The Phasmatodea are an order of insects whose members are variously known as stick insects, stick-bugs, walking sticks, stick animals, or bug sticks. They are generally referred to as phasmatodeans, phasmids, or ghost insects. Phasmids in the family Phylliidae are called leaf insects, leaf-bugs, walking leaves, or bug leaves. The group's name is derived from the Ancient Greek φάσμα phasma, meaning an apparition or phantom, referring to their resemblance to vegetation while in fact being animals. Their natural camouflage makes them difficult for predators to detect; still, many species have one of several secondary lines of defense in the form of startle displays, spines or toxic secretions. Stick insects from the genera Phryganistria, Ctenomorpha, and Phobaeticus includes the world's longest insects.
The Phasmatinae are a subfamily of stick insects in the family Phasmatidae. They contain at least three tribes; Bradley and Galil corrected the spelling to "Phasmatinae" and provides a key to tribes.
Hermarchus is a genus of very large stick insects within the order Phasmatodea and the tribe of Stephanacridini. Known species occur in New Guinea, Fiji, Australia, Philippines and New Caledonia.
Pseudophasmatidae is a family of stick insect, in the suborder Verophasmatodea, commonly called the "striped walkingsticks". An important identifying characteristic is its mesothorax, which is never more than three times as long as the prothorax.
Acanthoxylini is a tribe of Phasmatodeas. They belong to the "typical" stick insects of the superfamily Anareolatae, though they are rather notable among these. For example, the New Zealand giant stick insect is huge, and all Acanthoxyla are females reproducing by parthenogenesis.
Necrosciinae is a subfamily of the stick insect family Lonchodidae, with its greatest diversity in South-East Asia.
Palophinae is a subfamily of the stick insect family Diapheromeridae. They belong to the superfamily Anareolatae of suborder Verophasmatodea.
Bacillidae is a stick insect family in the order Phasmatodea and the suborder Verophasmatodea.
Diapheromera is a genus of stick insects in the family Diapheromeridae. There are about 14 described species in Diapheromera.
The Heteropterygidae is a family of stick insects belonging to the suborder Euphasmatodea. Species can be found in Australasia, East and Southeast Asia. More than 130 valid species are descriebed.
Megaphasma is a genus of walking sticks in the family Diapheromeridae. There are at least two described species in Megaphasma.
Diapheromerini is a tribe of walkingsticks in the family Diapheromeridae. There are at least 30 genera Diapheromerini.
The Clitumninae are a sub-family of stick insects in the family Phasmatidae found in Asia. The type genus Clitumnus is now considered a synonym of Ramulus.
The Lonchodinae are a subfamily of stick insects in the family Lonchodidae found in: Australasia, Asia, Africa, Southern America and the Pacific.
The Xeroderinae are a sub-family of stick insects in the family Phasmatidae: genera are found in tropical Asia and Australasia; there is a single tribe: the Xeroderini Günther, 1953.
Datamini is the only tribe within the subfamily of the Dataminae from the order of the Phasmatodea. The representatives of this subfamily are on average not as large as those of the other two subfamilies belonging to the family of Heteropterygidae.
Heteropterygini is the only tribe within the subfamily of the Heteropteryginae from the order of the Phasmatodea in the family Heteropterygidae. With 19 representatives described, this subfamily represents both the species-poorest and that of the three subfamilies, to which the largest and most striking species are counted.
The genus Dares, which is mainly native to Borneo, combines relatively small and mostly dark-colored Phasmatodea species.
Aretaon is a genus of stick insects native to Borneo and the Philippine island Palawan.
Theramenes is an Asian genus of stick insects in the tribe Obrimini. Species have been recorded from the Philippine and Talaud Islands.
