| Eurycantha calcarata | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Phasmatodea |
| Family: | Lonchodidae |
| Genus: | Eurycantha |
| Species: | E. calcarata |
| Binomial name | |
| Eurycantha calcarata (Lucas, 1869) [1] | |
| Synonyms | |
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Eurycantha calcarata (common names thorny devil stick insect [2] and giant spiny stick insect [3] ) is a species of phasmid endemic to Australasia.
Eurycantha calcarata is native to New Guinea, New Caledonia, and the Solomon Islands. Typical habitat includes warm humid rainforest where it is found in foliage and ground litter. [2]
The thorny devil color ranges from light brown to black and resembles bark or rotten wood. Both sexes are wingless and armored with spines on body and legs. Exhibiting the sexual dimorphism of many similar insects (particularly other phasmids as well as mantises), males are small and thinner, less than 9-10 cm long while females are typically 14 cm in length. The male has enlarged hind leg femurs with a curved spine or thorn on the underneath side, large enough to be used as a fish hook in New Guinea. Females (only) have a larger abdomen tipped with an ovipositor. [2]
Thorny devils are nocturnal feeders and group together during the day to hide under bark and in trees hollows, providing protection from predators. Like other types of stick insects they use crypsis and catalepsy to evade predators. [2]
Eurycantha calcarata typically reproduce through sexual reproduction and produce eggs that hatch 4.5-6.5 months later. When no males are present in the population, this stick insect exhibits parthenogenesis instead. Eggs are typically 8.2 mm in length and 4 mm wide, with a somewhat cylindrical shape. Egg color can vary from shades of brown to grey and surface texture is rough and shiny. [1]
Males actively fight for mating rights with females. The females have a tail like structure known as the ovipositor, which is used to lay eggs under soft soil. The eggs tend to resemble plant seeds covered by a hard shell. After about 4 months’ incomplete metamorphosis takes place when the nymphs hatch out. Once hatched they are brown in colour and are about 30 – 40 mm long. The defenseless nymphs crawl up food plants to collect at the top. [4]
Eurycantha calcarata are herbivores, consuming forest leaves including eucalyptus, ficus, bramble, raspberry, rose, cherry laurel and guava. [2]
Insects in the family Tettigoniidae are commonly called katydids, or bush crickets. They have previously been known as "long-horned grasshoppers". More than 6,400 species are known. Part of the suborder Ensifera, the Tettigoniidae are the only extant (living) family in the superfamily Tettigonioidea.
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 include the world's longest insects.
Extatosoma tiaratum, commonly known as the spiny leaf insect, the giant prickly stick insect, Macleay's spectre, or the Australian walking stick, is a large species of Australian stick insect endemic to Australia. The species has the Phasmid Study Group number PSG9.
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.
Argosarchus is a monotypic genus in the family Phasmatidae containing the single species Argosarchus horridus, or the New Zealand bristly stick insect, a stick insect endemic to New Zealand. The name "horridus" means bristly in Latin, likely referring to its spiny thorax.
Deinacrida fallai or the Poor Knights giant wētā is a species of insect in the family Anostostomatidae. It is endemic to the Poor Knights Islands off northern New Zealand. D. fallai are commonly called giant wētā due to their large size. They are one of the largest insects in the world, with a body length measuring up to 73 mm. Their size is an example of island gigantism. They are classified as vulnerable by the IUCN due to their restricted distribution.
The European stick insect also called the European stick bug or the European walking stick and the Mediterranean stick insect is a species of stick insect, common in Europe. The species is endemic to the northwestern Mediterranean, especially Spain, Southern France, Italy and the Balkans.
Tropidoderus childrenii, the Children's stick insect, was first described in 1833 by Gray.
Eurycnema goliath, commonly known as the goliath stick insect, or the regal stick insect, is a large species of stick insect in the family Phasmatidae, endemic to Australia and considered one of the largest species of stick insects in the country. The species has the Phasmid Study Group number PSG14.
Anchiale austrotessulata, the tessellated stick insect, tessellated phasmid or tessulata stick insect, is a medium-sized, stick insect found in the Brisbane area of Australia. Fully grown males in mating season exhibit frenetic behaviour. This species is also parthenogenetic.
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".
Eurycantha horrida, the thorny devil walking stick, is a species belonging to the stick insects and to the family Phasmatidae.
Hoploclonia is the only genus of the tribe Hoplocloniini and brings together relatively small and darkly colored Phasmatodea species.
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.
Trachyaretaon carmelae is a species of stick insects. Even if there was no formal synonymisation, Trachyaretaon brueckneri is generally used as its synonym.
Brasidas samarensis is stick insect species from the family Heteropterygidae. Occasionally it is named Samar stick insect according to their origin. In addition is the type species of the genus Brasidas, which was named after the Spartan officer Brasidas.
Hoploclonia cuspidata is a stick insect species native to the north of Borneo and is also called Brunei Hoploclonia 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.
Haaniella erringtoniae is a stick insect species. It is a typical representative of the subfamily Heteropteryginae. The occasionally used common name Errington's Haaniella refers to the species name.
Haaniella dehaanii is a stick insect species. It is a typical representative of the subfamily Heteropteryginae. The occasionally used common name De Haan's haaniella refers to the species name.
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