Timema Stick Insects

Timema genevieve

Timema is the genus name for a group of 20-odd stick insects that are all found within the western United States. Most of these species live in the state of California, and a few others are found in neighboring states.

Like all Stick Insects, the members of the Timema genus are all very well camouflaged. They resemble small, stout, sticks and branches, and range in color and size depending on the species. All of these critters are nocturnal, so their coloration is especially important since they need to hide out and rest during the daytime. At night they come out to feed on different shrubs and trees.

One absolutely remarkable feature of this genus is that it is the earliest, most basal branch of the living Stick Insect groups. This means that they have a few very primitive traits that are all their own. For one, their legs only have three segments, instead of five. Secondly, about 1/4 of the species are asexual, and are able to reproduce through Parthenogenesis (females lay eggs that do not need to be fertilized by males). Two of the species exclusively reproduce asexually, and have been doing so for over a million years!

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IUCN Status : Not Listed
Location : United States
Size : Varies

Classification : Phylum : Arthropoda -- Class : Insecta -- Order : Phasmatodea
Family : Timematidae -- Genus : Timema
Image : Paradise Reserve

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Batodonoides

Batodonoides

Yesterday I finally had a chance to see Extreme Mammals at Chicago's Field Museum. (It closes January 6th, so if you're interested, go now!) One of the very first thing that you come across is a display of both the largest land animal ever (Indricotherium), as well as the smallest.

Batodonoides is that very creature-- the smallest mammal ever discovered. This itty bitty, tiny little shrew-like critter lived during the Eocene between 53 and 42 million years ago. It was so small that is weighed less than a dollar bill and could comfortably sit on the top of a pencil!

There are three species within the genus, the first of which was discovered back in 1976. All have been found in the western United States. The smallest of the three, B. vanhouteni, is also the oldest-- it dates back 53 million years and weighed less than 2 grams!

Of course, we still have tiny mammals today. The smallest still alive, the Bumblebee Bat, is only a hair bit larger than these Eocene shrews.

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Status : Extinct for 42 million years
Location : United States
Size : Weight up to 2g

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Mammalia -- Order : Insectivora
Family : Geolabididae -- Genus : Batodonoides

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