Biology:Acrophylla titan
| Acrophylla titan | |
|---|---|
| |
| Adult female (pinned specimen) | |
Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Phasmatodea |
| Infraorder: | Anareolatae |
| Family: | Phasmatidae |
| Subfamily: | Phasmatinae |
| Genus: | Acrophylla |
| Species: | A. titan
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| Binomial name | |
| Acrophylla titan Macleay, 1827
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| Synonyms | |
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Acrophylla titan, the titan stick insect, is the third-longest stick insect found in Australia. First described by William Sharp Macleay in 1826,[2] it was considered to be the longest stick insect in the world until the discovery of Ctenomorpha gargantua.[3]
It is native to south-east Queensland and New South Wales.
Description
Titan stick insects are pale brown-grey in color and can grow up to 26 centimetres (10 in) in body length. Their long, wavy cerci are a unique trait of the species.[2] Males and females can be easily distinguished due to the females being larger and having sharp spines on the legs.[4] Males are able to fly but females are flightless.
Breeding
A. titan breeds during winter/summer. During the mating process, the male connects his abdomen to the lower part of the female's egg compartment. Mating can take up to 40 minutes and is repeated several times. A single female will typically produce 200 to 1000 eggs in her lifetime. However, A. titan also holds the record for most eggs laid by a single phasmid due to one female laying over 2,050 eggs.[2]
The females then flick their eggs to the ground. The eggs look similar to those of the Children's stick insect (Tropidoderus childrenii) but they are black-grey with a small white growth. Ants pick them up and eat the growth, and leave the egg in the refinery where they hatch.
See also
- List of Australian stick insects and mantids
- Spur legged phasmid
- Children's stick insect
- Goliath stick insect
References
- ↑ Rudolf, E.; Brock, P. (2017). "Acrophylla titan". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2017. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-3.RLTS.T78791411A78792127.en. https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/78791411/78792127. Retrieved 6 February 2025.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Brock, Paul D.; Hasenpusch, Jack W. (2009). Complete Field Guide to Leaf and Stick Insects of Australia. Csiro. ISBN 978-0-643-09418-5. https://books.google.com/books?id=Yhk4VPZPdX0C&q=titan.
- ↑ "Ctenomorpha gargantua". Species. GBIF. http://www.gbif.org/species/119347685.
- ↑ Jon Veenstra (2013). "Husbandry Guidelines for Titan Stick Insect Acrophylla titan Insecta: Phasmatodea: Phasmatidea". https://aszk.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Titan-Stick-Insect-Acrophylla-titan-Veenstra-J.-2013.pdf.
External links
- Phasmid Study Group: Acrophylla titan
- Brisbane Insects: Titan Stick Insect
- Queensland Museum Factsheet
- Bugs Ed: Titan Stick Insect
Wikidata ☰ Q481994 entry
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