The Complete Field Guide to Stick and Leaf Insects of Australia [Book Review] PDF
Preview The Complete Field Guide to Stick and Leaf Insects of Australia [Book Review]
BookReviews The Complete Field Guide to Stick and LeafInsects ofAustralia W by Paul D Brock and Jack Hasenpusch Publisher: CSIROPublishing, Collingwood, 2009 216pages,paperback, colourphotographs ISBN9780643094185. RRP$44.95 This excellent book serves an unusuallywide au- dience: it manages to be accessible to beginners, whilst informing professional entomologists. It alsoactsbothasafieldguideandanaidtocultur- ingstickinsects(phasmids)incaptivity. Phasmids fulfil an important role as invertebrate ambas- The pages devoted to each species are excellent, sadors because theyseem to inspire less fearand and often include useful culture notes. Austral- revulsionthanmanyothertaxa.Iusedtokeepsev- ian distributions only are given for most ofthe eral speciesonmydeskatwork,andwas amazed few species also present overseas, but it would at how easilytheywon over even the most hard- have been better iftheir entire known distribu- ened entomophobes. They are also popular pets tions were listed. Apart from this very minor at many kindergartens and primaryschools. It is point,thereadercouldnotwantmore. therefore important that a reasonably priced and Keystogeneraandspeciesarefoundin Appen- approachable book, such as tills one, be available dix 1, and Appendix 2 presents information on tofueltheinterestofbuddingentomologists.This phasmidsystematicsthatwillbe usefulforbegin- bookshouldalsobewelcomedbythosewhowant ners. This section also contains a list describing a summary ofcurrent taxonomic and biological thecontributionsmadetophasmid studiesbykey knowledgeaboutAustralianphasmids. literature(full detailsofeachwork,andadditional The introductory section provides information literature, are given later in a reference section). mainly on phasmid anatomy and lifecycle. The Appendix3containsachecklistofAustralianspe- textischattyandwellsuitedtobeginners,although cies. Thebookalsoincludesaglossary,alistofas- the grammar could be improved in places. The sociationscateringtophasmidenthusiasts,andan second chapter covers habitat and ecology, and indexofcommonnames. the third chapterdiscusses collecting, preserving, The book is packed with good quality colour photographing and rearing phasmids. This sec- photographs, especially throughout the species tion includes some interesting information about guide section. The sheer body length ofmany the historyofphasmid research in Australia, and species makes it difficult to capture the entire mentions certain influential workers (e.g. Dodd phasmid whilst showing detail sufficient for andMcCoy)whowillbemorefamiliartonatural- identification, but the insects are nevertheless istsforotherreasons. clearlydepictedherewithjudicioususeofclose- The guide to species (ChapterFour) forms the upsfordiagnostic features. majorpartofthe book. A quickreferenceguide This bookis a ‘must have5 foranystick insect tofamiliesandsubfamiliesisfirstpresented,and enthusiast, whether amateur or professional. It isahandyshort-listingtoolforanybodyattempt- is also suitablefora worldwide audience, given inganidentification.Theactualspeciesguidefol- that several Australian species are kept as pets lows, conveniently presented in the same Fam- overseas, and that some ofthe background in- ily and Subfamily order as the quick reference formation and taxonomic sections ofthe book pages. Strangely, the subfamilyExtatosomatinae canbegeneralisedoutside Australia. is omitted from the quick guide, although it is listedas a subfamilyinthespeciesidentification MelanieArcher pages (albeit within the Tropidoderinae, from DepartmentofForensicMedicine, which theywere apparentlyrecentlyseparated). MonashUniveSrosiuttyh,ba5n7-k8,3ViKcatvoarinaag3h00S6t Vol 126 (6) 2009 217
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