Dimorphodes celebensis Redtenbacher, 1908

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 : 95-96

Dimorphodes celebensis Redtenbacher, 1908 rev. stat.

Dimorphodes celebensis Redtenbacher, 1908: 367 . LT, ♀ (by present designation) + 1 egg extracted from abdomen: Loka; Coll. Br. v. W., Loka, Celebes, Sarasin; det. Redtenb. Dimorphodes celebensis ; Dimorphodes celebensis Type [NHMW, No. 733]; PLT, 2 ♂♂: Loka, Celebes, Sarasin [NHMW, No. 733]. rev. stat.

Hausleithner, 1989: 255, figs. 3B, 4h. (Brief description of egg).

Sellick, 1998: 222.

Dimorphodes mancus celebensis, Günther, 1934b: 90 .

Günther, 1935a: 16.

Günther, 1938: 59.

Brock, 1998: 21. (Type data) Hennemann, 1998: 106, 123.

Otte & Brock, 2005: 127.

Further material: 1 ♂ (nymph n4): S-Sulawesi, Lembang, Maros, leg. Gunawan XII.1995 [coll. FH, No. 0207-1].

Differential diagnosis: This distinctive species is well recognized among the Sulawesian representatives of the genus by the strong dorsal spines of the pro- and mesonotum and strong pair of spines on the five basal abdominal terga.

Comments: Günther (1934b: 90) regarded D. celebensis as a subspecies of D. mancus Bates, 1865 . Redtenbacher’s taxon however strongly differs from typical D. mancus originally described from the island of Ternate east of Halmahera in so many morphological characters that it is here reinstated as a valid species (rev. stat.). The most striking distinguishing features, that readily separate D. celebensis from typical D. mancus Bates, 1865 are the prominent spines of the head and thorax as well as the very distinctive, strong paired anterior spines of abdominal terga II–V of both sexes. The unique ♀ in the collection of NHMW is selected as the lectotype to guarantee stability of the taxon.

While the type specimens in NHMW are plain buff to ochre in colour (most certainly due to provisional conservation in spirits), the ♂ in the collection of MNHU and recorded by Günther 1935 is remarkable for the yellowish green colour and bright red dorsal spines of the thorax and basal abdominal terga .

Hausleithner (1989: 255) provided a very brief description and drawings of a not fully developed egg extracted from the abdomen of the lectotype in the collection of NHMW. Therefore, a detailed description the fully developed egg and illustrations are provided herein .

Distribution: S-Sulawesi, Prov. Sulawesi Selatan, Gunung Lompobatang, Loka [NHMW]; S-Sulawesi, Prov. Sulawesi Selatan, Gunung Lompobatang, 1100 m [MNHU]; S-Sulawesi, Sulawesi Selatan, Maros Regency, Lem-bang [coll- FH].