Epidares

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Epidares
Epidares nolimetangere - male 2.JPG
Male
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Phasmatodea
Family: Heteropterygidae
Tribe: Datamini
Genus: Epidares
Redtenbacher, 1906
Species:
E. nolimetangere
Binomial name
Epidares nolimetangere
(de Haan, 1842)
female Epidares nolimetangere - female1.jpg
female

Epidares nolimetangere, the touch-me-not stick insect, [1] is an insect species from the order of the Phasmatodea and the only representative of the genus Epidares. [1] The species name nolimetangere (originally: noli-me-tangere) comes from Latin and means "don't touch me". It refers to the prickly appearance of the animals. [2]

Contents

Characteristics

Epidares nolimetangere is one of the smaller representatives of the Phasmatodea. The males are about 35 to 43 mm long, the females reach a length of about 45 to 48 mm and have shorter spines than the males. The insects, wingless in both sexes, have a pair of spines on the head and on the anterior margin of the mesonotum and a ring of four spines on the posterior margin of the meso- and metathorax. On the entire abdomen of the males there is only one pair of spines, which can be found on the second abdominal segment. In addition to this, the females also have a pair of spines on the third abdominal segment, which is supplemented by smaller, mostly lateral spines. The females are monochrome dark brown except for a light central stripe. The abdomen of egg-laying females is thickened in the middle. The males show dark areas on the back from the posterior mesothorax, especially in the areas around the spines and on the abdomen. There are other spots on the pronotum and between the lateral and dorsal spines of the meso- and metathorax, the spines themselves being light-colored. On the abdomen, the dark areas flow together to form two parallel longitudinal stripes. These spots can be small or significantly larger or flow together. Their color can be brown to dark green or metallic green. The basic color of the males varies from a light brown on the legs to a bright red, especially on the head, thorax and the top of the abdomen, depending on where they were found. Other location variants are also simply colored light brown between the green spots. Depending on the source, the animals with a more red base color and smaller spots are referred to as a red color form, those with larger, more metallic green spots as a green color form. Ian Abercrombie found another color form, clearly distinguishable from these forms, the males of which he describes as golden. [3] [4] Also Francis Seow-Choen refers to the Bako occurring color form as golden. He calls a second one that occurs in the area around Kuching dark or blue. [5]

Distribution area, way of life and reproduction

Epidares nolimetangere comes from Borneo. There it can be found very frequently in the northwest, more precisely in the Malay state Sarawak and here it reaches the highest observed population density of phasmatodea living on Borneo. [4] [6]

The insects live on low shrub vegetation of the tropical rainforest. As food plants are known, Rosaceae like the Molucca bramble (Rubus moluccanus), Melastomataceae like Clidemia hirta , Vitaceae like Leea indica , Acanthaceae as Strobilanthes alternata and Bonnetiaceae as Ploiarium alternifolium . The females lay one to three eggs about 3.5 to 3.9 mm long, 2.9 to 3.1 mm wide and an average of 6.8 mg each week for a period of up to twenty months. These are covered with barbed hairs. They are placed individually in a hollow dug with the legs. The abdomen is bent forward over the back and the then released egg is rolled over the parallel held antennae into the hollow. This is covered again after the eggs have been laid. [3] After three to six months, the seven to twelve millimeter long nymphs hatch from the eggs. Males are after about eight months, females after about ten months adult. After another three to four weeks, the females begin to lay eggs. [5] [6] [7]

Taxonomy

Wilhem de Haan originally described this species as Phasma (Acanthoderus) noli-me-tangere. Josef Redtenbacher established the subgenus Epidares within the genus Dares for this species. Due to the clear differences between the only species Dares (Epidares) nolimetangere and the rest of the members of the genus Dares, Epidares has been classified as a genus and was identified as such in 1977 by James Chester Bradley and Bella S. Galil addressed. A female lectotype and a male paralectotype are deposited in the Naturalis Biodiversity Center in Leiden. The genus is monotypic. [1] Seow-Choen shows a male on the cover of his book in 2016 and a female on page 389, both of which are bright red all over their body. Only the femura are bright green. Morphologically they resemble Epidares nolimetangere and are addressed as such in the captions. These animals are not discussed further by the author and still have to be examined taxonomically. [5]

Terraristic

The first breeding stocks were imported in 1988 from Mount Serapi as green form by Philip Edward Bragg and in 1989 from Mount Matang as red form by Patrick van der Stigchel. By mixing the two stocks, insects are bred that can no longer be clearly assigned to the red or green form. Other tribes also collected in Sarawak have been imported from Kubah, Semenggoh and Bako. In the ones from Bako there are often males, which lack the pair of spines on the abdomen. Occasionally there are also males with only one spine sting instead of the usual pair. The Belgian phasmid breeders Kim D'Hulster and Hans Lamal brought another stock into breeding in 2012, which they collected in Damai near Mount Santubong. Animals of this stock called Epidares nolimetangere 'Santubong' are characterized by the fact that their spines on the margin of meso- and metathorax are Y-shaped, i.e. designed as double spines. From Santubong other finds with this peculiarity are known, which also show the above-mentioned, bright red animals, which were pictured by Seow-Choen in 2016. The remaining breeding stocks, if they are passed on unmixed, are also given with their origin. So that in addition to the stock from Santubong also the stocks Epidares nolimetangere 'Mt. Serapi', Epidares nolimetangere 'Matang' (also called "red Matangs"), Epidares nolimetangere 'Kubah', Epidares nolimetangere 'Semenggoh' and Epidares nolimetangere 'Bako'. Three of these stocks were included in the genetic analysis by Sarah Bank et al. and were found to be conspecific. The species is listed by the Phasmid Study Group under the PSG number 99. [2] [4] [7] [8] [9]

Epdares nolimetangere needs a relative humidity of at least 80%, as can be achieved in a glass terrarium with small ventilation slots. In contrast to insufficient humidity, waterlogging is well tolerated. In addition to leaves of oak and hazel, the various Rosaceae such as bramble, raspberries, strawberries and firethorn are eaten. [6] A layer of earth is suitable as a substrate covered with some moss, which should always be kept moist. The eggs can be left on or in the ground. [3]

Related Research Articles

<i>Heteropteryx</i> Species of stick insect

Heteropteryx is a monotypic genus of stick insects containing Heteropteryx dilatata as the only described species. and gives its name to the family of the Heteropterygidae. Their only species may be known as jungle nymph, Malaysian stick insect, Malaysian wood nymph, Malayan jungle nymph, or Malayan wood nymph and because of their size it is commonly kept in zoological institutions and private terrariums of insect lovers. It originates in Malay Archipelago, more precisely on the Malay Peninsula and Borneo and is nocturnal.

<i>Sungaya</i> Genus of stick insects

Sungaya is a monotypic genus of stick insects, containing the species Sungaya inexpectata. Its common name is the sunny stick insect, derived from the less commonly used sungay stick insect. The genus name refers to the locality of the holotype, i.e. the region where the insect was first collected. The species name is derived from the Latin as "inexpectatus" and means "unexpected".

<i>Pylaemenes</i> (insect) Genus of stick insects

Pylaemenes is a genus of stick insects in the family Heteropterygidae and subfamily Dataminae. It combines small to medium-sized, often brightly colored Phasmatodea species. Their representatives are found in large parts of Southeast Asia.

<i>Orestes</i> (insect) Genus of stick insects

The genus Orestes combines relatively small and elongated Phasmatodea species from Southeast and East Asia.

Obriminae Family of stick insects

The Obriminae are the most species-rich subfamily of the Phasmatodea family Heteropterygidae native to Southeast Asia. It is divided into two tribe.

Datamini Tribe of stick insects

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 Tribe of stick insects

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.

<i>Dares</i> (insect) Genus of stick insects

The genus Dares, which is mainly native to Borneo, combines relatively small and mostly dark-colored Phasmatodea species.

<i>Hoploclonia</i> Tribe of stick insects

Hoploclonia is the only genus of the tribe Hoplocloniini and brings together relatively small and darkly colored Phasmatodea species.

<i>Haaniella</i> Genus of stick insects

Haaniella is a genus of the Phasmatodea family Heteropterygidae from Southeast Asia.

<i>Aretaon</i> (insect) Genus of stick insects

Aretaon is a genus of stick insects native to Borneo and the Philippine island Palawan.

<i>Aretaon asperrimus</i> Species of stick insect

Aretaon asperrimus is a species of insect in the Aretaon genus of the Phasmatodea order. The sometimes used common name thorny stick insect is a bit misleading, since the species does not correspond to the typical stick-like habitus and many other species are thorny as well.

<i>Orestes mouhotii</i> Species of stick insect

Orestes mouhotii is an insect species belonging to the order of Phasmatodea. Because of its synyonym Orestes verruculatus, it is the type species of the genus Orestes. Because of its compact body shape, the species is sometimes referred to as small cigar stick insect.

<i>Dares murudensis</i> Species of stick insect

Dares murudensis is a relatively small species of stick insect. Like most other members of the genus Dares, the species is native to Borneo.

<i>Dares philippinensis</i> Species of stick insect

Dares philippinensis is a species of stick insects. This species is not native to Borneo like most other members of the genus Dares, but to the Philippine island Palawan.

<i>Dares verrucosus</i> Species of stick insect

Dares verrucosus is a species of stick insects. Like most other members of the genus Dares, the species is native to Borneo, more precisely in the north of the island.

<i>Tisamenus serratorius</i> Species of stick insect

Tisamenus serratorius is a stick insect species that occurs on the Philippine island Luzon.

<i>Hoploclonia cuspidata</i> Species of stick insect

Hoploclonia cuspidata is a stick insect species native to the north of Borneo and is also called Brunei Hoploclonia stick insect.

<i>Hoploclonia gecko</i> Species of stick insect

Hoploclonia gecko is a relatively small, spiny and darkly colored stick insect species that is native to the northwest of Borneo.

<i>Hoploclonia abercrombiei</i> Species of stick insect

Hoploclonia abercrombiei is a stick insect species known from the northwest of Borneo, more precisely from only one place in the Malay state Sarawak.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Brock, P. D.; Büscher, T. H. & Baker, E. W. Phasmida Species File Online . Version 5.0/5.0 (accessdate 12 June 2021)
  2. 1 2 Zompro, O. (2000) Gespenstschrecken der Familie Heteropterygidae im Terrarium, Reptilia - Terraristik Fachmagazin (Nr. 24, August/September 2000) Natur und Tier, Münster
  3. 1 2 3 Seiler, C; Bradler, S. & Koch, R. (2000). Phasmiden – Pflege und Zucht von Gespenstschrecken, Stabschrecken und Wandelnden Blättern im Terrarium. bede, Ruhmannsfelden, ISBN   3-933646-89-8
  4. 1 2 3 Bragg, P. E. (2001) Phasmids of Borneo, Natural History Publikations (Borneo) Sdn. Bhd., Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia, 2001, pp. 174–179, ISBN   983-812-027-8
  5. 1 2 3 Seow-Choen, F. (2016) A Taxonomic Guide to the Stick Insects of Borneo, Natural History Publikations (Borneo) Sdn. Bhd., Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia, pp. 388-389, ISBN   978-983-812-169-9
  6. 1 2 3 Bruins, E. (2006) Illustrierte Terrarien Enzyklopädie, Dörfler Verlag, Eggolsheim, ISBN   978-3-89555-423-0
  7. 1 2 Phasmatodea.com by Hennemann, F. H.; Conle, O. V., Kneubühler, B. & Pablo Valero
  8. ↑ "Phasmid Study Group Culture List". Archived from the original on 2015-10-05. Retrieved 2021-06-16.
  9. ↑ Bank, S.; Buckley, T. R.; Büscher, T. H.; Bresseel, J.; Constant, J.; de Haan, M.; Dittmar, D.; Dräger, H.; Kahar, R. S.; Kang, A.; Kneubühler, B.; Langton-Myers, S. & Bradler, S. (2021). Reconstructing the nonadaptive radiation of an ancient lineage of ground-dwelling stick insects (Phasmatodea: Heteropterygidae) , Systematic Entomology, DOI: 10.1111/syen.12472
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