Phasmatodea comprises over 3,000 extant species and stands out as one of the last remaining insect orders for which a robust, higher-level phylogenetic hypothesis is lacking. New research suggests that diversity result surprisingly recent rapid radiation has been difficult to resolve with standard Sanger sequence data. In order early branching events stick leaf insects, we analyzed transcriptomes from 61 species, including 38 comprising all major clades 23 outgroup taxa, other Polyneoptera...

Stick and leaf insects (Phasmatodea) are large, tropical, predominantly nocturnal herbivores, which exhibit extreme masquerade crypsis, whereby they morphologically behaviorally resemble twigs, bark, lichen, moss, leaves. Females employ a wide range of egg-laying techniques, largely corresponding to their ecological niche, including dropping or flicking eggs the forest floor, gluing plant substrate, skewering through leaves, ovipositing directly into soil, even producing complex ootheca....

The re-evolution of complex characters is generally considered impossible, yet, studies recent years have provided several examples phenotypic reversals shown to violate Dollo's law. Along these lines, the regain wings in stick and leaf insects (Phasmatodea) was hypothesised occurred times independently after an ancestral loss, a scenario controversially discussed among evolutionary biologists due overestimation potential for trait reacquisition as well lack taxonomic data.We revisited...

The ‘tree lobsters’ are an enigmatic group of robust, ground-dwelling stick insects (order Phasmatodea) from the subfamily Eurycanthinae, distributed in New Guinea, Caledonia and associated islands. Its most famous member is Lord Howe Island insect Dryococelus australis (Montrouzier), which was believed to have become extinct but rediscovered 2001 considered be one rarest world. To resolve evolutionary position , we constructed a phylogeny approximately 2.4 kb mitochondrial nuclear sequence...

Stick and leaf insects (insect order Phasmatodea) are represented primarily by twig-imitating slender forms. Only a small percentage (≈1%) of extant phasmids belong to the (Phylliinae), which exhibit an extreme form morphological behavioral mimicry. Fossils phasmid extremely rare worldwide. Here we report first fossil insect, Eophyllium messelensis gen. et sp. nov., from 47-million-year-old deposits at Messel in Germany. The new specimen, male, is exquisitely preserved displays same...

Abstract The eggs of stick and leaf insects (Phasmatodea) bear strong resemblance to plant seeds are commonly dispersed by females dropping them the litter. Here we report a novel egg-deposition mode for Phasmatodea performed an undescribed Vietnamese species enigmatic subfamily Korinninae that produces complex egg case (ootheca), containing numerous in highly ordered arrangement. This is most reminiscent cases produced members unrelated insect orders, e.g. praying mantises (Mantodea)...

Abstract Background The study of islands as model systems plays a key role in understanding many evolutionary processes. Knowledge the historical events leading to present-day island communities is pivotal for exploring fundamental mechanisms speciation and adaptation. remote Mascarene archipelago (Mauritius, Réunion, Rodrigues), considered be product an age-progressive trend north-to-south volcanic activity Indian Ocean, hosts remarkably diverse, endemic threatened concentration flora fauna...

Insects have developed specialized structures on their feet for adhering to surfaces, with stick and leaf insects or Phasmatodea exhibiting an unexpectedly high diversity of these structures. In Phasmatodea, attachment different substrates is achieved by two types pads the legs: euplantulae tarsomeres arolium pretarsus. The are adhesive capable adaptability substrate profile generation required strength. euplantular microstructures 56 species that represent all major lineages recognized...

Abstract Genes acquired by horizontal transfer are increasingly being found in animal genomes. Understanding their origin and evolution requires knowledge about the phylogenetic relationships from both source recipient organisms. We used RNASeq data respective assembled transcript libraries to trace evolutionary history of polygalacturonase (pectinase) genes stick insects (Phasmatodea). By mapping distribution pectinase on a Polyneoptera phylogeny, we identified known phasmatodean gut...

Abstract The insect order Phasmatodea is known for large slender insects masquerading as twigs or bark. In contrast to these so-called stick insects, the subordinated clade of leaf (Phylliidae) are dorso-ventrally flattened and therefore resemble leaves in a unique way. Here we show that origin extant lies Australasian/Pacific region with subsequent dispersal westwards mainland Asia colonisation most Southeast Asian landmasses. We further hypothesise originated Early Eocene after emergence...

Abstract The phasmatodeans or stick and leaf insects are considered to be a mesodiverse insect order with more than 3000 species reported mainly from the tropics. subfamily N ecrosciinae comprises approximately 700 described in 60 genera O riental A ustralian region, forming most species‐rich traditionally recognized within P hasmatodea. However, monophyly of this taxon has never been thoroughly tested evolutionary relationships among its members unknown. We analyse three nuclear ( 18S 28S r...

Abstract Friedemann K., Wipfler B., Bradler S. and Beutel R.G. 2011 . On the head morphology of Phyllium phylogenetic relationships Phasmatodea (Insecta). — Acta Zoologica (Stockholm) 00 : 1–16. External internal structures siccifolium are described in detail. The findings compared with conditions found other phasmatodeans members neopteran lineages. compiled 125 characters were analysed cladistically. A clade Eukinolabia (Phasmatodea + Embioptera) was confirmed. Synapomorphies these two...

Abstract Stick and leaf insects (Phasmatodea) are large terrestrial herbivorous arthropods known for masquerading as plant parts such bark, twigs leaves. Their evolutionary history is largely shaped by convergent evolution associated with adaptive radiations on geographically isolated landmasses that have repeatedly generated ground‐dwelling ecomorphs. The members of one lineage, however, the Oriental Heteropterygidae, morphologically rather uniform, a predominantly lifestyle. phylogeny...

The Lanceocercata are a clade of stick insects (Phasmatodea) that have undergone an impressive evolutionary radiation in Australia, New Caledonia, the Mascarene Islands and areas Pacific. Previous research showed this also contained at least two nine Zealand insect genera. We constructed phylogeny using 2277 bp mitochondrial nuclear DNA sequence data to determine whether all genera indeed fauna is monophyletic. were obtained from cytochrome oxidase subunits I II large subunit ribosomal RNA...

Background Fossil species that can be conclusively identified as stem-relatives of stick- and leaf-insects (Phasmatodea) are extremely rare, especially for the Mesozoic era. This dearth in paleontological record makes assessments on origin age group problematic impedes investigations evolutionary key aspects, such wing development, sexual size dimorphism plant mimicry. Methodology/Principal Findings A new fossil insect species, Cretophasmomima melanogramma Wang, Béthoux Ren sp. nov., is...

Abstract Phylliidae are herbivorous insects exhibiting impressive cryptic masquerade and colloquially called “walking leaves”. They imitate angiosperm leaves their eggs often resemble plant seeds structurally in some cases functionally. Despite overall morphological similarity of adult Phylliidae, reveal a significant diversity shape exochorionic surface features. Previous studies have shown that the most possess specialised attachment mechanism with hierarchical fan-like structures...

The recently described Gallophasma longipalpis from Earliest Eocene French amber is considered to be a key fossil taxon that phylogenetically links ‘Mesozoic Phasmatodea’ with extant stick and leaf insects. However, our re‐evaluation of the evidence provided for this placement reveals does not possess any unambiguous synapomorphies forms, e.g. neither Euphasmatodea nor more inclusive Phasmatodea. fusion abdominal segment 1 metathoracic segment, derived character state present in both...

Achrioptera is a taxon of extremely large and exceptionally colorful stick insects endemic to Madagascar the Comoros Archipelago. We study phylogenetic position Achriopterini, comprising genera Glawiana, based on multigene phylogeny conclude that it sister group other Madagascan phasmids (Anisacanthidae) rather than Neotropical or Australo-Pacific groups as was suggested in previous morphology. Our results also point unresolved relationships (potential paraphyly Achrioptera), taxonomic...

Within the last two years, leaf insects of genus Phyllium both islands Java and Sumatra have been reviewed extensively based on morphological observations. However, cryptic species which cannot be differentiated morphologically may present among various populations. Since it has frequently demonstrated that analyses molecular data can bring clarity in such cases, we conducted a phylogenetic analysis three genes (nuclear gene 28S mitochondrial COI 16S) from these islands. The results show...

While the leaf insects (Phylliidae) are a well-supported group within Phasmatodea, genus Phyllium Illiger, 1798 has repeatedly been recovered as paraphyletic. Here, (Phyllium) celebicum species is reviewed and its distinctiveness from remaining Phylliini genera subgenera in phylogenetic context based on morphological review analysis of three genes (nuclear gene 28S mitochondrial COI 16S) most known multiple undescribed shown. A new genus, Cryptophyllium gen. nov. , erected to partially...