Phobaeticus pinnipes ( Redtenbacher, 1908 )

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 : 174-175

Phobaeticus pinnipes ( Redtenbacher, 1908)

Pharnacia pinnipes Redtenbacher, 1908: 452 . Type (s), ♂ (♂): Malacca, Selangor (MNHN—not traced, presumed lost) Pharnacia pinnipes, Brock, 1995: 95 .

Phobaeticus pinnipes, Brock, 1996: 29 .

Brock, 1999: 136.

Seow-Choen, 2000: 39.

Otte & Brock, 2005: 269.

Comments: The ♂ type (s) of this species which Redtenbacher (1908: 452) stated to be in MNHN is most certainly lost. Extensive research could not trace any specimens in the collection of MNHN that match with the original description and measurements given by Redtenbacher. Ph. pinnipes is hence not included in the keys above .

Redtenbacher originally placed this species in Pharnacia Stål and his distinguishing key to the ♂♂ postulates close relation to three species now contained in Phobaeticus Brunner v. Wattenwyl, 1907 ( Ph. hypharpax ( Westwood, 1859) , Ph. serratipes ( Gray, 1835) and Ph. kirbyi Brunner v. Wattenwyl, 1907). Indeed, the very elongate and slender semi-tergites of the anal segment and in-curving apices of the cerci place Ph. pinnipes in Phobaeticus Brunner v. Wattenwyl. It is apparently very similar to Ph. magnus nom. nov., but without availability of the type no decision on its systematic position can be made with confirmation.

The original description of the ♂ of Ph. pinnipes serves the following characters to distinguish it from ♂♂ of Ph. magnus nom. nov.: colouration of the head plain; tegmina lacking white interior markings; meso- and metasternum with three black longitudinal lines; anterodorsal carina of the profemora with only 7–9 serrations; meso- and metafemora with a conspicuously enlarged sub-basal tooth; dorsal carina of the basitarsi strongly raised; probasitarsus white; meso- and metatibiae with a large dorso-median tooth.

Etymology: The specific name pinnipes (lat. = lobed feet) refers to the strongly raised dorsal carina of the meso- and metabasitarsi.

Description: The following is a roughly translated version of the original Latin description provided by Redtenbacher (1908: 452): “Reddish and yellowish brown. Antennae dark reddish. Vertex smooth, with a pair of transverse depressions between the eyes. Tegmina dark red, anterior and posterior margin broadly white. Costal region of alae pale reddish, irregularly coloured, anal region plain greyish. Tergites V–VI with a posteromedial tubercle (less prominent on VII) and slightly posterolaterally elevated. Anal segment keeled and formig two acute, triangular lobes. Apices of cerci incurving. Poculum anteriorly with a raised transverse hump, posterior margin rounded. Meso- and metasternum with a black longitudinal median line and lateral margins with a black longitudinal carina. Complete armature of legs and tarsi black. Anterodorsal carina of profemora with 7–9 large serrations, posteroventral carina with a much larger number of minute teeth. All carinae of meso- and metafemora densely serrate, dorsally with an enlarged tooth near base of each femur. Protibiae dorsally with several large teeth which decrease in size towards the apex of tibia. Meso- and metatibiae with all carinae dentate, dorsally with a distinctly enlarged tooth just before the middle. Basitarsi, but meso- and metabasitarsus in particular with strongly raised dorsal carina. Probasitarsus white, meso- and metabasitarsus with reddish mottling.”

Redtenbacher cited the following measurements for the HT [mm]: body 163.0, mesonotum 31.0, metanotum + median segment 22.0, tegmina 10.6, alae 74.0, profemora 42.5, metafemora 48.5.