Phobaeticus kirbyi

Phobaeticus kirbyi
Female Phobaeticus kirbyi
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Phasmatodea
Family: Phasmatidae
Subfamily: Phasmatinae
Tribe: Pharnaciini
Genus: Phobaeticus
Species: P. kirbyi
Binomial name
Phobaeticus kirbyi
Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1907
Synonyms
  • Baculolonga kirbyi
    (Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1907)
  • Pharnacia kirbyi
    (Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1907)
  • Pharnacia pilicornis
    Redtenbacher, 1908
  • Pharnacia sagitta
    Redtenbacher, 1908
  • Phobaeticus kirbiyii
    Seow-Choen, Grinang & Naming, 2004

Phobaeticus kirbyi is a very long stick insect native to Borneo. The holotype deposited at the Natural History Museum in London measures 328 millimetres (12.9 in) excluding legs and 546 millimetres (21.5 in) including legs. This makes it the second longest known insect in terms of body length, behind Phobaeticus chani with 357 millimetres (14.1 in). Both P. chani and Phobaeticus serratipes exceed it in total length with legs extended.[1][2] However, recent specimens of P. kirbyi have only reached 283 millimetres (11.1 in) in body length.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b Brock, P.D. 1999. The amazing world of stick and leaf-insects. Cravitz Printing Co., Essex, England.
  2. ^ "World's longest insect revealed". Natural History Museum. 2008-10-16. http://www.nhm.ac.uk/about-us/news/2008/october/worlds-longest-insect-revealed.html. Retrieved 2008-10-16. 

External links