Hirtuleiodes caprellus

Hennemann, Frank H. & Conle, Oskar V., 2024, Studies on Neotropical Phasmatodea XXVI: Taxonomic review of Cladomorformia tax. n., a lineage of Diapheromerinae stick insects, with the descriptions of seven new genera and 41 new species (Phasmatodea: Occidophasmata: Diapheromerinae), Zootaxa 5444 (1), pp. 1-454 : 73

1. Hirtuleiodes caprellus ( Westwood, 1859: 76, pl. 21: 3 (♂ )) [ Phibalosoma ]. HT, ♂: caprella Westw. Catal. Phasm. pl. 21 fig. 3; Nova Hollandia [OUMNH, No. 632]. comb. n.

Remarks: The generic affiliation of this species has been questionable previously. While originally placed in Phibalosoma Gray, 1835 by Westwood (1859), Kirby (1904: 389) was the first who erroneously affiliated caprella with Australia by placing it in the genus Ctenomorpha Gray, 1835 ( Phasmatidae : Phasmatinae: Phasmatini). This was due to misinterpreting the type-locality “Nova Hollandia ” as New Holland. In fact, Nova Hollandia is a small town in Estado de Rondônia near Pôrto Velho, Brazil at an altitude of about 100 metres (coordinates 8°58’0” S 62°45’0” W). Therefore, the species is here transferred from the Australian genus Acrophylla Gray, 1835 . Redtenbacher (1908) omitted Westwood’s species in the well-known monograph “ Die Insektenfamilie der Phasmiden ”

Distribution: W-Brazil, Est. Rondônia, Nova Hollandia [OUMNH].