenpusch, 2009b), ALA references include Brisbane, Mount Mellum and Talegalla Weir (on Lophostemon suaveolens (Myrtaceae) bark, another probable foodplant); Scott W. Gavins, 11.ii.2019. A photograph said to be taken in The Northern Territory, S of Alice Springs, i. iii.2014 needs following up, also occurs in New South Wales, with an ALA record near Urliup on i. i.2023.