Paraleptyniini sp. "Capilla del Monte"

(by Bruno Kneubuehler)

General Informations

• provenience: Capilla del Monte (Córdoba, Argentina)
• F1 CB culture by Bruno Kneubuehler
• taxonomic evaluation by Oskar Conle (Germany) and Frank Hennemann (Germany)
• further taxonomical informations ➤ phasmida.speciesfile.org
• all wildcaught specimens were females, no males have been found in Capilla del Monte. Thus it might be a naturally parthenogenetic population

Females

• about 10 cm
• most females are green just after their final moult, but slowly turn light brown when getting older
• very gracile species
• short antennae

Males

• not present (parthenogenetic culture)

Food Plants

• Hypericum
  well accepted by nymphs and adults
• Schinus molle (info from Pablo Valero)

Breeding, Behaviour

• active mainly during the night
• freeze up when they feel threatened
• eggs are just dropped to the ground
• about 15 - 20 eggs per female and week
• incubation (HH-method on slightly damp sand) about 6 - 8 months at 20 - 23 °C
• a humidity of about 60 % seems to be good enough for this species
• very easy species