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Show Walking-Sticks Found in Utah' By W. W. HENDERSON and ALEXANDER LEVI2 Walking-sticks are evidently on the verge of extinction in Utah and the Great Basin, or it may be they never were numerous, if we may rest such a conclusion on the scarcity of these primitive insects in this territory at the Of a11 the families of Orthoptera found in Utah no other present time. family has such scant representation as the Phasmidae, both in species and in individual numbers. Only three species have so far been co11ected and definitely identified for the state with a fourth possible species represented by a single damaged specimen not fit for identification or description. There have been some outstanding collectors of insects in Utah. These include some of the earliest of the federal entomologists, some of whom were eminent Orthoperists. Many taxonomists have made visits to the state to collect insects and a few resident men have made lifetime avocations of in sect collecting. The old geological surveys in the Rocky Mountain states were extensive and numerous and these surveys usually included skillful and enthusiastic collectors of insects, especially of Orthoptera. At least three institutions of higher learning in the state have fostered entomological studies for more than a quarter of a century, and these institutions have each as sembled rather extensive insect collections from all portions of the state. All these entomological activities put together have netted only a very meagre collection of walking-sticks, which must indicate that this group of insects is scarcely to be found in the state. Published literature would indicate that states surrounding Utah also show but very few of the Phasmidae. If a guess may be hazarded to account for the scarcity of the Phasmidae in Utah when most of the other families of Orthoptera are numerous, it would be that vegetation is comparatively scarce in this desert country and walking sticks do not, as a consequence, have so many "hideouts" from enemies as they do in more densely vegetated places. Another theory would be that these primitive insects are almost exclusively dependent on protective resem blance to get them safely by predaceous sharp-seeing birds, which alone does not seem to be enough. The three species which exist in the state are Diapheromera femorata (Say), Pseudosermyle truncata Caudell and Parabacillus coloradus (Scudder). These species may readily be distinguished from each other by the following key: A. AA. Antennae longer than anterior femur E. Head smooth Diapheromera femorata (Say) BE. Head carinate Pseudosermyle truncata Caud. Antennae shorter than anterior femur.Parabacill'us coloradus (Scud.) Diapheromera femorata (Say) Although this species was described by Say in 1824, (1) by Harris in 1841, and by other authors, domestic and foreign, since Say and Harris, the first fully adequate description is given by Caudell in 1903. (5) Utah speci- (2) Contribution from the Department of Station. 2 Entomologist and Student Entomology, Utah Agricultural Experiment Assistant, respectively. 93 |
