Asteliaphasma

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Asteliaphasma
Asteliaphasma jucundum.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Phasmatodea
Family: Phasmatidae
Tribe: Pachymorphini
Genus: Asteliaphasma
Jewell & Brock, 2003
Species map.png
Asteliaphasma distribution

Asteliaphasma is a genus of stick insects (order Phasmatodea) belonging to the family Phasmatidae. [1] The genus is endemic to New Zealand and the species were first described by Salmon in 1991 [2] and later moved to the genus Asteliaphasma. [3] [4] Members of this genus are found in the forests of the North Island, where they have been collected at elevations up to 900 meters above sea level. [5] [6] Asteliaphasma are nocturnal, apterous (wingless), arboreal stick insects that feeds on Astelia and rātā species. [7] [6] [8]

Contents

Species: [9]

As of 2014, both species are considered not threatened by the New Zealand Department of Conservation (DOC). [4]

Taxonomy and phylogeny

The genus is named from the plant genus Astelia (family Liliaceae), combined with the suffix "phasma" meaning "phantom" or "insect" (reference to stick insects). [6] The species is so far only known from Astelia species and the Astelia-like Freycinetia banksii (Pandanaceae) and climbing rātā. [6] [8]

One species, Asteliaphasma naomi, for a long time was known from a single specimen, but has now been collected a number of times. [10] [11]

Early classifications suggested that Asteliaphasma was a sister group to Spinotectarchus ; however, recent molecular data indicate that they are not sister taxa. [10] [6] Instead, phylogenetic analysis indicates that A. jucundus is more closely related to Niveaphasma and Micrarchus species. [10] [7] [12]

Morphology

Asteliaphasma are small, slender and completely wingless stick insects. [6] Until 2005 only female A. jocunda had been recorded [8] so reproduction of some populations might be parthenogenetic, a pattern consistent with that observed in other New Zealand stick insects. [6] [7] Adult female A. jucundus range from 64 to 88 mm in body length and males are thiner and shorter (5mm). [6] [8]

Female Asteliaphasma jucundum Asteliaphasma jucundum June.jpg
Female Asteliaphasma jucundum

The following key features are used to identify this genus: [6]

Asteliaphasma eggs are elongated, cylindrical, finely pitted and lightly rugose with minute spine-like setae restricted to the anterior and dorsal regions. [6]

References

  1. ↑ "Asteliaphasma Jewell & Brock, 2003". www.gbif.org. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
  2. ↑ Salmon, John (1991). The stick insects of New Zealand. New Zealand: Reed Books. ISBN   978-0-7900-0211-8.
  3. ↑ Jewell, Tony; Brock, Paul D. (2002). "A Review of the New Zealand Stick Insects: New Genera and Synonymy, Keys, and a Catalogue". Journal of Orthoptera Research. 11 (2): 189–197. ISSN   1082-6467.
  4. 1 2 Buckley, T. R.; Hitchmough, R.; Rolfe, J.; Stringer, I. (2016). Conservation status of New Zealand stick insects, 2014. New Zealand Threat Classification Series 15. Department of Conservation, Wellington, New Zealand. 3 pp.
  5. ↑ Dennis, Alice B.; Dunning, Luke T.; Sinclair, Brent J.; Buckley, Thomas R. (2015). "Parallel molecular routes to cold adaptation in eight genera of New Zealand stick insects". Scientific Reports. 5 (1). doi:10.1038/srep13965. ISSN   2045-2322. PMC   4564816 . PMID   26355841.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Jewell, Tony; Brock, Paul D. (2002). "A review of the New Zealand stick insects: new genera and synonymy, keys, and a catalogue". Journal of Orthoptera Research. 11 (2): 189–197. doi:10.1665/1082-6467(2002)011[0189:AROTNZ]2.0.CO;2. ISSN   1082-6467.
  7. 1 2 3 Buckley, Thomas R.; Attanayake, Dilini; Nylander, Johan A. A.; Bradler, Sven (2010). "The phylogenetic placement and biogeographical origins of the New Zealand stick insects (Phasmatodea)" . Systematic Entomology. 35 (2): 207–225. doi:10.1111/j.1365-3113.2009.00505.x.
  8. 1 2 3 4 Trewick, S; Morgan-Richards, M (2005). New Zealand Wild: Stick Insects. Hong Kong: Reed Publishing. ISBN   1 86948 570 X.
  9. ↑ "IRMNG - Asteliaphasma Jewell & Brock, 2002". www.irmng.org. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
  10. 1 2 3 Trewick, Steve A.; Morgan-Richards, Mary; Collins, Lesley J. (2008). "Are you my mother? Phylogenetic analysis reveals orphan hybrid stick insect genus is part of a monophyletic New Zealand clade" . Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 48 (3): 799–808. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2008.05.025.
  11. ↑ Yeates, Gregor W.; Buckley, Thomas R. (2009). "First records of mermithid nematodes (Nematoda: Mermithidae) parasitising stick insects (Insecta: Phasmatodea)". New Zealand Journal of Zoology. 36 (1): 35–39. doi:10.1080/03014220909510137. ISSN   0301-4223.
  12. ↑ Forni, Giobbe; Plazzi, Federico; Cussigh, Alex; Conle, Oskar; Hennemann, Frank; Luchetti, Andrea; Mantovani, Barbara (2021-02-01). "Phylomitogenomics provides new perspectives on the Euphasmatodea radiation (Insecta: Phasmatodea)". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 155 106983. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2020.106983. hdl: 11585/817784 . ISSN   1055-7903.
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