Anchiale spinicollis (Gray, 1833)

Common Name:

Delete this section if there is no common name.

Identification:

Length: Coloring: Note any distinguishing features.

The tegmina are of a violet-brown, with a short longitudinal white line at the tip; the basal half of the wings is yellowish white, with the apical half dusky; the costal area is dark yellowish brown, with the base yellow; the antennæ are pale brown; the head is blackish with three distinct stemmata placed triangularly in front; the mesothorax is scattered with sharp tubercles, and is yellowish brown; the abdomen is rather darker, with the tip rather black; the legs are rather short, dentated, especially the thighs. (from Gray, 1933)

  1. Body length: male 100-114 mm, female 143-155 mm.
  2. Coloration: Brownish green, robust species, particularly in female.
  3. Head: Round, as long as wide. Antennae reaching ½ length of foretibiae in male, shorter than fore femora in female.
  4. Thorax: Very spiny. Prothorax almost as long as head, female spinier than male. Mesonotum approximately 4 × length of pronotum, with numerous bold brown spines. Metanotum smooth, shorter than mesonotum.
  5. Abdomen: Long and fairly broad in female, much more slender in male. Apex of anal segment incised in center. Cerci leaf-like, much longer than anal segment in female, shorter in male. Female operculum long, keel-shaped, reaching end of anal segment. Subgenital plate broad in male, not reaching end of 9th segment.
  6. Wings: Forewings long, oval in female, more curved in male, which are more mottled, along with pre-anal part of hind wings. Hind wings longer in male than female, but a variable feature.
  7. Legs: All legs serrate. Hind legs of modest length, reaching approximately length of 7th abdominal segment in female, 9th segment in male.
(From Brock and Lowe, 1998.)

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

Egg: Capsule round, glossy black. The micropylar plate is long, grey and surrounded by a grey band. Capitulum large, pale yellow. Capsule length 3.5 mm, width 2.5 mm, height 3 mm.

Habitat:

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

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

Foodplants: Eucalyptus species.

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 155mm, to keep 2 adult females, you need a cage at least 700mm high, 350mm deep and 350mm wide.

Range:

N coastal, N Gulf, QLD, NT

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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