132 



FAMILY IV. PHASMUX333. THE WALKING-STICKS. 



aa. Head short, ovate, scarcely longer than broad, attached subvertically; 

 very large species, length 115 or more mm.; hind femora, at least in 

 female, with a median row of strong spines beneath; cerci of male 

 broadly spatulate. IV. MEGAPHASMA. 



I. DIAPHEROMERA Gray, 1835, 18. (Or., "unequal" -f- "thigh.") 



Body long, slender, subcylindrical ; head smooth, obliquely 

 attached to thorax; antenna? inserted in front of eyes; pronotum 



about as long as head, less than 

 one-fourth the length of mesono- 

 turn, the latter longer than any 

 other segment; metanotum about 

 three-fourths the length of mesono- 

 tuin ; basal segment of abdomen ob- 

 long, in male twice as long as broad. 

 Legs very long and slender, middle 

 femora of male much swollen, 



Fie. =u. Apical portions of abdomen i TI j-i c i j 



of Phasmida, showing relative, .length armed, like thOSC of hind pair On 



under side near apex, with an acute 

 spine, most prominent in male. 

 (Vrci of male long, terete and in- 

 curved ; those of female short, straight. The species of this genus 

 are widely distributed over the United States east of the Rocky 

 Mountains, three of the seven recognized having been recorded 

 from east of the Mississippi. 



KEY TO EASTERN SPECIES OF DIAPIIEKOMERA. 



a. Seventh segment of abdomen distinctly longer than eighth in both 

 sexes (Fig. 54, a) ; base and apex of ninth abdominal segment of 

 male subequal in width; meso- and mentanotum without median 

 black dorsal stripe. 



I). Cerci of male with a blunt basal tooth or tubercle; cerci of female 

 about half as long as the last dorsal segment (Fig. 54, 1>.) 



52. FEMORATA. 



1>1). Cerci of male with an acute and slender basal tooth; cerci of fe- 

 male more slender, almost or quite as long as the last dorsal 

 segment (Fig. 54, <l.) 53. VELIEI. 



aa. Seventh and eighth segments of abdomen subequal in length; apex of 

 ninth abdominal segment, of male inflated, nearly half as broad 

 again as base; cerci of male without a basal tooth or tubercle; meso- 

 and metanotum with a broad blackish dorsal stripe. 



54. CAROLINA. 



