The Euphasmatodea,Phasmida Species File: suborder Euphasmatodea (Version 5.0/5.0; retrieved 27 May 2021)
/ref> also known by its junior synonym Verophasmatodea is a

suborder Order ( la, ordo) is one of the eight major hierarchical taxonomic ranks in Linnaean taxonomy. It is classified between family and class. In biological classification, the order is a taxonomic rank used in the classification of organisms and ...

of the

Phasmatodea The Phasmatodea (also known as Phasmida, Phasmatoptera or Spectra) are an order of insects whose members are variously known as stick insects, stick-bugs, walking sticks, stick animals, or bug sticks. They are also occasionally referred to as D ...

, which contains the vast majority of the

extant Extant is the opposite of the word extinct. It may refer to: * Extant hereditary titles * Extant literature, surviving literature, such as ''Beowulf'', the oldest extant manuscript written in English * Extant taxon, a taxon which is not extinct, ...

species of stick and leaf insects, excluding the

Timematodea Timematodea is a small suborder of stick insects, believed to be the earliest diverging branch of the group. It contains only one living genus, '' Timema,'' known from the western United States, as well as two fossil genera, '' Granosicorpes'' and ...

. The oldest record of Euphasmatodea is '' Araripephasma'' from the

Crato Formation The Crato Formation is a geologic formation of Early Cretaceous (Aptian) age in northeastern Brazil's Araripe Basin. It is an important Lagerstätte (undisturbed fossil accumulation) for palaeontologists. The strata were laid down mostly durin ...

of Brazil, dating to the

Aptian The Aptian is an age in the geologic timescale or a stage in the stratigraphic column. It is a subdivision of the Early or Lower Cretaceous Epoch or Series and encompasses the time from 121.4 ± 1.0 Ma to 113.0 ± 1.0 Ma (million years ag ...

stage of the Early Cretaceous.

Superfamilies and families

The suborder was divided into two infraorders: the

Areolatae The Euphasmatodea, also known by its junior synonym Verophasmatodea is a suborder of the Phasmatodea, which contains the vast majority of the extant species of stick and leaf insects, excluding the Timematodea. The oldest record of Euphasmatodea ...

and Anareolatae, based on the presence or absence of an "areola": the of a small ring of colour or gap in wing margin - see the

Glossary of entomology terms This glossary of entomology describes terms used in the formal study of insect species by entomologists. A–C A synthetic chlorinated hydrocarbon insecticide, toxic to vertebrates. Though i ...

. This division has now been superseded with the "suborder

Agathemerodea Agathemerodea was a suborder of the insect order Phasmatodea, but this placement is now considered a very doubtful. It consists of the sole genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of livi ...

... downgraded and Areolatae/Anareolatae divisions removed, leaving the existing four superfamilies in Euphasmatodea".

Aschiphasmatoidea The Euphasmatodea, also known by its junior synonym Verophasmatodea is a suborder of the Phasmatodea, which contains the vast majority of the extant species of stick and leaf insects, excluding the Timematodea. The oldest record of Euphasmatodea ...

Auth. Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1893 * † ArchipseudophasmatidaeZompro, O. 2001. The Phasmatodea and Raptophasma n. gen., Orthoptera ''incertae sedis'', in Baltic amber (Insecta: Orthoptera). ''Mitteilungen des Geologisch-Paläontologischen Institutes der Universität Hamburg'' 85: 229–261. *

Aschiphasmatidae ''Aschiphasmatidae'' are a family of stick insects belonging to the suborder Order ( la, ordo) is one of the eight major hierarchical taxonomic ranks in Linnaean taxonomy. It is classified between family and class. In biological classifi ...

- Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1893 (Tropical Southeast Asia) *

Damasippoididae Damasippoididae is a family of walkingsticks in the order Phasmatodea The Phasmatodea (also known as Phasmida, Phasmatoptera or Spectra) are an order of insects whose members are variously known as stick insects, stick-bugs, walking sticks, ...

- Zompro, 2004 (Madagascar) *

Prisopodidae ''Prisopodidae'' is a family of stick insects belonging to the suborder Verophasmatodea and superfamily Aschiphasmatoidea; they can be found in Central and South America, South Africa, India, Indo-China and Malesia. Genera The Catalogue of Lif ...

- Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1893 (Central and South America, south Africa, India, Indo-China, Malesia)

Bacilloidea The Euphasmatodea, also known by its junior synonym Verophasmatodea is a suborder of the Phasmatodea, which contains the vast majority of the extant species of stick and leaf insects, excluding the Timematodea. The oldest record of Euphasmatodea ...

Auth. Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1893 *

Anisacanthidae Anisacanthidae is a family of walkingsticks in the order Phasmatodea. There are about 10 genera and at least 30 described species in Anisacanthidae. Genera These 10 genera belong to the family Anisacanthidae: * '' Amphiphasma'' * ''Anisacantha'' ...

- Günther, 1953 (Madagascar) *

Bacillidae BacillidaeBrunner von Wattenwyl C (1893) ''Annali del Museo Civico di Storia Naturale Giacomo Doria, Genova'' (2)13(33): 101. is a stick insect family in the order Phasmatodea and the suborder Verophasmatodea. Subfamilies and Genera The ''Phas ...

- Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1893 (Africa, Europe) *

Heteropterygidae The Heteropterygidae is a family of stick insects belonging to the suborder Euphasmatodea. Species can be found in Australasia, East and Southeast Asia. More than 130 valid species have been described (at the end of 2020). Characteristics Si ...

- Kirby, 1896 (Australasia, east and southeast Asia)

Phyllioidea The family Phylliidae (often misspelled Phyllidae) contains the Extant taxon, extant true leaf insects or walking leaves, which include some of the most remarkably camouflaged leaf mimicry, mimics (mimesis) in the entire animal kingdom. They occu ...

Auth. Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1893 *

Phylliidae The family Phylliidae (often misspelled Phyllidae) contains the extant true leaf insects or walking leaves, which include some of the most remarkably camouflaged leaf mimics (mimesis) in the entire animal kingdom. They occur from South Asia thro ...

- Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1893 (Australasia, Asia, Pacific)

Pseudophasmatoidea The Euphasmatodea, also known by its junior synonym Verophasmatodea is a suborder of the Phasmatodea, which contains the vast majority of the extant species of stick and leaf insects, excluding the Timematodea. The oldest record of Euphasmatodea ...

Auth. Rehn, 1904; especially Americas, Madagascar, Asia, Australasia, Europe *

Agathemeridae ''Agathemera'' is a genus of stick insects in the suborder Euphasmatodea and superfamily Pseudophasmatoidea. It consists of several species limited to the mountainous regions of Argentina, Bolivia, Chile and Peru. This genus is the sole repres ...

- Bradler, 2003 (monotypic) *

Heteronemiidae Heteronemiidae is a family of walkingsticks in the order Phasmatodea The Phasmatodea (also known as Phasmida, Phasmatoptera or Spectra) are an order of insects whose members are variously known as stick insects, stick-bugs, walking sticks, ...

- Rehn, 1904 *

Pseudophasmatidae Pseudophasmatidae is a family of stick insect, in the suborder Verophasmatodea, commonly called the "striped walkingsticks". An important identifying characteristic is its mesothorax, which is never more than three times as long as the prothorax ...

- Rehn, 1904

Infraorder Anareolatae

The following three families were previously placed in the "Anareolatae", but are currently (2021) considered ''

incertae sedis ' () or ''problematica'' is a term used for a taxonomic group where its broader relationships are unknown or undefined. Alternatively, such groups are frequently referred to as "enigmatic taxa". In the system of open nomenclature, uncertain ...

''. *

Diapheromeridae Diapheromeridae is a family of stick insects (order Phasmatodea). They belong to the superfamily Anareolatae of suborder Verophasmatodea. The family contains some huge species, e.g. '' Paraphanocles keratosqueleton'' which can grow to over 30&n ...

- Kirby, 1904 - Worldwide distribution (except the Antarctic) *

Lonchodidae LonchodidaeBrunner von Wattenwyl (1893) ''Annali del Museo Civico di Storia Naturale Giacomo Doria, Genova'' (2)13(33): 80. is a family of stick insects, with more than 150 genera and 1,000 described species. The subfamilies Necrosciinae and Lo ...

- Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1893 - Worldwide, but especially southern Africa, Asia & Australia *

Phasmatidae The Phasmatidae are a family of the stick insects (order Phasmatodea). They belong to the superfamily Anareolatae of suborder Verophasmatodea. Like many of their relatives, the Phasmatidae are capable of regenerating limbs and commonly reprodu ...

- Gray, 1835 - Asia, Australasia, Americas (especially South), Pacific, Africa

References

External links

*
Phasmid Study Group: Verophasmatodea
{{Taxonbar, from=Q2102809 Phasmatodea Insect suborders