About Spinotectarchus acornutus (Hutton, 1899)
Spinotectarchus acornutus (Hutton, 1899) is a fairly small species of stick insect. Females are larger, reaching a maximum body length of 4.8 cm, while males have a body length between 3.5 and 3.7 cm. Both sexes display a range of colour forms and patterns that vary from brown to green. Females are larger and have a more ridged texture on their dorsal side, and all their legs appear serrated due to the presence of numerous "teeth". Males are smaller and skinnier, with only faint ridges on their back and less prominent leg "teeth" than females. A distinctive characteristic of this species is that its eggs are covered in short spines that create a hairy appearance. This trait is also shared with Asteliaphasma, another endemic genus of New Zealand stick insects. The two genera can be distinguished from one another by other characteristics, such as genitalia morphology. Genetic studies indicate that S. acornutus is not closely related to other New Zealand stick insect genera. This species is restricted to the northern part of New Zealand's North Island, as well as some nearby offshore islands. The type specimen, originally described by Frederick Hutton in 1899, was collected from Great Barrier Island, and is currently held at the Canterbury Museum in Christchurch. S. acornutus lives in native bush and regenerated forest in the Northland region, and is most commonly found on the plant species Metrosideros perforata (climbing rātā), Dendroconche scandens (fragrant fern), the epiphyte Collospermum hastatum, and Dysoxylum spectabile (kohekohe).
