Phasmatinae Gray, 1835

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 : 26-28

4.3 Phasmatinae Gray, 1835

( Fig. 1)

Type genus: Phasma Lichtenstein, 1796: 77 .

Phasmidae Gray, 1835: 12 .

Phasminae Karny, 1923: 240 .

Günther, 1953: 554.

Phasmatinae Bradley & Galil, 1977: 192 (in part). [Corrected spelling of Phasminae Karny, 1923 ]

Otte & Brock, 2005: 13.

Acrophyllae Brunner v. Wattenwyl, 1893: 97.

Acrophyllinae Kirby, 1904a: 379.

Description: Medium sized to very large (body length 45.0–300.0 mm), mostly stick-like, moderately robust to extremely slender and elongate Phasmatidae (Figs. 72–73, 75). Body cylindrical to subcylindrical in crosssection and mostly of more or less uniform width, abdomen of ♀♀ rarely widened sub-basally or medially. Ocelli frequently present in most alate taxa, lacking in apterous taxa. Gula present. Antennae at best 3/5 the length of body, often conspicuously shortened, with less than 45 segments. Mesothorax at least as long as head and pronotum combined and much longer in apterous taxa; often granulose or spinose. Both sexes winged, having shortened tegmina and fully developed alae, brachypterous or apterous; tegmina less than half as long as alae. Wings often unequal between the sexes and better developed in ♂♂. Abdomen at least as long as but usually distinctly longer than thorax. Median segment distinctly shorter, equal in length, or longer than the metanotum. Tergites V–VII often with lateral lobes or expansions (♀♀ in particular). Sternum VII of ♀♀ lacking a praeopercular organ. Gonapophyses of ♀♀ elongated in certain apterous taxa, but never projecting 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 and not reaching the apex of anal segment, to considerably elongated and lanceolate. Anal segment of ♂♂ laterally compressed, tectiform and consisting of two semi-tergites, which either have their interior surface with a longitudinal spinose bulge, or with the ventro-apical angles ± expanded, in-curving and armed with terminal teeth ( Figs. 2–4, 32). External vomer of ♂♂ lacking ( Fig. 38). Supraanal plate small and considerably shorter than anal segment. Cerci ± prominently enlarged, laterally compressed and ± foliaceous. Profemora distinctly triangular in cross-section with the two dorsal carinae ± distinctly approaching each other; compressed and curved basally. Posterodorsal carina reduced and anterodorsal carina ± strongly raised and serrate. Medioventral carina present, moderately distinct and about midways on ventral surface of profemur ( Fig. 44). Mid- and hind legs often with prominent armature. Meso- and metafemora trapezoidal in cross-section with dorsal carinae nearing, medioventral carina present. Tibiae trapezoidal to almost triangular in cross-section, the dorsal carinae strongly nearing each another. No area apicalis on tibiae. Basitarsus distinctly longer than following tarsomere.

Comments: The subfamily Phasmatinae was previously either attributed to Brunner v. Wattenwyl (1893), Karny (1923) or Bradley & Galil (1977). However it was Gray (1835: 12) who first introduced “ Phasmidae ” as a family-group name for what now is the order Phasmatodea . According to ICZN article 36.1 on the principle of coordination applied to family-group names, Gray (1835) must also be regarded the author of current Phasmatinae and the tribe Phasmatini simultaneously. Brunner v. Wattenwyl (1893: 99) used Phasmata as a term for Neotropical taxa.

Doubtful genera: The Australian Echetlus Stål, 1875 (Type species: Bacillus peristhenes Westwood, 1859: 13 , pl. 7: 1) was included in Platycraninae by Günther (1953: 557) and has since been retained in the subfamily by all subsequent authors. Only Brock & Hasenpusch (2007: 74) doubted Echetlus to be a member of “ Platycraninae ” and stated it was likely to belong in Phasmatinae . Indeed, Echetlus is obviously not at all closely related to Platycrana Gray, 1835 or any of the genera of Platycraninae . Features such as the triangular cross-section of the profemora, cylindrical body, shortened antennae and long, lanceolate cerci indicate relation to the subfamily Phasmatinae , but more material is needed for any confirmed decision on its systematic position.

Two Brazilian species, E. evoneobertii Zompro & Adis 2001 and E. fulgens Zompro 2004 , have recently been described in Echetlus Stål and E. evoneobertii was erroneously suggested to have been introduced from Australia ( Zompro & Adis, 2001: 291). Brock & Hasenpusch (2007: 7) removed E. evoneobertii from Echetlus and transferred it to the Australian Candovia Stål, 1875 (Type species: Phasma (Bacteria) coenosa Gray, 1833: 17 , 28, pl. 2: 2), but were in doubt about its Australian origin (P.D. Brock pers. comm.). More detailed examination of these two Brazilian taxa clearly proves them to be definitely not members of Echetlus or the Australasian subfamily Platycraninae but to belong in the Neotropical Diapheromeridae : Diapheromerinae : Diapheromerini . This is confirmed by the proportionally small head, very long and filiform antennae, being about 2/3 the length of the body and consisting of far more than 30 segments (conspicuously shortened and robust in Echetlus ), cylindrical cerci, unarmed medioventral carina of the femora, triangular cross-section of the profemora and egg structures, such as the ovoid capsule, open internal micropylar plate and irregularly raised, rim-like structure of the operculum. Within the Diapheromerini evoneobertii and fulgens strongly resemble the Central American genus Paracalynda Zompro, 2001 . Further research by the authors is in progress.

Distribution ( Fig. 1): Australia, Tasmania, Papuan Subregion (except Micronesia), Wallacea, Borneo, Philippines and New Zealand.