
Genus
Species
Stock
CLP
536
PSG
354
Culture status
Unknown
Foodplants
Lonicera nitida
Bramble (Rubus spp.)
Privet (Ligustrum spp.)
Gonzalagunia hirsuta
Pachystachys coccinea
Breeding notes
(by Yannick Bellanger, ASPER)
General Notes
- 2008 - first description of the female of this species by Yannick
Bellanger (France) and Frédéric Langlois (France) after an
expedition in Tobago. Unsuccessful attempt of culture - 2010 - first successful culture by Yannick Bellanger
- 2012 - first distribution of surplus by ASPER
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Origin
- Trinidad
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Females
- fine and elongated species
- between 6 and 9 cm
- coloration very variable from a female to an other : green, brown, grey, with or without mottlings of white or brown
- some female are smooth on the abdomen but most of them have some large tubercles, especially on tergum VI
- antennae usualy longer than the extremity of fore legs
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Males
- fine and elongated, smaller than females
- between 5 and 6 cm
- coloration not variable, brown
- legs annulate
- antennae a little bit shorter than the body
- very characteristic and conical subgenital plate
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Nymphs
- greyish body
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Eggs
- globulous and smooth brown capsule
- total length is about 2.8 mm
- very lengthened micropylar plate
- brown to dark brown oval operculum, with a yellowish lamellar excrescence
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Food Plants
- honeysuckle (Lonicera sp.)
common and winter green garden plant, is well accepted by nymphs and adults - bramble (Rubus sp.)
very common and winter green plant, well accepted by nymphs and adults - privet (Ligustrum sp.)
common winter green garden plant, quite well accepted by nymphs and adults - many other plants of the Rosaceae family
- in the wild, this species eats Gonzalagunia hirsuta and Pachystachys coccinea
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Behaviour
- typical nocturnal species, nymphs and adults spend the day time in the branchs and under leaves
- matings can occur for a quite long time, even during the day, but males do not stay with the same female
- if taken by a leg, nymphs and adults can easyly brake it (autotomy)
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Development
- incubation (on wet peat at 18-20°C) is about 3 months, until 5 months
- males are adults (at 18-22°C) in a little bit more than 4 months, females in 4,5 to 5 months
- eggs are thrown at random
- adults live for several months
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Breeding Notes
- an easy to keep species, in a humid cage with a little bit of ventilation
- nymphs can be kept with adults
- I spray water to nymphs and adults about 2 times per week
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References
- Langlois & Bellanger, « Inventaire des Phasmatodea de Tobago », Bulletin de la Société entomologique de France, 117 (1), 2012 : 91-110
- Phasmida Species Files (www.phasmida.orthoptera.org)