Longevity, fertility, and average eggs viability of parthenogenetic females of Cladomorphus phyllinus Gray (Phasmatodea - Phasmatidae)

Abstract

The order Phasmatodea includes insects known as stick insects. In Brazil, few taxonomic, ecological or evolutionary studies have been published in recent years, the reason is related to the few number of researchers dedicated to this particular group. Cladomorphus phyllinus Gray is one of the largest Brazilian insects and perhaps one of the most studied species of Phasmatodea in the country. It is considered as a phytophagous, generalist, and feeds mainly on guava leaves (Psidium guajava), powder-puff (Calliandra sp.) or Angico (Piptania sp.). Females of this species reproduce in a sexual and asexual manner, by the production of diploid daughters from unfertilized eggs (thelytokous parthenogenesis). The absence of records on the reproductive capacity of virgin parthenogenetic females of C. phyllinus led us to record the longevity, fertility, and eggs viability of ten specimens. The results obtained were compared to those found in the scientific literature for mated females of the same species. The fertility and eggs viability were observed to be much lower for the parthenogenetic females when compared to the mated females; however, the longevity for virgin females was longer than that recorded in the literature for mated females.

Unraveling the Sexual Dimorphism of First Instar Nymphs of the Giant Stick Insect, Cladomorphus phyllinus Gray, 1835, from the Atlantic Forest, Brazil

“…However, it is a poorly studied species and is mainly geographically distributed in the Atlantic Forest and other areas in the north and northeast regions of Brazil and Argentina [11,19]. Phenotypical aspects of adults and eggs and some biological features of the mentioned species are already present in the literature [23,[32][33][34][35][36]. It has also been used as an interesting species for scientific dissemination and educational training programs for children [37].…”

Cladomorphus petropolisensis, a New Species of Stick Insect from the Atlantic Forest, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

“…The authors analysed bred mated females fed on guava leaves and angico, respectively. The longevity, fertility, and viability of the eggs of parthenogenetic females of that species were also recently recorded [ 24 ].…”