title: A new genus and new species of Philippine stick insects (Insecta: Phasmatodea) and phylogenetic considerations.
abstract: Based on characters of both sexes, a new genus and species of the basal euphasmatodean lineage Aschiphasmatidae is described and figured from the Philippines. Dallaiphasma eximius gen. et sp. n. displays interesting features for the group, including: a cone-shaped vertex, which is notably raised above the pronotum; the tibial area apicalis represented by a depressed membranous posterior lateral region, and a strongly sclerotized central apical region; the euplantulae consisting of smooth-type attachment pads; the pretarsal claws pectination reduced to minute denticulations; and the well-differentiated boundary between the metanotum and the first abdominal tergum. The phylogenetic information content of the new findings is discussed. Furthermore, as a result of this study, the Aschiphasmatidae are newly recorded from Mindoro island, and now include five genera and six species of the Philippines.
authors.affiliation: Department of Evolutionary Biology, University of Siena, Italy. gottardo@unisi.it
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gottardo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D007313:Insecta / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D010679:Philippines; D010802:Phylogeny