Phasma

Phasma is both a Phasmid group and the name of the publication produced by that group. This document covers both topics.

The Dutch and Belgian group, Phasma, was formed in 1991 and the membership list in the first issue of Phasma shows 37 members in the Netherlands, four in Belgium, and one in Germany. The group holds two meetings per year: one in Belgium and one in the Netherlands. Details of membership and activities may be found on their website at www.phasma.eu.

The group began publishing a newsletter, also called Phasma, in early 1991. It is published in Flemish and has been produced four times per year from the outset. The first issue was undated; issue 2 was dated May 1991.

Format

Issues 1 and 2 were in A4 format, Issues 3-30 were A5 booklets, and all issues from 31 onwards have been A4 format. The ISSN 1381-3420 first appeared on the covers of Phasma 16 in December 1994, but has not been used since Phasma 30 in July 1998 when the format changed from A5 to A4.

Page numbering

In issues 31-33 there were no page numbers.

Logo

Four different logos have been used on the cover of Phasma. The first, which was used from issue one, was a drawing of a female of the genus Phasma.

The second, which first appeared on issue 21 (March 1996), was just a slight variation of the original drawing.

The third (September 1998 to September 2006) was a cartoon style drawing by Johan van Gorkom. It was selected by the members as the winner of a competition to find a new logo.

The current logo (below), used on the cover since December 2006, is a black-and-white photograph of an Extatosoma popa nymph, the third (cartoon) logo is still used on the first inside page of the publication.

ISSN 1381-3420

The International Standard Serial Number 1381-3420 was used from Phasma 16 in December 1994 until Phasma 30 in July 1998 when a change of Editor occurred. It was not used subsequently because the Editors were unaware of its significance. It was reinstated in Phasma 67 in December 2007.

Issue numbering

Phasma 27+28 (December 1997) was a combined issue; 26 should have been issued in June but was not issued until September.

Phasma 52+53 (Maart 2004) was a combined issue because issue 52 was not produced in December 2003. This was followed by issue 54 (Juni 2004) and then another 54 (also labelled Juni 2004, but distributed in September 2004). The second of these should have been 55 (September 2004) but the new editor made a mistake. They should now be treated as 54a and 54b. The Juni issue (54a) has a picture of a male and a female Haaniella echinata on the cover. the September issue (54b) has a picture of an Extatosoma popa nymph on the cover.

Phasma 70 was originally labelled "nummer 69, juni 2008" instead of "nummer 70, september 2008". Reprints of Phasma will have the corrected number and date.

Publication dates

On a number of occasions, Phasma has had an incorrect date on the cover. For example, issue 70 which should have been September 2008 actually arrived in the UK in August 2008; issue 75 (December 2009) arrived in the UK in November 2009.

Editors

Ten Year Index

A 10-year index was produced (to numbers 1-40) at end of 2000, which was published as a separate issue.

Back issues

Below are the first 40 issues of Phasma. Later issues are available through their website to Phasma members.