Vol. 62, 2023

(update: 2023.5.23)

Taxonomic Revision, Morphology and Natural History of the Stick Insect Genus Xerosoma Serville, 1831 (Insecta: Phasmatodea)

¹Faculdade de Ciências e Letras de Assis - Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Av. Dom Antônio, 2100, Parque Universitário, Assis/SP, CEP 19806-900. *Correspondence: E-mail: engelking.phillip@gmail.com (Engelking).
E-mail: pcbispo@gmail.com (Bispo)
²Museu de Zoologia da Universidade de São Paulo (MZUSP), Av. Nazaré, 481 - Ipiranga, São Paulo - SP, 04263-000, Brazil. E-mail: victorghirotto@hotmail.com (Ghirotto); lanrhartan@gmail.com (Crispino)
³Functional Morphology and Biomechanics, Kiel University, 10th floor, Am Botanischen Garten 1-9 D - 24118, Kiel, Germany. E-mail: tbuescher@zoologie.uni-kiel.de (Büscher)
⁴Programa de pós-graduação em zoologia da Universidade Federal do Amazonas, Av. General Rodrigo Octávio, 6200 - Coroado I, Manaus – AM, 69080-900, Brazil. E-mail: raphaelnatal36@gmail.com (Heleodoro)
⁵Projeto Phasma, Brazil. E-mail: alvaro3dssa@gmail.com (Neves)

(Received 18 May 2022 / Accepted 28 April 2023 / Published -- 2023)
Communicated by Y. Miles Zhang

Stick insects (Phasmatodea) are quite diverse in the Neotropical region. Among them, Xerosoma Serville belongs to Pseudophasmatidae and comprises winged, roughly brownish phasmids that resemble bark or dry branches and inhabit the Atlantic Forest in Brazil. In this study, we present a redescription and revision of the genus that include three valid species, Xerosoma canaliculatum, Xerosoma michaelis, and Xerosoma nannospinus sp. nov.. Xerosoma senticosum syn. nov. was found to be a junior synonym of X. canaliculatum. We also provide an identification key and geographic records for these three species. Additionally, we present a detailed study on the morphology and natural history of X. canaliculatum with the description of its nymphal stages, egg, male genitalia, ontogeny, oviposition method, life habits, defense mechanisms, mating behavior, and other aspects regarding its biology. The study also highlights the shortcomings related to the classification ofXerosomatinae since its tribes find themselves without proper characterization of their type species and containing heterogeneous genera. We expect to provide a basis for a proper diagnosis of Xerosomatinae and encourage future studies on this group, as there is still much to be discovered about this lineage of Neotropical stick insects.

Key words: Animal behavior, Atlantic Forest, Brazilian fauna, Mating behavior, Taxonomy.

Citation: Engelking PW, Ghirotto VM, Crispino EB, Büscher TH, Heleodoro RA, Neves PABA, and Bispo PC. 2023. Taxonomic revision, morphology and natural history of the stick insect Genus Xerosoma Serville, 1831 (Insecta: Phasmatodea). Zool Stud 62:31.

We follow the code of the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature, taxonomic papers with new species/genus descriptions will not have early view version:.

Supplementary materials: Fig. S1丨Fig. S2丨Supplementary link丨Video S1丨Video S2