Nesiophasma, Gunther, 1934

Hennemann, Frank H., 2021, Stick insects of Sulawesi, Peleng and the Sula Islands, Indonesia- a review including checklists of species and descriptions of new taxa (Insecta: Phasmatodea), Zootaxa 5073 (1), pp. 1-189 : 105-106

Keys to the species of Nesiophasma

♀♀ *

1. Abdominal terga II–VI with lateral margins at best gently rounded.............................................. 2

- Abdominal terga II–VI strongly laterally deflexed and convex ( Fig. 43D ); Pulau Romang........................ kuehni

2. Gonapophysis VIII short and not projecting over posterior margin of anal segment................................. 3

- Gonapophysis VIII long and notably projecting over posterior margin of anal segment.............................. 4

3. Small species (body length incl. subgenital plate <180.0 mm); median segment> 2/3 the length of metanotum; abdominal terga VII–IX with slender posteriad-directed posterolateral lobe; subgenital plate short and only slightly projecting over apex of abdomen; New Guinea (?)........................................................................ zanum

- Very large species (body length incl. subgenital plate> 250.0 mm); median segment only ¼ the length of metanotum ( Figs. 43A–B ); abdominal terga VII–IX not lobed; subgenital plate very long, lanceolate and projecting over apex of abdomen by more than combined length of terga VIII–X ( Figs. 45P–R ); Sangihe & Talaud Islands........................... plateni

4. Slender and very elongate insects; mesonotum at least 4.5x longer than wide; basitarsi slender........................ 5

- More stocky ( Fig. 43C ); mesonotum 4x longer than wide and expanded pre-medially; basitarsi with dorsal carinae raised and rounded; Pulau Selayar & Pulau Kalaotoa.......................................................... spinulosum

5. Mesonotum 6x longer than wide and slender ( Figs. 40D–F ); antennae reaching to median segment; Pulau Sanana (Sula Islands)................................................................................. sananaense n. sp.

- Mesonotum 4.5x longer than wide and gently swollen pre-medially ( Figs. 40A–C ); antennae reaching to abdominal segment II; Peleng (Banggai Islands)................................................................... giganteum n. sp.

* ♀♀ of N. oligarches (Günther) and N. turbans (Brunner v.Wattenwyl, 1907) are not known

♂♂ *

1. Body length> 100.0 mm; abdominal terga II–VI> 3x longer than wide.......................................... 2

- Smaller; abdominal terga II–VI 2.5x longer than wide; Sulawesi ( Fig. 44D )................................ oligarches

2. Head and pronotum of same colour as remainder parts of body; body ± uniform in colour............................ 3

- Head and pronotum contrasting blackish; dark streak along entire lateral surfaces of body; Pulau Selayar & Pulau Kalaotoa............................................................................................. spinulosum

3. Body length <160.0 mm; colouration more or less uniform.................................................... 4

- Body length> 160.0 mm; bases of all femora and knees contrasting black; Sangihe Islands & Talaud Isalnds......... plateni

4. Very slender species ( Fig. 44A ); median segment very short and only 1/6 the length of metanotum; Sulawesi ....... turbans

- More stocky ( Figs. 44B–C ); median segment <1/3 the length of metanotum; Peleng.................... giganteum n. sp.

* ♂♂ of N. kuehni (Brunner v.Wattenwyl, 1907), N. zanum Hennemann, 1999 and N. sananaense n. sp. are not known

Figures

FIGURE 40. Nesiophasma spp., ♀♀: A. N. giganteum n. sp. ♀ (PT) from Tinanasu, Buko District, dorsal view [coll. FH, No. 0656-6]; B. N. giganteum n. sp. ♀ (PT) from Tinanasu, Buko District, dorso-lateral view [coll. FH, No. 0656-6]; C. N. giganteum n. sp. ♀ (PT) from Luksagu village, Tinangkung Utara, dorso-lateral view [coll. FH, No. 0656-29]; D. N. sananaense n. sp. ♀ (PT), dorsal view [coll. FH, No. 0822-1]; E. N. sananaense n. sp. ♀ (PT), dorso-lateral view [coll. FH, No. 0822-1]; F. N. sananaense n. sp. ♀ (PT), dorso-lateral view [coll. FH, No. 0822-2].

FIGURE 43. Nesiophasma spp., ♀♀: A. N. plateni (Dohrn, 1910) ♀ (LT), dorsal view [ZMPA]; B. N. plateni (Dohrn, 1910) ♀ (LT), dorso-lateral view [ZMPA]; C. N. sananaense n. sp. ♀ (PT), dorsal view [coll. FH, No. 0822-1]; C. N. spinulosum (Brunner v. Wattenwyl, 1907) ♀ (HT of N. eremothocus Günther, 1934), dorsal view [MNHU]; D. N. kuehni (Brunner v. Wattenwyl, 1907) ♀ (LT) [NHMW, No. 309].

FIGURE 44. Nesiophasma spp., ♂♂: A. N. turbans (Brunner v. Wattenwyl, 1907) ♂ [IRSN] © Jérôme Constant, IRSN; B. N. giganteum n. sp. ♂ (PT) from Tinanasu, Buko District, dorso-lateral view [coll. FH, No. 0656-10]; C. N. giganteum n. sp. ♂ (PT) from Tinanasu, Buko District, dorsal view [coll. FH, No. 0656-10]; D. N. oligarches (Günther, 1935) ♂ (HT), dorsolateral view [MNHU].

FIGURE 45. Nesiophasma spp., ♀♀: A. N. giganteum n. sp., terminal abdominal segments of ♀ (PT) seen laterally [coll. FH, No. 0656-1]; B. N. giganteum n. sp., terminal abdominal segments of ♀ (PT) seen dorsally [coll. FH, No. 0656-5]; C. N. giganteum n. sp., terminal abdominal segments of ♀ (PT) seen ventrally [coll. FH, No. 0656-1]; D. N. sananaense n. sp., terminal abdominal segments of ♀ (PT) seen laterally [coll. FH, No. 0822-3]; E. N. sananaense n. sp., terminal abdominal segments of ♀ (PT) seen dorsally [coll. FH, No. 0822-2]; F. N. sananaense n. sp., terminal abdominal segments of ♀ (PT) seen ventrally [coll. FH, No. 0656-3]; G. N. spinulosum (Brunner v. Wattenwyl, 1907) ♀ (HT of N. eremothocus Günther, 1934), terminal abdominal segments seen laterally [MNHU]; H. N. spinulosum (Brunner v. Wattenwyl, 1907) ♀ (HT of N. eremothocus Günther, 1934), terminal abdominal segments seen dorsally [MNHU]; J. N. spinulosum (Brunner v. Wattenwyl, 1907) ♀ (HT of N. eremothocus Günther, 1934), terminal abdominal segments seen ventrally [MNHU]; K. N. kuehni (Brunner v. Wattenwyl, 1907) ♀ (LT), terminal abdominal segments seen laterally [NHMW, No. 309]; L. N. kuehni (Brunner v. Wattenwyl, 1907) ♀ (LT), terminal abdominal segments seen ventrally [NHMW, No. 309]; M. N. kuehni (Brunner v. Wattenwyl, 1907) ♀ (LT), head and prothorax in dorsolateral view [NHMW, No. 309]; N. N. giganteum n. sp., head and prothorax of ♀ (PT) in dorso-lateral view [coll. FH, No. 0656-5]; O. N. sananaense n. sp., head and prothorax of ♀ (PT) in dorso-lateral view [coll. FH, No. 0822-1]; P. N. plateni (Dohrn, 1910), terminal abdominal segments of ♀ (LT) seen laterally [ZMPA]; Q. N. plateni (Dohrn, 1910), terminal abdominal segments of ♀ (LT) seen dorsally [ZMPA]; R. N. spinulosum (Brunner v. Wattenwyl, 1907) ♀ (HT of N. eremothocus Günther, 1934), N. plateni (Dohrn, 1910), terminal abdominal segments of ♀ (LT) seen ventrally [ZMPA]. Figures P–R © Paul D. Brock / NHMUK.