Nesiophasma Günther, 1934

Hennemann, Frank H., Damastra, Garda Bagus, Tirant, Stéphane Le & Suputa, 2025, Nesiophasma davisdamaledoi sp. nov. - a new stick insect from the island of Sumba, Indonesia (Insecta: Phasmatodea), Zootaxa 5660 (2), pp. 194-210 : 196-197

Nesiophasma Günther, 1934

Type species: Nesiophasma eremothocus Günther, 1934a: 5 [= Myronides spinulosus Brunner v. Wattenwyl, 1907: 254], by original designation of Günther, 1934a: 5.

Nesiophasma Günther, 1934a: 5 Günther, 1935b: 139 . Günther, 1935b: 29. Günther, 1953: 555. Bradley & Galil, 1977: 193. Hennemann, 1998: 124. Hennemann, 1999: 213, figs. 1-2. Zompro, 2005: 314. Otte & Brock, 2005: 227. Hennemann & Conle, 2008: 57, figs. 61a–b. Hennemann, 2020: 174. Hennemann, 2021: 103 , figs. 40–47. Brock & Büscher, 2022: 559. Hennemann et al., 2023: 2, figs. 1–7.

= Mylothrus Günther, 1935a: 18 [Synonymised by Günther, 1935a: 29 (Nachtrag 3)]. Günther 1934b: 78.

Remarks. Hennemann (2021: 103) provided a review and detailed diagnosis of the genus along with the descriptions of two new gigantic species from the islands of Peleng (Banggai Islands) and Sanana (Sula Islands). Hennemann et al. (2023) described a further new species from the island of Timor, which was the second species of the genus to become known from Nusa Tenggara and provided updated keys to the species of the genus. Nesiophasma is distributed throughout Wallacea west of Weber’s line of faunal balance with only one doubtful species recorded from New Guinea ( Hennemann, 2021: 123; Hennemann et al., 2023: 2). Most of the species are rather uncommon and rarely encountered despite their impressive size. The questionable N. zanum Hennemann, 1999 , described from a unique ♀ holotype erroneously labelled as being from New Guinea, has recently been shown to be the opposite sex of Sadyattes borrii Stål, 1857 , a species occurring on Java and Sumatra ( Hennemann, 2025: 18). Thus, N. zanum is not a member of Nesiophasma .

Distribution. Wallacea west of Weber’s Line: Sulawesi, Peleng Island, Selayar Island, Kalaotoa Island, Sanana Island, Romang Island, Timor Island, Sumba Island, Sangihe Island and Talaud Islands.

List of known species of Nesiophasma :

1. Nesiophasma davisdamaledoi sp. nov.

Distribution: Sumba Island.

2. Nesiophasma giganteum Hennemann, Le Tirant & Purwanto, 2021: 106 , figs.

Distribution: Banggai Islands (Peleng).

3. Nesiophasma kuehni (Brunner v. Wattenwyl, 1907: 185).

Distribution: Romang Island.

4. Nesiophasma oligarches (Günther, 1935: 18, pl. 2: 12).

Distribution: S-Sulawesi.

5. Nesiophasma plateni ( Dohrn, 1910: 404) .

Distribution: Sangihe Islands & Talaud Islands.

6. Nesiophasma sananaense Hennemann, 2021: 117 , figs.

Distribution: Sula Islands (Sanana Island).

7. Nesiophasma sobesonbaii Hennemann, Damastra, Damaledo, Cumming & Le Tirant, 2023: 4 , figs. 1–7.

Distribution: Timor Island.

8. Nesiophasma spinulosum (Brunner v. Wattenwyl, 1907: 254).

= Nesiophasma eremothocus Günther, 1934: 6 , fig. 1.

Distribution: Pulau Selayar & Pulau Kalaotoa.

9. Nesiophasma turbans (Brunner v. Wattenwyl, 1907: 186).

Distribution: Sulawesi.