Extatosoma bufonium Westwood, 1874

Froggatt, 1922

Slater, 1997

Common Name:

Delete this section if there is no common name.

Identification:

Length: Coloring: Note any distinguishing features.

male volant and macropterous, female brachypterous (Balderson et al, 1998)

Female. Length from front of head to tip of body 5 inches; male unknown. Colour deep green, lightest on the wing pads; abdomen and legs mottled with dull white and greyish spots. Fine spines on head, thorax, and abdomen reddish-brown. It differs from Extatosoma tiaratum in being much more slender in form, and in having the more slender legs with very narrow arcuate flanges or ridges on the femora and tibia, with small lateral flanges on the sides of the first four abdominal segments, and those on the following very much reduced in size; the whole surface is covered with stout spines, thickest on the under surface. The sides and crown of the head thickly covered with sharp pointed spines, with two double spines on the summit. The prothorax covered with similar spines with two double-spined ones on the hind margin; the mesothorax bearing spines on the sides, with three pairs on the dorsal surface, the first pair conical, blunt at apex, with a group of two thickened spines und two single ones in front of the base of the insertion of the tegmina, the metathorax with four parallel rows of smaller spines on the dorsal surface. The legs with the dorsal and lateral edges toothed with short mottled thorn-like spines, the coxae usually bearing shorter stout conical spines, with an odd double spine here and there.

The first three abdominal segments rounded, with a pair of double finger-like spines in the centre of the back and simple spines on either side; below there, standing out is a horny, arcuate, spined, flattened flange. The fifth and sixth segments have a pair of serrate, parallel, erect flanges in the centre of the back and two stout spines; on either side is a large flattened serrate flange in a line with those of the first three segments, about a third larger, and spined in the same manner. The 7th abdominal segment is small, with similar but smaller spines, and the side flanges are turned downwards. The 8th and 9th are small, projecting above the genitalia with similar small spines, and the hind margin of the anal one is fringed with spines. The ventral surface and sides of the abdominal segments are lightly covered with slender reddish-brown spines. (Froggatt, 1922)

Note parental placement of eggs. Note appearance of eggs. Note any common variations.

Habitat:

Note if the species arborial or terrestrial. Canopy, mid, under, etc.

Note typical vegetation, e.g. tropical rainforest, temperate rainforest, grasslands, alpine, etc.

Similar Species:

Extatosoma tiaratum

Rearing Notes:

Note if this species has ever been reared. Note any suggestions for successful rearing.

For a stick insect with body length 127mm, to keep 2 adult females, you need a cage at least 600mm high, 300mm deep and 300mm wide.

Range:

NE coastal, SE coastal, QLD, NSW

Status:

It is not known if this species is endangered, as there is insufficient sighting history.

References:

Balderson, J., Rentz, D.C.F. and Roach, A.M.E. (1998). in Houston, W.K.K. & Wells, A. (1998) (eds) Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Vol. 23. Archaeognatha, Zygentoma, Blattodea, Isoptera, Mantodea, Dermaptera, Phasmatodea, Embioptera, Zoraptera. Melbourne: CSIRO Publishing, Australia (ISBN 0643 06035 9). pp. 347 - 376.
Froggatt, W.W. (1922). Description of a new phasma belonging to the genus Extatosoma. Proc. Linn. Soc. NSW, 47: 344-345, pl. 38.
Gurney, A.B. (1947). Notes on some remarkable Australasian walkingsticks, including a synopsis of the Genus Extatosoma (Orthoptera: Phasmatidae). Annals of the Entomological Society of America. 40(3): 373-396.
Rainbow, W.J. (1897). Catalogue of the described Phasmidae of Australia. Records of the Australian Museum, 3(2), 37-44. [Note that he made a mistake re Extatosoma popa and E. tiaratum according to Gurney, A.B. (1947). Notes on some remarkable Australasian walkingsticks, including a synopsis of the Genus Extatosoma (Orthoptera: Phasmatidae). Annals of the Entomological Society of America. 40(3): 373-396. .]
Slater, P. (1997). Phasmids In Amazing facts about Australian insects and spiders and other bush and garden creatures, Steve Parish Publishing, Fortitude Valley QLD Australia, p. 39
Tepper, J.G.O. (1902). List of the Described Genera and Species of the Australian and Polynesian Phasmidæ (Spectre-Insects). Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia, 26: 278-287.
Vickery, V.R. (1983). Catalogue of Australian stick insects (Phasmida, Phasmatodea, Phasmatoptera, or Cheleutoptera). CSIRO Australian Division of Entomology Technical Paper, No. 20, 15 pp.
Westwood, J.O. (1874). Thesaurus Entomologicus Oxoniensis: or illustrations of new, rare and interesting insects, for the most part coloured, in the collections presented to the University of Oxford by the Rev. F.W. Hope. London: McMillan & Co. i-xxiv, 205 pp., 40 pls
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Synonyms:

Extatosoma elongatum Froggatt, 1922