| Trachyaretaon echinatus | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Trachyaretaon echinatus, female from North Luzon | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Phasmatodea |
| Family: | Heteropterygidae |
| Subfamily: | Obriminae |
| Tribe: | Obrimini |
| Genus: | Trachyaretaon |
| Species: | T. echinatus |
| Binomial name | |
| Trachyaretaon echinatus (Stål, 1877) | |
Trachyaretaon echinatus is the type species of the genus Trachyaretaon in the order of the stick insects.
The females of Trachyaretaon echinatus reach lengths of 71 to 86 millimetres (2.8 to 3.4 in). Males grow up to 47 to 48 millimetres (1.9 to 1.9 in) long. The lively green-brown to black-brown and very variable coloring can be dominated by dark green tones in the females. In addition to black areas on the front segments of the abdomen, they can also have white bands on the femurs or a white triangle on the pronotum. They are morphologically similar to those of the slightly smaller Trachyaretaon gatla , in which the supraanal plate (epiproct), i.e. the eleventh tergite, as well as the seventh sternite of the abdomen is clearly notched, while in the females of Trachyaretaon echinatus it ends rounded or truncated. The abdominal tergites two to seven are almost twice as wide as long, the tergites six to nine are smooth or indistinctly keeled, unlike in Trachyaretaon gatla. Compared to the significantly larger and less spined Trachyaretaon carmelae , the tiny spines between the large teeth on the ventral carina of the meso- and metafemurs are missing in both sexes. [1] [2] [3] [4]
While only the Philippines are mentioned as the original locality, [5] in subsequent works the islands Luzon, Sibuyan and Masbate are mentioned as the distribution area. Because the specimens described from outside Luton are all nymphs, the locations outside of Luzon cannot be confirmed with certainty. [6] On Luzon, specimens have been found in the provinces Mountain Province, Nueva Vizcaya, Aurora, Quezon and Sorsogon. [4]
Mango and guava are known to be food plants for Trachyaretaon echinatus. Since both crops are in the range of the species, it is sometimes considered a pest species there. [7] The females lay the eggs, which are about 4 to 45 millimetres (0.16 to 1.77 in) long and 2 to 25 millimetres (0.079 to 0.984 in) wide and high, in clutches of 10 to 15 pieces in the ground at a depth of only about 1 centimetre (0.39 in). The nymphs, which are 41 millimetres (1.6 in) long, hatch after about four to five months. Females need about six months to become adult and another five to six weeks before they begin laying eggs. After that, a clutch of eggs is laid approximately every two to three weeks. [8] [9]
Carl Stål described the species in 1877 under the basionym Obrimus echinatus using a 77 millimetres (3.0 in) long female, [5] which is deposited as a holotype in the Naturhistoriska riksmuseet in Stockholm. [10] The species name "echinatus" refers to the prickly body surface (ancient Greek echínos (ἐχῖνος) for Sea urchins (Echinoidea)). In 1939 James Abram Garfield Rehn and his son John W. H. Rehn described the genus Aretaon with the subgenera Aretaon and Trachyaretaon . In the subgenus Trachyaretaon she transferred as the only species Obrimus echinatus, which was thus referred to as Aretaon (Trachyaretaon) echinatus. [6] In 2004, Oliver Zompro elevated this subgenus to the rank of a genus, the type species of which is Trachyaretaon echinatus. [2]
Two parthenogenetic breeding lines of the species can be found in the terrariums of the enthusiasts. The first goes back to females that Dave Navarro collected in northern Luzon in 2008. They formed the basis of a stock initially referred to as Trachyaretaon sp. 'North-Luzon'. [8] Local naturalists found in the province of Nueva Vizcaya near the Imugan Falls in June 2015 females from a very similar population at two independent locations. Because only females hatched from the eggs of the adult collected females, it is assumed that the species occurs purely parthenogenetically in this region. The representatives of the resulting breeding strain were named Trachyaretaon sp. 'Imugan Falls'. They were first raised and distributed by Bruno Kneubühler. [9] Frank H. Hennemann identified the representatives of these two tribes in 2023 as Trachyaretaon echinatus. [4]
Two sexual breeding lines collected on Luzon in 2009 and 2010 were temporarily referred to as Trachyaretaon echinatus. The specimens collected in Aurora Province in 2009 were initially referred to as Trachyaretaon echinatus. After additional animals were found in 2010, they were named Trachyaretaon sp. 'Aurora'. Until 2023, a stock collected in Marinfata on the road to Infanta in 2010 were considered Trachyaretaon echinatus. [11] Both breeding lines were identified by Hennemann in 2023 as representatives of a new species, which he described as Trachyaretaon bresseeli . [4]
Keeping and breeding is considered easy. A wide variety of forage plants such as bramble, hazel, firethorn and ivy are eaten. Moderately moist terrariums with substrate for laying eggs are required for breeding. [8] [9]
Sungaya is a genus of stick insects which is endemic to the Philippine island of Luzon.
The Heteropterygidae is a family of stick insects belonging to the suborder Euphasmatodea. Species can be found in Australasia, East and Southeast Asia. About 150 valid species have been described.
Sungaya inexpectata is a species of stick insects and the type species of genus Sungaya. The species name is derived from the Latin as "inexpectatus" and means "unexpected". Its common name is sunny stick insect, derived from the less commonly used sungay stick insect, which in turn refers to the place where the species was found.
The Obriminae are the most species-rich subfamily of the Phasmatodea family Heteropterygidae native to Southeast Asia. It is divided into two tribe.
The Obrimini are the most species-rich tribe of the Phasmatodea family of the Heteropterygidae native to Southeast Asia.
Trachyaretaon is a genus of stick insects native to the Philippines.
Brasidas is a genus of stick insects that is native to the Philippines and is named after the Spartan general Brasidas
Eubulides is a stick insect genus native to the Philippines.
Theramenes is a genus of medium-sized stick insects in the tribe Obrimini, which is native to the Philippines and to the Indonesian Talaud Islands.
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.
Orestes guangxiensis is a representative of the genus Orestes.
Trachyaretaon carmelae is a species of stick insects. It is one of the largest in the subfamily Obriminae.
Trachyaretaon gatla is a species of Phasmatodea native to the Philippine island Palawan.
Tisamenus fratercula is a stick insect species native to the Philippine island Luzon.
Stenobrimus is a genus of medium-sized stick insects native to the Philippines.
Brasidas cavernosus is a representative of the stick insects native to the Philippine island Luzon. It is considered one of the largest species in the subfamily Obriminae.
Pterobrimus is a monotypic genus of stick insects (Phasmatodea), containing the species Pterobrimus depressus, which is native to Fiji.
Tisamenus hebardi is a stick insect species (Phasmatodea), in the family of the Heteropterygidae endemic to the north of the Philippine island of Luzon.
Brasidas lacerta is a species of stick insect in the family Heteropterygidae which is endemic to Mindanao. Due to its extreme variability, and the nymphs being spinier than to the adults, the species has been described under other names, resulting in a total of seven synonyms.
Trachyaretaon bresseeli is a species of stick insects in the family Heteropterygidae. It is native to the Philippine island Luzon.
Data related to Trachyaretaon echinatus at Wikispecies
Media related to Trachyaretaon echinatus at Wikimedia Commons