Obrimus

Life-forms

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Cladus: Protostomia
Cladus: Ecdysozoa
Cladus: Panarthropoda
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Hexapoda
Classis: Insecta
Cladus: Dicondylia
Subclassis: Pterygota
Cladus: Metapterygota
Infraclassis: Neoptera
Supercohort: Polyneoptera
Cohort: Anartioptera
Magnordo: Polyorthoptera
Superordo: Orthopterida
Ordo: Phasmatodea
Subordo: Verophasmatodea
Infraordo: Areolatae
Superfamilia: Bacilloidea

Familia: Heteropterygidae
Subfamilia: Obriminae
Tribus: Obrimini
Genus: Obrimus
Species: O. bicolanus – O. bufo – O. mesoplatus – O. uichancoi
Name

Obrimus Stål, 1875
References

Stål 1875. Öfversigt af Kongliga Vetenskaps-Akademiens Förhandlingar 32: 49, 92
Paul D. Brock 2018: Phasmida Species File (Version 5.0/5.0) Obrimus

Obrimus is a stick insect genus native to the Philippines. It is type genus for the tribe and the subfamily in which it is listed.

Characteristics

The species of this genus correspond in the habitus to the other representatives of the Obrimini, appear somewhat longer-legged compared to these and also have longer antennae than these. Like almost all other Obrimini, they are wingless in either sex. They are similar in size and appearance to the species of the genera Brasidas. As with these, the females have a relatively long and straight ovipositor that surrounds the actual ovipositor. Most Obrimus species have more and more pointed spines, which, however, are often thinner than those of most other Obrimini species. Compared to the representatives of Brasidas and Euobrimus there are only poorly or partially barely recognizable, flat slits or pits and none holes at the outer edge of the metasternum.

The shape of the eggs also differs significantly from that of other genera. The eggs are 4 to 5 millimetres (0.16 to 0.20 in) long and 3 to 4 millimetres (0.12 to 0.16 in) wide. The micropylar plate has three arms and is located on the dorsal area, which is bulging. The egg shape is reminiscent of that of Sungaya eggs. However, behind the tip at the lower pole there is another blunt pole, so that the eggs below, more or less clearly recognizable, have two blunt ends. The lid (operculum) sits diagonally on the egg and falls off sharply to the ventral side.[1]
Taxonomy

The genus Obrimus was established in 1875 by Carl Stål. The generic name is borrowed from Greek mythology. As the only species, and thus type species, Stål named Obrimus bufo, which until then was listed in the genus Acanthoderus. Other species were later transferred to the genus or described in it. In the meantime most of them have been transferred to the younger genera Aretaon, Trachyaretaon, Brasidas and Euobrimus. Remaining in the genus are:[2]

Obrimus bicolanus Rehn, J. A. G. & Rehn, J. W. H., 1939
Obrimus bufo (Westwood, 1848)
Obrimus mesoplatus (Westwood, 1848)
Obrimus uichancoi Rehn, J.A.G. & Rehn, J.W.H., 1939

Distribution

Of the representatives known so far, only the occurrence of the two species described by Rehn and Rehn is known in more detail. Both appear on Luzon. While Obrimus bicolanus comes from the southeast of the island, more precisely from the Bicol region, Obrimus uichancoi was collected in the north in the province Apayao. Only the Philippines are given as location of the two other species.[1][2]
Terraristic

A single representative of the genus is currently in the terrariums of lovers. The stock goes back to specimens that Thierry Heitzmann collected in 2010 on Luzon and bred for the first time. The species was brought to Europe in 2011 by Bruno Kneubühler, also distributed as Obrimus sp. 'Pulog'. The Phasmid Study Group lists the species under the name Obrimus bicolanus (?) and PSG number 324.[3][4]
References

Rehn, J. A. G. & Rehn, J. W. H. (1939). Proceedings of The Academy of Natural Sciences (Vol. 90, 1938), Philadelphia, pp. 435 ff.
Brock, P. D.; Büscher, T. H. & Baker, E. W.. Phasmida Species File Online. Version 5.0/5.0 (accessdate 26 June 2021)
Information about Obrimus sp. 'Pocdol' at phasmatodea.com by Kneubühler, B.
Phasmid Study Group Culture List