| Tectarchus huttoni | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Phasmatodea |
| Family: | Phasmatidae |
| Genus: | Tectarchus |
| Species: | T. huttoni |
| Binomial name | |
| Tectarchus huttoni (Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1907) [1] | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Tectarchus huttoni [2] [3] is a species of stick insect in the family Phasmatidae. [4] It is endemic to New Zealand and known as the ridge-backed stick insect. [5]
Tectarchus huttoni is an insect of the order Phasmatodea. The first name of this species was Pachymorpha huttoni [2] created by Brunner von Wattenwyl in 1907. The genus and species Tectarchus diversus was created by Salmon in 1954. [2] [6] The other synonym of this species is Pachymorpha finitima. [2]
Tectarchus huttoni are usually green in color, although light brown forms are also common. Adult females (50– 60 mm) are larger than males. [5] The egg is 3.5 mm long, bilobed at the posterior with a rugged and punctate capsule. It has a smooth keel, a small micropylar plate, and a flat-topped cylindrical capitulum. [6] These species can be found on Astelia epiphytes, rata, ferns and Coprosma. [7] They appear to live and forage naturally in the leaves of these plants [6]
This species is common in forests of North Island New Zealand: The following is a list of locations where the species has been recorded:
-Lake Waikaremoana; Urewera; Nelson; Upper Maitai; Banks Peninsula; Picton; Kennedy's Bush; Mt Te Aroha; Balloon Saddle; Huiarau Ranges; Hutt Valley; Wairarapa; Akatarawa Saddle; Mt Ross, Wairarapa, Orongorongo Valley, Tararua Ranges, Siverstream, Karori, South karori, Miramar, Wilton Bush and Days Bay, Johnston's Hill in Wellington. [6] [8]
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