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Fiji’s phasmids

Nature’s camouflage artists of the tripod forest, phasmids are a group of insects of the order Phasmatodea. This name derives from the Latin and Greek word phasma, meaning ‘spectre, apparition, phantom’, a name that is particularly apt since they evolved to resemble closely the vegetation in which they live, and so are usually invisible to the passer-by unless they happen to move – which they rarely do. The order includes ‘stick insects’ (also known as ‘walking-stick insects’) and ‘leaf insects’, which resemble leaves. Stick insects have long thin bodies, long antennae, and greatly reduced wings or none at all. Like lizards and starfish, they can regenerate lost limbs. They are known as ucikau (or uciukau) in Fijian, which is composed of the verb uci, meaning ‘to resemble ‘, plus kau, meaning ‘stick’. Another name is sagau, which is used in the Wainibuka and Wainimala regions of north-east Vitilevu. The majority of stick insects are females, which are larger than males, and capable of reproduction by themselves. Further information on phasmids of Fiji can be found in the books mai veikau by Dick Watling and Fiji’s Natural Heritage by Paddy ryan.

10c – hermarchus Apollonius ucikau

The Giant stick insect is one of Fiji’s largest insects, attaining a length of 12 inches (25cm). It is probably found only in Fiji and New Caledonia. Surprisingly, it seems to be particularly fond of guava trees , but since these have only been introduced within the last couple of hundred years – they were well established by the time of the botanical survey of Berthold Seemann in 1860 – there must have been a different host earlier, perhaps a forest tree with leaves that smell and taste like guava.

$1.10 – Cotylosoma dipneusticum ucikau

The Fijian stick insect is unique to Fiji, and has a ferocious appearance, with rows of vicious-looking thorn-like projections along the sides of its brown blotchy body and legs. There is an interesting story behind the scientific name of this insect, which translates as ‘cup-shaped body, breathing twice’. The author of this name was J Wood Mason, who first described the species in 1878, and was under the mistaken impression that the insect spent its days immersed in water breathing through gills – a myth that persisted in the scientific community for over half a century!

$1.20 – Chitoniscus feejeeanus ucidrau

The leaf insect is very rare in Fiji, which is at the eastern extremity of its range, and they are believed to be only two species, this and Chitoniscus lobiventris. They are so unfamiliar that the usually observant Fijians have no name for them, and the name ucidrau, meaning ‘resembling a leaf’ has been coined on the analogy of ucikau, the name of the stick insect. They are small – up to 4 inches (10cm) at most – and the body mimics green leaves in shape and colour, down to the presence of veins. Like local stick insects, they are inordinately fond of guava trees.

$2.00 – Graeffea crouanii mimimata

The coconut stick insect is the most common stick insect in Fiji, and is unusual among stick insects in having wings, though they are very small and not particularly useful for flying. Females are bright green and about 7 inches (17cm) long, while males are light brown and rather smaller. They spend their lives attached to the rough underside of coconut leaflets. Apart from mimimata and sikasikamata, all of which mean ‘eye-squirter’, all of which mean ‘eye-squirter’, from the belief that if they are annoyed they squirt their assailant in the eye with a fluid that can cause great pain, and sometimes blindness. Although this behavior has yet to be witnessed scientifically, it certainly is true that some stick insects do spray their enemies with a noxious substance ejected from the joints of the front legs. It is a pest of coconuts, and a serious threat to the economy of those parts of Fiji that depend on copra 9coconut flesh). It begins by eating the larger leaves, leaving only the ribs, and works its way upwards towards the crown, thus killing the tree. The mellifluous Australian magpie (Gymnorhina tibicen) was introduced in the 1880’s to control it in Taveuni and adjoining islands, and also ion Cicia in northern Lau. The coconut stick insect is also found in many Pacific, including the Caroline’s in Micronesia, Tonga, Samoa, Tuvalu, the Cook Islands and French Polynesia.

$2.00	$1.10
$0.10	$1.20

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