Tisamenus makinis

Last updated

Tisamenus makinis
Tisamenus makinis male HT.jpg
Tisamenus makinis, male holotype
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Phasmatodea
Family: Heteropterygidae
Subfamily: Obriminae
Tribe: Obrimini
Genus: Tisamenus
Species:
T. makinis
Binomial name
Tisamenus makinis
Hennemann, 2005

Tisamenus makinis is a species of stick insect in the family Heteropterygidae native to the east of Philippine island of Luzon. [1] [2]

Contents


Description

Tisamenus makinis is a rather small and completely spineless Tisamenus species. The only described specimen is a male, measuring 30.8 millimetres (1.21 in) in length. It closely resembles that of Tisamenus summaleonilae , but lacks an anterior spine on the pronotum and a pleural spine on the metathorax. As in Tisamenus summaleonilae, the mesonotum and metanotum widen posteriorly, forming a trapezoid. In Tisamenus makinis, not only are the spines completely absent from the body, but the spines on the legs are also almost completely reduced. The triangle on the mesonotum, typical of the genus, is clearly raised. Its outer ridges are very poorly developed, flat, and barely recognizable. It shares the reduced body spines with Tisamenus kalahani , although Tisamenus makinis has a significantly more compact overall shape and lacks the large spines on the anterior edge of the pronotum (pronotale) present in Tisamenus kalahani. Furthermore, the edges of the triangle on the mesonotum are significantly more pronounced in Tisamenus kalahani, and its mesonotum and metanotum run parallel. [1] [3]

Distribution, discovery and taxonomy

The only known specimen of this species comes from the province of Isabela in eastern Luzon, where it was collected by Ismael Lumawig in Didin in September 2014. This specimen, later in the collection of the Museum of Natural Sciences in Brussels, was examined by Frank H. Hennemann as part of a taxonomic revision of the genus Tisamenus and described as Tisamenus makinis in 2025. After the species description, the specimen was deposited as the holotype at the Museum of Natural Sciences in Brussels. The species name "makinis" chosen by Hennemann means "smooth" in Filipino and refers to the reduced body structures of this slender and smooth species. [1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Hennemann, F. H. (2025), "A taxonomic review of Philippine Obrimini stick insects: The genus Tisamenus Stål, 1875 (Insecta: Phasmatodea: Heteropterygidae: Obriminae)", Faunitaxys, vol. 13, no. 24, pp. 8–11 & 55–57, doi:10.57800/faunitaxys-13(24)
  2. Brock, P. D.; Büscher, T. H. & Baker, E. W.: Phasmida Species File Online (accessdate 3 August 2025)
  3. Lit jr. I. L. & Eusebio O. L. (2005). A list of Philippine stick-insects of the genus Tisamenus Stal 1875 (Phasmatodea: Heteropterygidae: Eubulidini) with descriptions of two new species from Luzon Island. Asia Life Sciences 14 (2), pp. 207–215