Acrophylla nubilosa Tepper, 1905

Common Name:

Delete this section if there is no common name.

Identification:

Length: Coloring: Note any distinguishing features.

volant; male and female mesopterous

body,
exclusive of cerci 86 mm.

head 5 mm.
width, 3 mm.
(behind eyes).

pronotum 3 mm.
width, 2.3 mm.

mesonotum 15 mm.
width, 1.5-4 mm.

metanotum 13 mm.
width, 4 mm.

abdomen 50 mm.
width, 1.5-2.5 mm.

ant. pedes 61 mm.

med. pedes 44 mm.

post. pedes 62 mm.

tegmina 10 mm.
width, 4 mm.

wings 52 mm.
width, 22 mm.

cerci 8 mm.

Male. Pale brown; body very slender. Head glabrous: flat, with indistinct, whitish dots and lines above. Occiput with two median depressions and curved impressed furrows on each side. Ocelli obsolete. Antennæ densely hirsute. Pronotum much shorter and narrower than the head, with some longitudinal furrows, terminated by a transverse carina near hind margin. Mesonotum cylindrical, gradually tapering to near base of elytra, then rapidly expanding to more than double between median legs, thickly beset with many small interspersed and some large spines. Metanotum stout, glabrous, with three pairs of short, oblique, white streaks underneath. Legs very long and slender, all ridges with small, distant spinelets, except those of the anterior tibiæ and of the tarsi. Tegmina short and narrow, costa and a short, oblique, discal streak whitish, remainder brown. Wings long and rather narrow: costa with some small dark spots from near middle to apex: veins and veinlets from pale to dark brown, some of the former interruptedly black towards margin: veinlets bordered with blackish-brown: outer margin broadly suffused with dull blackish, likewise the costal part of the membranous disc, with irregular blotches, the dark markings separated by translucent areas. Abdomen very slender throughout: sexual organs, including respective joint and lamina, also anal joints, very short and tumid. Cerci broad, ovate, subacute, nearly as long as the preceding three joints together.

The species is comparable with Acrophylla tesselata, G.R.G., from N. Australia (Westwood, Cat. Phasm. B.M., Plate xxxv., fig. 1), but is larger, and differs in the paucity of the spinulation of the legs, colouration of the wings, etc. There are a pair of similar insects in the collection from Central Australia, but appear to differ in proportions.

Note parental placement of eggs. Note appearance of eggs. Note any common variations.

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:

Note if this species has ever been reared. Note any suggestions for successful rearing.

For a stick insect with body length 86mm, to keep 2 adult females, you need a cage at least 400mm high, 180mm deep and 180mm wide.

Range:

W plateau, SA; known only from type locality

Status:

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

References:

Balderson, J., Rentz, D.C.F. and Roach, A.M.E. (1998). in Houston, W.K.K. & Wells, A. (1998) (eds) Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Vol. 23. Archaeognatha, Zygentoma, Blattodea, Isoptera, Mantodea, Dermaptera, Phasmatodea, Embioptera, Zoraptera. Melbourne: CSIRO Publishing, Australia (ISBN 0643 06035 9). pp. 347 - 376.
Tepper, J.G.O. (1905). Insects collected in the North-western Region of South Australia Proper by H. Basedow; with Descriptions of New Species of Mantidæ and Phasmidæ, No. 2. Transactions of the Royal Society South Australia, 29: 237-245.
Vickery, V.R. (1983). Catalogue of Australian stick insects (Phasmida, Phasmatodea, Phasmatoptera, or Cheleutoptera). CSIRO Australian Division of Entomology Technical Paper, No. 20, 15 pp.
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body, exclusive of cerci	86 mm.
head	5 mm. width, 3 mm. (behind eyes).
pronotum	3 mm. width, 2.3 mm.
mesonotum	15 mm. width, 1.5-4 mm.
metanotum	13 mm. width, 4 mm.
abdomen	50 mm. width, 1.5-2.5 mm.
ant. pedes	61 mm.
med. pedes	44 mm.
post. pedes	62 mm.
tegmina	10 mm. width, 4 mm.
wings	52 mm. width, 22 mm.
cerci	8 mm.