Tropidoderinae Brunner

Hennemann, Frank H. & Conle, Oskar V., 2008, Revision of Oriental Phasmatodea: The tribe Pharnaciini Günther, 1953, including the description of the world's longest insect, and a survey of the family Phasmatidae Gray, 1835 with keys to the subfamilies and tribes (Phasmatodea: " Anareolatae ": Phasmatidae), Zootaxa 1906, pp. 1-316 : 37-38

4.4 Tropidoderinae Brunner v. Wattenwyl, 1893

( Fig. 1)

Type genus: Tropidoderus Gray, 1835: 31 .

Tropidoderi Brunner v. Wattenwyl, 1893: 97.

Tropidoderinae Bradley & Galil, 1977: 194 .

Otte & Brock, 2005: 13.

Podacanthinae Günther, 1953: 553.

Description: Medium sized to large (body length 43.0–187.0 mm), moderately broad and robust robust Phasmatidae , ♀♀ in particular. Body slightly compressed dorsoventrally and ± oval in cross-section (♀♀ in particular). Abdomen ± widened sub-basally or medially in ♀♀, parallel-sided in ♂♂. Head orthognathous, vertex either flattened or gently convex nad unarmed. Ocelli present in alate and lacking in apterous taxa. Gula present. Antennae at best 2/3 the length of body and with less than 45 segments, often conspicuously shortened in ♀♀. Mesothorax short, often hardly longer than pronotum in alate taxa, but increasingly elongated and at best 1.8x longer than head and pronotum combined in certain apterous taxa; ± distinctly widened towards the posterior. Mesonotum, meso- and metapleurae often granulose or spinose. Meso- and metasternum ± flattened. Either both sexes winged, having shortened tegmina and long, fully developed alae which in most cases cover the complete abdomen, both sexes or only the ♀♀ apterous. Tegmina less than half as long as alae. Abdomen longer than head and complete thorax combined. Median segment may be distinctly shorter (apterous insects), equal in length, or longer than the metanotum (alate insects). Lateral margins of abdominal tergites II–VII of ♀♀ often roundly or uniformly expanded. Sternum VII of ♀♀ lacking a praeopercular organ. Gonapophyses of ♀♀ may be slightly elongated but never project considerably over apex of abdomen. Subgenital plate of ♀♀ boat-like, distinctly and acutely keeled in basal portion. Length and shape variable, ranging from small, scoop-shaped to distinctly boat-shaped but usually not exceeding apex of anal segment, rarely elongated, lanceolate and projecting over abdomen. Anal segment of ♂♂ laterally compressed, tectiform and consisting two semi-tergites, which either have the interior surface with a dentate longitudinal bulge, or have the ventro-apical angle elevated, in-curving and armed with several terminal teeth. External vomer of ♂♂ lacking. Supraanal plate very small. Cerci ± prominently enlarged, laterally compressed, ± dilated and lan- ceolate or foliaceous. Profemora indistinctly triangular in cross-section with the two dorsal carinae ± approaching each other, compressed and curved basally; mostly unarmed. Anterodorsal carina slightly raised and usually unarmed, rarely with minute serrations. Medioventral carina present, moderately distinct and about midways on ventral surface of profemur. Mid- and hind legs often with prominent armature, the dorsal carinae mostly smooth. Meso- and metafemora trapezoidal in cross-section with anterior carinae ± decidedly nearing, medioventral carina present, often spinose. Tibiae trapezoidal to almost triangular in cross-section, with the dorsal carinae strongly nearing each another. No area apicalis on tibiae. Basitarsus distinctly longer than following tarsomere.

Doubtful genera: The systematic position of Didymuria Kirby, 1904 (Type species: Phasma violescens Leach, 1814: 26 , by original designation; Fig. 68) is doubtful. It was previously placed in Tropidoderinae : Tropidoderini by all former authors (e.g. Günther, 1953 and Bradley & Galil, 1977: 195). But although the insects are remarkably similar in appearance and habitus to e.g. Tropidoderus the closed internal micropylar plate of the eggs clearly separates Didymuria from Tropidoderini , since the type of internal micropylar plate is uniform for an individual tribe (→ 3.3 and Clark-Sellick, 1998). The fact that both genera occur in the same habitats in southeast Australia supposes the similar habitus and colouration may be the result of convergent adaption to similar ecological pressure. Egg morphology and certain features of the insects, such as the conspicuously broadened metafemora of ♂♂ which bear several prominent spines on their medioventral carina, suppose relationship to the tribe Gigantophasmatini trib. nov.. Consequently, Didymuria is here retained in Tropidoderini but with doubt. Any broader discussion on the exact systematic position of the genus requires the availability of sufficient material, careful investigation and comparison of the exosceleton and may find support by genetic analyses. A DNA-barcoding project of predominantly Australian Phasmatodea is in progess by Brock & Mantovani (personal communication with P. D. Brock).

The rarely known genus Lysicles Stål, 1877 (Type species: Lysicles hippolytus Stål, 1877b: 65 , by monotypy) was originally described as being close to Tropidoderus and since attributed to Tropidoderini . Photos of the ♂ and ♀ of an unidentified species of Lysicles from Australia were kindly provided for examination by P.D. Brock (Brockenhurst, England). Several features strongly violate the diagnostic features of Tropidoderini , e.g. the very slender and cylindrical body, elongate mesothorax which is roughly 2x longer than the head and pronotum combined, strongly shortened tegmina and alae of ♀♀, plain transparent anal region of the alae of ♂♂, very short subgenital plate of ♀♀ which hardly projects over the posterior margin of abdominal tergite IX, and dorsally dentate meso- and metafemora of ♀♀. On the other hand, the shortened tegmina and alae of ♀♀ and broadened metafemora of ♂♂, which bear two or three prominent long spines on their medioventral carina, resemble the Australian Didymuria and the tribe Gigantophasmatini trib. nov.. Unfortunately, the eggs of Lysicles are as yet unknown which makes any confirmed decision on its systematic position impossible. Apparently more material and eggs are required for any broader discussion. A re-description of the genus and illustrations of L. hippolytus Stål will be provided in a field guide of the Australian phasmids by Brock & Hasenpusch (personal communication with P.D. Brock).

Distribution ( Fig. 1): Australia, New Guinea, New Caledonia and Loyalty Islands as well as Islands of the Indian Ocean ( Réunion, Mauritius, Madagascar and Comoros).