Dimorphodes Westwood, 1859

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 : 94

Genus Dimorphodes Westwood, 1859

( Figs. 38–39 )

Type-species: Dimorphodes prostasis Westwood, 1859: 81 , pl. 34: 4–5, by original monotypy.

Comments: The taxonomy of the genus Dimorphodes is much confused. Günther (1934b: 87) attempted a reorganisation which basically reduced the known diversity to five valid species with all the other known taxa either regarded as subspecies of D. mancus Bates, 1865 and D. prostasis Westwood, 1859 or synonymised. The genus is badly in need of a revision and without any doubt many of the taxa regarded as subspecies by Günther are in fact valid species. As a first step towards a rearrangement the two known Sulawesian taxa are here reinstated as valid species and removed from subspecies status. Redtenbacher (1908: 366) recorded D. mancus Bates, 1865 from Sulawesi based on specimens in the collection of NHMW, however no Sulawesian specimens are present in this nor in any other collection. Thus, this record must be regarded as erroneous.

Distribution: New Guinea and Wallacea.

Species recorded from Sulawesi:

Figures

FIGURE 38. Dimorphodes elegans n. sp. [NHMB]: A. ♀ (HT), dorso-lateral view; B. ♀ (HT), lateral view; C. ♀ (HT), dorsal view; D. ♂ (PT), lateral view; E. ♂ (PT), dorsal view; F. Head, prothorax and anterior portion of mesothorax of ♀ (HT) seen laterally; G. Head, prothorax and anterior portion of mesothorax of ♂ (PT) seen laterally; H. Terminal abdominal segments of ♂ (PT) in lateral view; J. Terminal abdominal segments of ♀ (HT) in dorsal view; K. Terminal abdominal segments of ♀ (HT) in ventral view.

FIGURE 39. Dimorphodes sarasini Redtenbacher, 1908 rev. stat.: A. Egg, dorsal view [coll. FH, No. 1318-E]; B. Egg, lateral view [coll. FH, No. 1318-E]; C. ♂ (LT of synonym D. bellicosus Redtenbacher, 1908), dorsal view [NHMW, No. 728]; D. ♂ (LT of synonym D. bellicosus Redtenbacher, 1908), lateral view [NHMW, No. 728]; E. ♀ from Luwu, dorsal view [MNHU]; F. Terminal abdominal segments of ♀ (HT) in lateral view [NHMW, No. 732]; G. Terminal abdominal segments of ♂ (LT of synonym D. bellicosus Redtenbacher, 1908) in lateral view [NHMW, No. 728]. (Figs. C–D, F–G © Paul D. Brock).