Tepakiphasma ngatikuri, a new genus and species of stick insect (Phasmatodea) from the Far North of New Zealand

We describe a new genus and species of stick insect from Northland, New Zealand, Tepakiphasma ngatikuri, gen. nov., sp. nov. We have classified this genus as a member of Phasmatidae, Phasmatinae, Acanthoxylini, and due to the presence of certain key synapomorphies it is phylogenetically placed within the Australasian clade Lanceocercata. A number of character states differentiate Tepakiphasma from other New Zealand Acanthoxylini genera including the number and arrangement of teeth on the claspers and a perforate egg capitulum or capitular cone. Like many New Zealand phasmatodeans the known host plants of T ngatikuri include species of Myrtaceae. This genus appears to have an extremely limited geographic distribution and is known from only two specimens collected in the Te Paki / North Cape area at the northernmost tip of mainland New Zealand. This discovery further emphasises the importance of the Te Paki / North Cape area in New Zealand biodiversity. The phasmatodean fauna of New Zealand now contains 10 genera and 23 described species.