Podacanthus keyi Brock & Hasenpusch, 2007

Brock, Paul D. & Hasenpusch, Jack, 2007, Studies on the Australian stick insects (Phasmida), including a checklist of species and bibliography, Zootaxa 1570 (1), pp. 1-81 : 64-68

Podacanthus keyi Brock & Hasenpusch , spec. nov. [Key’s Stick-insect]

( Figs. 118–128 )

Description

Male (holotype) ( Figs. 118–122 ): Medium sized, almost uniform light greenish-brown species, slender for the genus. Body length 102 mm.

Head: Large, as broad as long. Eyes large, dark brown. Three ocelli present. Antennae longer than fore femora, with 23 segments, second segment very shortened.

Thorax: Pronotum slightly longer than head, double swelling above central indentation. Mesonotum more than twice length of pronotum (unusual in the genus, normally about the same length or slightly longer), with eleven conspicuous tubercles; smaller tubercles present laterally and ventrally (latter also applies to metathorax). Metanotum longer than mesonotum.

Wings: Fore wings long and leaf-like, inner margin with a whitish streak. Hind wings long, whitish with a pale pink tinge, reaching up to 7th abdominal segment.

Abdomen: Elongate. 8 th abdominal segment reduced in size, 8 th –10 th segments about equal. Anal segment curved, split into large double lobed structure, with incurving arms, typical in Podacanthus . Subgenital plate large, bulbous, rounded at tip, not reaching end of 9 th abdominal segment. Cerci very long, leaf-like, rounded at tip.

Legs: Moderately long. Mid and hind femora spiny.

Paratype males (38).

As in holotype except for variation in size. Body length 83–103 mm (two large nymphs excluded from measurements).

Paratype females (27) ( Figs. 123 –127).

Sometimes shorter than male (not unusual in Podacanthus wilkinsoni as well), except much plumper, with other differences as follows: hind wings pink (usually at least veins); inner margin of pre-anal part of wings, with a large yellowish blotch. Anal segment tapered, triangular incised at tip; supraanal plate visible. Operculum large, boat-shaped, tapered to rounded tip, almost reading end of anal segment. Cerci shorter than male, but longer than anal segment. Body length 91–113 mm, excluding one large nymph.

Egg ( Fig. 128). Capsule pale grey or brown, oval, hairy. With a fine net-like sculpturing. Large for the size of the species, central micropylar plate rather narrow, broadened at base, occupying half length of capsule. Capitulum broad, uneven. Capsule length 4.7 mm, width 2.5 mm, height 3 mm. Slightly unusual for the genus, which normally has large, bold sculpturing.

Holotype ♂, Western Australia, Perth, Floreat Park , 1.x.1962, J. A. Mahon, M.J.D. White cytol. Prep. Ch 661 ( ANIC) . Paratypes: South Australia: ♂, 31°21ʹS; 131°19ʹE, 41 km E. by N. of Nullarbor HS, 24.x.1977 , M.S. Upton ( ANIC) , ♂, Serpentine Lakes , x.2006 ( SAMA) ; the following all Western Australia: 7♂, 6♀, 1♀ juv., Perth, Floreat Park , 1.x.1962 , J. A. Mahon , ♀, same data, except 1.xii.1975 , ♂, same data, except 20.i.1965 , J.P. Brophy, ♂ juv., same data, except M. Churchward , ♀, Narrogin Dist., 5♂, ♀, Round Hill, nr. Moora , 6.vii.1960 , M.M.H. Wallace, collected as a nymph, reared in laboratory, ♂ juv., ♀, same data, except 26.x.1959 , D.B. Broad, on Eucalyptus loxophleba Benth. , 2♂, ♀, same data, except 13.xi.1959 , J. A. Mahon, on Eucalyptus loxophleba Benth ., ♀, Crawley , xii.1939 , R. Harvey, Podacanthus sp. , det. K.H.L. Key, ♂, parents from 13–18 mi. E. N.E. of Moora , reared in lab, died 11.ii.1962 , ♂, same data, except 11.ii.1962 , ♂, same data, except 22.xii.1961 , ♀, same data, except 11.x.1962 , ♀, same data, except 28.x.1961 (laid 216 eggs) , ♀, same data, except 28.x.1961 (laid 194 eggs) , ♀, same data, except 19.ix.1962 , ♂, same data, except 1.xi.1961 , ♂, same data, except 17.xi.1961 , ♀, same data, except 17.i.1963 (201 eggs without male presence) , ♀, same data, except 29.x.1962 , ♂, same data, except 6.xi.1961 , 2♂, same data, except 20.viii.1962 , ♀, same data, except 23.x.1962 , ♀, same data, except 8.x.1962 , ♂, ♀, same data, except no date given , ♂, 8 mi. N.N.W. of Mt. Barker , i. xi.1962 , J. A. Mahon, coll. as nymph, reared in lab. on Euc. marginata , ♂, W. A. reared in lab. by M.M.H. Wallace , ♂, 30°11ʹS; 121°10ʹE, Canegrass, 70 km. N.N.W. of Kalgoorlie, 11.xi.1977, M.S. Upton & J.E. Feehan, ♂, parent X between those collected at Moora , Floreat Pk & Nedlands, hatched in lab. died 16.xii.1965 , CSIRO Nedlands, WA, ♂, same data, except 6.xii.1965 , ♀, same data, except 7.xii. 1965 , 10 mi. E. Madura , 13.ix.1964 , G.L. Bush, 6460, 4♂, 19 mi. N. N.W. of Widgiemooltha , 31°14ʹS; 121°28ʹE, 6.xi.1969 , Key & Upton, Key’s Field Notes Tripl63, Stop 19167.2, at light, ♀, Scarborough , 25.viii.1965 , D. Baaccini, ♂, 17 m. peg Wanneroo Rd, Wanneroo , 1.xii.1965 , J. A. Mahon , ♂, ♀, 31°48ʹS; 128°13ʹE, Hampton Tableland, 2 km. N. of Mundrabilla Motel, 12.x.1984, D.C.F. Rentz, Stop 30 (all ANIC – the type series chosen from a long series of wild-caught and reared specimens) , ♀, Swan River , (acquisition no. [18]53-50) ( BMNH) , ♀, Mandurah north, 20.i.2004 , on Eucalyptus gomphocephala, J. Allen-Tuart (J. Hasenpusch coll.). Eggs (not paratypes) also present in collections mentioned above.

Distribution

Known from the type localities mainly in Western Australia, but also South Australia. Apart from the type series, widespread in the WA suburbs ( Western Australian Museum ) .

Notes

Whilst superficially similar to P. wilkinsoni in size, easily distinguished by the elongate appearance of keyi ( wilkinsoni are stocky, besides having dark brown areas on fore wings and pre-anal part of hind wings). The other known Podacanthus species are rather larger insects; all other species have the mesonotum shorter than in keyi . According to data labels, the host food plant is Eucalyptus loxophleba and E. gomphocephala (Myrtaceae) ; specimens accepted E. marginata in captivity.

Derivation of name

Named after the late Kenneth H.L. Key (1911–2002, ex. ANIC), well known to phasmid enthusiasts for the sections in both editions of ‘The Insects of Australia’. As mentioned in the acknowledgements, his legacy is the outstanding collection of Australian orthopteroid insects built up in ANIC.

Figures

FIGURE 118. Podacanthus keyi holotype male (ANIC), 102 mm.

FIGURES 119–122. Podacanthus keyi holotype male. 119. head and thorax, dorsal view. 120. end of abdomen, dorsal view. 121. end of abdomen, lateral view. 122. end of abdomen, ventral view.

FIGURE 123. Podacanthus keyi female paratype (ANIC) 113 mm.

FIGURES 124–126. Podacanthus keyi female paratype. 124. head and thorax, lateral view. 125. end of abdomen, dorsal view. 126. end of abdomen, lateral view. 127. end of abdomen, ventral view.