Genus
Species
Stock
Culture status
Probably lost
Foodplants
Bramble (Rubus spp.)
Salal (Gaultheria shallon)
Breeding notes
(by Bruno Kneubühler)
General Informations
- provenience: area of Kawawoki, which is about 50 km south of Popondetta (PNG)
- a preliminary taxonomical evaluation by Oskar Conle (DE) revealed that this population is closely related with Eurycantha horrida. Depending on how narrow the taxonomical grid applied is, they might even be conspecific
- the type specimen of E. horrida is from the area of Dorei Bay, which is close to Manokwari (Arfak, Irian Jaya). This is more than 2000 km (over land) away from Kawawoki (see photo in gallery below). Thus some minor differences are to be expected, whether on morphological or genetical level
- further taxonomical informations ➤ Phasmida Species Files
Females
- unfortunately the only female died as a small nymph
- thus this culture failed
Nymphs
- newly hatched nymphs are light brown
- rather big, body length ≈ 28 mm
- on how to distinguish between male and female nymphs
Food Plants
- bramble (Rubus spp.)
well accepted by nymphs and adults - Salal (Gaultheria shallon)
well accepted by nymphs and adults - presumably a rather polyphagous species
Behaviour, Biology, Breeding
- only 3 nymphs hatched, of which 2 got adult - two males
- the adult males can react quite aggressively. During their defense behaviour they will raise up their abdomen, and they try to grap the agressor with their hind legs. The huge spine on their hind leg can inflict bleeding wounds, as I have experienced myself :)
- most probably females do also stick their eggs into soil or moss
- incubation (Cup-Incubation-Method, on medium damp vermiculite) about 7 months at 20 - 24 °C
- please note that the total incubation time is strongly influenced by the incubation temperatur
- as a side note, it is quite common that from the very same batch of phasmid eggs, some nymphs will hatch weeks, months or even years after the first hatchlings
- eggs can be covered with vermiculite (about 1 cm high), which makes it easier for the nymphs to hatch without getting stuck to the eggs shell. Alternatively one can put wood wool over the eggs, when the nymphs start hatching
- as the nymphs are very big, make sure that the hatching container is big enough. Especially if several nymphs would hatch during the same period !
- eggs of this species are not really prone to get mouldy, still it is a good idea to use springtails to limit mould growth
- nymphs hatch during the night
- a humidity of about 70+ % rH is good enough for nymphs and adults. Though a higher humidity (75 - 90 % RH) is certainly not detrimental
- nymphs and adults can be sprayed 2 - 3 times a week with chlorine-free water, but make sure that the water dries up before spraying again
- I use a blackwater conditioner in the spraying water
- small nymphs can be kept in a Faunabox (or a similar cage), which shall not be too small
- move nymphs to a bigger cage as they grow bigger
- provide a cage of about 40 x 30 x 30 (cm, L x B x H) for 2 adult couples
- males will be adult after 5 - 6 months (at 20 - 24°C). But please note, that the development time is strongly influenced by temperature
- our detailed notes on how to successfully breed phasmids are an integral part of this care sheet
- in order to maintain strong and healthy cultures, one often needs 2 - 3 cages per species. So that the cages are not overcrowded, and to keep the more fragile nymphs seperate from the adults
- keep just one species per cage, also to avoid overcrowded, detrimental culture conditions
- informations on why and how to keep cultures seperate and pure
- whenever you post informations or distribute a culture to fellow breeders, then make it a point to use the full and correct scientific name with provenience affix, or in short the full culture name:
- correct is for example Extatosoma tiaratum "Innisfail" - for the pure culture which originates from Innisfail
- incorrect and most unfair is to use the culture name Extatosoma tiaratum "Innisfail" for an Extatosoma tiaratum of unknown or uncertain origin
- incorrect and misleading is "prickly stick insect" or "spiny stick insect" for any Extatosoma tiaratum culture. There are many more "prickly" phasmids. Serious breeders do not use common names, which inevitably lead to confusion
- if possible keep day temperatures below 28°C, and a nocturnal temperature drop is natural and advisable
- do not spray too often and too much, phasmids are no fish. In the confined space of a cage, with it's very limited potential for climatical balancing, humidity and moisture can quickly get out of balance and give raise to excessive mould and microbiologial growth