145 



Notes on the lord Howe island Phasma, and on 

 an associated longicorn beetle. 



By Arthur M. Lea, F.E.S., Museum Entomologist. 

 [Contribution from the South Australian Museum.] 



[Read June 8, 1916.] 



Plates XI. -XVII. 



One of the most remarkable species of insects that I 

 obtained during a recent (December, 1915, and January, 

 1916) visit to Lord Howe Island, is a large wingless phasma, 

 Karabidion (formerly En rt/ cant ha J australe, Montr. It 

 appears to have been taken by almost every natural history 

 visitor to the island, and, in fact, once their hiding-places are 

 known, specimens may be taken in practically unlimited 

 numbers. During the day they remain concealed in hollows 

 in upright or slightly-sloping stems of living trees, but their 

 presence may be detected by examining the ground at the 

 foot of the trees, where heaps of their excrement, sometimes 

 amounting to bushels, may be found. The hollows are seldom 

 less than eighteen inches in length, and are sometimes much 

 longer ; suitable ones are probably used for years. On 

 examining the heaps of droppings, frequently both fresh and 

 newly-hatched eggs may be found, the females apparently 

 simply extruding their eggs as soon as these are ready. 



Occasionally during daylight, when beating shrubs over 

 an umbrella for insects, a newly-hatched larva, usually green, 

 would drop into it ; but except for these I never saw a 

 specimen at large during daylight. They appear to come out 

 late at night and to climb the trees directly for food. In 

 the hollows considerable numbers live together in all stages, 

 but with immature forms in the majority ; from one hollow 

 that was completely emptied sixty-eight specimens were taken; 

 in the same hollow were several large spiders and cockroaches. 

 The males are armed with formidable spines on the hind 

 femora, and when being captured they attempt to use these 

 in conjunction with the strong curved tibiae; the females 

 simply try to escape. 



The females vary comparatively little in structure, except 

 that when mature the smallest is not quite four inches in 

 length and the largest is a little over five inches. The males, 

 however, vary considerably, especially in the hind legs; the 

 smallest in the Museum measures nearly three inches, the 



