Classification and identification of Acanthoxyla Uvarov

An unusually coloured Acanthoxyla gesovii from Invercargill
An unusually coloured Acanthoxyla gesovii from Invercargill (photo: T. Buckley)

The genus Acanthoxyla is very unusual in that it contains only females and reproduces via asexual reproduction or parthenogenesis. Most of these species are common, and they thrive on garden plants such as roses and ornamental conifers. In native forest and scrub throughout the North Island and large areas of the South Island these species can be found on trees such as rimu, totara and on climbing rata.

There are 8 currently recognised species in the genus:

They are large insects from 8 to 11 cm long and are usually green or brown. Most species have black tipped spines although these are absent in A. inermis and highly reduced in some other Acanthoxyla species. Currently available species descriptions do not allow reliable identification of many of the different species and should be used with caution. Genetic studies show that Acanthoxyla species have most likely arisen via hybridization (Morgan-Richards and Trewick 2005; Buckley et al. 2008).

Insects

An Acanthoxyla sp

An Acanthoxyla sp. from Northland (photo: R. Hoare)

An Acanthoxyla from Little Barrier Island

An Acanthoxyla from Little Barrier Island (photo: B. Rhode)

A late instar nymph of Acanthoxyla geisovii

A late instar nymph of Acanthoxyla geisovii from Lake Waikaremoana (photo: R. Hoare)


Eggs

An Acanthoxyla geisovii egg

An Acanthoxyla geisovii egg from near Franz Josef Glacier (photo: B. Rhode)

An Acanthoxyla inermis egg

An Acanthoxyla inermis egg from Wellington (photo: B. Rhode)


 


NZ Stick Insects