Phylliidae

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iLeaf Insects
Phyllium from the Western Ghats
Phyllium from the Western Ghats
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Subclass: Pterygota
Infraclass: Neoptera
Order: Phasmatodea
Superfamily: Phyllioidea
Family: Phylliidae
Redtenbacher, 1906
genera

Chitoniscus
Microphyllium
Nanophyllium
Phyllium

The family Phylliidae (often misspelled Phyllidae) contains the true leaf insects or walkingleaves, which include some of the most remarkable leaf mimics in the entire animal kingdom. They occur from South Asia through Southeast Asia to Australia. At present, there seems to be no consensus as to the preferred classification of this group; some sources treat Phylliidae as a much larger taxon, containing the members of what are presently considered to be several different families. It is used here in its most restricted sense.

[edit] References

Bradley, J.C., and Galil, B.S. (1977). The taxonomic arrangement of the Phasmatodea with keys to the subfamilies and tribes. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington, 79(2): 176-208.