Tisamenus fratercula is a stick insect species native to the Philippine island Luzon.[1]
| Tisamenus fratercula | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Phasmatodea |
| Family: | Heteropterygidae |
| Subfamily: | Obriminae |
| Tribe: | Obrimini |
| Genus: | Tisamenus |
| Species: | T. fratercula
|
| Binomial name | |
| Tisamenus fratercula (Rehn, J.A.G. & Rehn, J.W.H., 1939)
| |
| Synonyms[1] | |
| |
Taxonomy
editJames Abram Garfield Rehn and his son John William Holman Rehn described the species in 1939 as Hoploclonia fratercula. A male collected by W. Boetcher in Butucan in today's Batangas Province was deposited as holotype in the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University. Females of the species have not been described. Rehn and Rehn placed the species in the Deplanata group they established within the genus. According to their description, this unites with Hoploclonia fratercula, Hoploclonia deplanata (today Tisamenus deplanatus), Hoploclonia cervicornis (today Tisamenus cervicornis), Hoploclonia armadillo (today Tisamenus armadillo), Hoploclonia spadix (today Tisamenus spadix) and Hoploclonia tagalog (today Tisamenus tagalog), relatively unspined species, with a flat upper surface, which except for the supra coxal spines on the edges of the thorax show no spines, but at most teeth.[2] In 2004 the Filipino species were transferred back to the genus Tisamenus and only those occurring on Borneo were left in the genus Hoploclonia, the species is referred to as Tisamenus fratercula.[1][3]
After animals from the Ilocos region were discovered in 2014 that resembled the animals already in breeding from Pocdol, there was a brief discussion as to whether both species were conspecific. Frank H. Hennemann initially identified these animals as Tisamenus fratercula, but later revised his view and assigned the animals from Ilocos to Tisamenus deplanatus and those from Pocdol to Tisamenus cervicornis.[4]
Description
editMales of Tisamenus fratercula are chocolate brown and reach a length of 35 to 45 millimetres (1.4 to 1.8 in). In contrast to Tisamenus deplanatus, the triangular area on the mesonotum typical for the genus is significantly longer and forms an isosceles triangle. The lateral mesonotum margins are not curved upwards as in other representatives of the genus, but rather flat. At the front base of the triangle on the mesonotum, the corners are drawn out into small spines. In contrast to the very similar Tisamenus tagalog, there is a clearly recognizable longitudinal edge on the triangle. Another difference to this species are the posteriores formed as paired spines on the second to fourth tergite of the abdomen in Tisamenus fratercula. On the fifth, these are only formed as tubercles. In the case of Tisamenus tagalog, all posterior parts of the abdomen are only formed as tubercles. The body structures of the wider females are similar to those of the males. They are lighter and more contrasty in color than the males and grow up to 55 millimetres (2.2 in) long.[2]
References
edit- ^ a b c Brock, P. D.; Büscher, T. H. & Baker, E. W.: Phasmida Species File Online. Version 5.0./5.0. (accessdate 2 August 2021)
- ^ a b Rehn, J. A. G. & Rehn, J. W. H. (1939). Proceedings of The Academy of Natural Sciences (Vol. 90, 1938), Philadelphia, pp. 460–484
- ^ Zompro, O. (2004). Revision of the genera of the Areolatae, including the status of Timema and Agathemera (Insecta, Phasmatodea), Goecke & Evers, Keltern-Weiler, pp. 200–207, ISBN 978-3931374396
- ^ Information about Tisamenus deplanatus (here named as Tisamenus fratercula 'Ilocos' on Phasmatodea.com by Hennemann, F. H.]; Conle, O. V.; Kneubühler, B. & Valero, P.
External links
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Data related to Tisamenus fratercula at Wikispecies
Media related to Tisamenus fratercula at Wikimedia Commons
