Acanthoxyla prasina

Acanthoxyla prasina, the prickly stick insect, is a stick insect in the order Phasmatodea and the family Phasmatidae.[1] It is native throughout New Zealand, although it is less frequently reported than "common" stick insect species. It has been introduced to Britain, predominantly Cornwall and Devon, and to the south-west region of the Republic of Ireland.[2][3] It has a thorny skin, which is used as camouflage.[4]

Prickly stick insect
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Phasmatodea
Family: Phasmatidae
Genus: Acanthoxyla
Species:
A. prasina
Binomial name
Acanthoxyla prasina
(Westwood, 1859)
Synonyms
  • Acanthoderus prasinus Westwood, 1859
  • Acanthoxyla speciosa Salmon, 1955

Description

Acanthoxyla prasina occurs in both green and brown colour morphs, displaying an array of black-tipped spines along its body. The species typically measures between 8 cm and 10 cm in length. Acanthoxyla prasina exclusively consists of females. Reproduction occurs without males through a mechanism called obligate parthenogenesis, which is a form of asexual reproduction. Eggs will hatch during the spring and summer and the nymphs undergo multiple molts until they reach adulthood.[5]

Distribution and habitat

Native range

Acanthoxyla prasina can be found throughout New Zealand, where it was originally endemic.[6]

Introduced range

Acanthoxyla prasina has been introduced to the United Kingdom, predominantly Cornwall and Devon, and to the south-west region of the Republic of Ireland.[2] No male had ever been seen within the species or genus Acanthoxyla until 2016 when one was discovered within the introduced population from Cornwall.[7] This single male individual was the result of a rare mutation. It is unknown if the male was capable of producing sperm or inseminating females as the specimen was killed, dried and added to part of the collection at the Natural History Museum in London.[8]

Acanthoxyla prasina egg illustration by Des Helmore

See also

References
  1. "Acanthoxyla prasina (Westwood, 1859)". phasmida.speciesfile.org. 2021. Archived from the original on 2016-03-29. Retrieved 2021-03-07.
  2. "Acanthoxyla prasina (National Biodiversity Network Atlas)". nbnatlas.org. 2021. Retrieved 2021-07-17.
  3. Lee, Malcolm (1998). "An updated survey of the distribution of the stick insects of Britain" (PDF). Phasmid Studies. 7 (1): 18–25. Retrieved 2021-07-17.
  4. "Insect poses prickly questions" on Otago Daily Times website, viewed 2013-10-16
  5. "PRICKLY STICK INSECT Acanthoxyla prasina". Entomological Society of New Zealand. 2023-06-03. Retrieved 2023-06-03.
  6. "Species Details". New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS). 2023-06-03. Retrieved 2023-06-03.
  7. Brock, Paul D; Lee, Malcolm; Morgan-Richards, Mary; Trewick, Steven A (2017). "Missing stickman found: the first male of the parthenogenetic New Zealand phasmid genusacanthoxyla uvarov, 1944, discovered in the united kingdom". Acropos (60): 16–23. ISSN 1478-8128. Retrieved 2021-07-17.
  8. ainge Roy, Eleanor (2018-02-06). "New Zealand female-only stick insect produces 'rogue' male in UK". The Guardian. Retrieved 2021-07-17.
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