Acanthoxyla inermis (Salmon, 1955)
Unarmed Stick-insect
Taxonomy:
- Phasmida›Phasmatidae›Acanthoxyla inermis
Status:
Distribution
Colours show the year of the last record -
| up to 1987 | 1988-97 | 1998 up to present |
Only Recording Scheme datasets are included. Other datasets on the Gateway may hold additional information.
Description:
Green or brown. The Unarmed Stick-insect and the Smooth Stick-insect appear similar at first glance. They can distinguished because the Smooth Stick-insect has a near continuous black line along its thorax, has pointed cerci, and has no opercular spine, whereas the Unarmed Stick-insect has a black line on the pronotum only, has rounded cerci, and has a stout opercular spine.
Size:
Food:
Herbivorous.
Habitat:
Native to New Zealand. Recorded in the UK (predominantly Devon and Cornwall distribution). Two likely periods of introduction 1920’s and 1970’s.
Phenology:
Adult insects can be seen from April through to December. The species can breed parthenogenetically, that is, eggs develop without the need for fertilization by a male. Indeed, Acanthoxyla males are unknown, even in their native country.