[Entomology • 2026] Anchiale mabiensis & A. robusta • A Revision of Australian Anchiale Stål, 1875 (Phasmida: Phasmatidae), with the Description of Two New Species

  Anchiale mabiensis Coupland & Emmott, sp. nov. female, in situ

in Jones, Brock, Coupland, Emmott et Lo, 2026.

DOI: doi.org/10.1111/aen.70096

 (photo by Angus J. Emmott).

ABSTRACT 

The Australian species of the Phasmida genus Anchiale Stål, 1875 (Phasmatinae: Phasmatini) are updated to include five species: Anchiale albopunctata (Kirby, 1896) stat. rev. (removed from synonymy with A. briareus (Gray, 1834)); A. briareus Gray, 1834 (= Ctenomorpha tessulata Gray, 1835 syn. nov.; = A. austrotessulata Brock & Hasenpush, 2007, replacement name for C. tessulata Gray, 1835), A. mabiensis Coupland & Emmott, sp. nov.; A. robusta Brock & Jones, sp. nov.; and A. spinicollis Gray, 1833. Lectotypes are designated for Ctenomorpha albopunctatum Kirby, 1896, C. nigrovaria Stål, 1875 (= A. briareus) and C. tessulata Gray, 1835. These taxonomic decisions are supported by Bayesian and Maximum Likelihood phylogenetic analyses based on the mitochondrial COXI gene fragment of all species except A. spinicollis. Anchiale albopunctata is currently known from mideastern Queensland, A. briareus from north-eastern New South Wales and south-eastern Queensland, A. mabiensis sp. nov. and A. robusta sp. nov. from tropical eastern Queensland, and A. spinicollis from the Northern Territory. A dichotomous key to all Australian species of Anchiale and their eggs is provided.

Keywords: Acrophylla, distribution, DNA, genus, insects, molecular, Phasmida, phylogenetic, specimens, taxonomy

Anchiale albopunctata (Kirby, 1896) stat. rev. 

(removed from synonymy with A. briareus (Gray, 1834)); 

A. briareus Gray, 1834 

(= Ctenomorpha tessulata Gray, 1835 syn. nov.; 

= A. austrotessulata Brock & Hasenpush, 2007,
replacement name for C. tessulata Gray, 1835), 

A. mabiensis Coupland & Emmott, sp. nov.; 

A. robusta Brock & Jones, sp. nov.; 

A. spinicollis Gray, 1833. 

  Anchiale mabiensis sp. nov. female, in situ

 (photo by Angus J. Emmott).

Anchiale mabiensis sp. nov. in situ.
(a) Female holotype (photo by Ross M. Coupland).
(b) paratype male (photo by Ross M. Coupland).
(c) Montane rainforest habitat (photo by Angus J. Emmott).

Anchiale mabiensis Coupland & Emmott, sp. nov. 

Anchiale robusta sp. nov. in situ.
 (a) Male. (b) Female. (c) Female defence display, inset: wings of preserved paratype female. (d) Coastal habitat, Bramston Beach, Qld. (e) Garden habitat, Kuranda, Qld

(all photos by Paul D. Brock).

Anchiale robusta Brock & Jones, sp. nov.

Braxton R. Jones, Paul D. Brock, Ross M. Coupland, Angus Emmott and Nathan Lo. 2026. A Revision of Australian Anchiale Stål, 1875 (Phasmida: Phasmatidae), with the Description of Two New Species. Austral Entomology. 65(4); e70096. DOI: doi.org/10.1111/aen.70096 [21 September 2026]