Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Megaphasma denticrus (Stål)
Orig. Comb: Diapheromera denticrus Stål 1875
Syn: dentricus (spelling)
Size
Longest North American insect, females to 180 mm (7 inches). Helfer (1962)
(1) gives range of 76-150 mm.
Per study conducted by Maginnis et al. (2008), females ranged from 105-135 mm and males ranged from 90-125 mm.
Identification
Both sexes have a row of short femoral spines on the underside of their mid and hind legs, in addition males have a large, single spine on their mid and hind femora:
. (Maginnis et al. 2008)
Color is variable, greenish to reddish-brown, sometimes with white on legs.
Range
c. US (NM-AL-IN-WI) -
Map (1)(2), mostly TX-IA-MS
(3), sometimes locally common
(1)Habitat
found on grapevine, grass, and oak
(1)Life Cycle
Females flick their eggs
to the ground, and can lay up to three eggs per hour and thirteen per day for several months. (Maginnis et al. 2008)
Print References
Helfer (1962), p. 22, fig. 30
(1)
Maginnis, T.L., C.L. Cool and J.L. Muniz. 2008. Some observations on the mating behavior of the giant walkingstick,
Megaphasma dentricus [sic] (Orthoptera: Phasmidae). Texas Journal of Science 60(1): 57-62. (
Full Text)
Wilkins, O.P. & O.P. Breland. 1951. Notes on the giant walking stick, Megaphasma deticrus [sic] (Stål) (Orthoptera: Phasmatidae). Texas Journal of Science 3: 305-310.
Internet References
North America’s longest insect - Beetles in the Bush, Ted C. MacRae, 2009
