Austrocarausius nigropunctatus (Kirby, 1896)

Common Name:

Delete this section if there is no common name.

Identification:

Male not known.

Female 108-128 mm (type 112 mm). Female elongate, head with a pair of spines; wingless species, brownish grey with darker blotches; sometimes tibiae and part of tarsi darker. Whole body irregularly covered with black granulations. Median longitudinal carina. Head: longer than wide. Short pair of spines between eyes; spines are variable in size. Eyes small. Several conspicuous black granulations present. Antennae longer than fore legs. Blackish above except at base. Basal segment much longer and broader than other segments. Thorax: numerous granulations present dorsally and laterally; well spread and often black tipped. Pronotum a little shorter than head with central indentation. Mesonotum 5-7 times length of pronotum. Metanotum shorter than mesonotum. Abdomen: slender, granulated. 8th-10th abdominal segments short; combined length only slightly longer than 7th segment. Median segment about one fourth length of metanotum. Anal segment subtruncate, slightly pointed laterally (Fig. 5). Operculum broad, boat-shaped; tip rounded, just exceeding end of anal segment. Supra-anal plate rounded at tip, visible beneath anal segment. Cerci short, hidden beneath anal segment. Legs: moderately long and slender, fore femora incurved basally. All femora with pair of short apical spines. Mid and hind femora with 2-3 small subapical spines; fore femora usually with only one, but sometimes absent. Fore tibiae slightly broadened. Hind legs almost reaching end of abdomen. Tarsi normal except first segment of fore tarsi broadened. (From Brock, 2000.)

Eggs have network of large cells on capsule. There are two large depressions, rather unusual in phasmid eggs. The conspicuous micropylar plate is depressed into the egg, hence its shape is not quite oval. A capitulum is present on a stalk. (From Brock, 2000.)

Habitat:

Note if the species arborial or terrestrial. Canopy, mid, under, etc.

Note typical vegetation, e.g. tropical rainforest, temperate rainforest, grasslands, alpine, etc.

Similar Species:

Rearing Notes:

From a few eggs sent to me for reference three females were reared without difficulty on Eucalyptus gunnii in a slightly ventilated cage at room temperature (20°C). Resulting eggs failed to hatch and this species is therefore probably not parthenogenetic. (From Brock, 2000.)

Range:

NE coastal, QLD (Balderson, 1998)
Reported from north Queensland. (Brock, 2000)

Status:

It is not known if this species is endangered, as there is insufficient sighting history.

References:

Synonyms:

Copyright © 2000-2003 Peter Miller
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