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Oreophoetes topoense

general notes

• this species has been distributed by me by the preliminary name Oreophoetes sp. "Rio Topo" in 2008
• first successful culture of this species by Bruno Kneubühler  (2008)
• 2008 - I have distributed this species as Oreophoetes peruana nigripes to other breeders
• 2009 - this species has been described in JOR (Journal of Orthoptera Reserach):
  Studies on Neotropical Phasmatodea IX: Oreophoetes topoense n. sp. — a New Colorful Walking-Stick from Central Ecuador (Phasmatodea: Diapheromeridae: Diapheromerinae: Oreophoetini)
  Oskar V. Conle, Frank H. Hennemann, Horst Käch and Bruno Kneubühler (Dezember 2009)
  http://www.bioone.org/toc/orth/18/2

origin

• my culture stock has been collected by Horst Kaech (Ecuador) in November 2007 at Rio Topo (Tunguragua) in Ecuador
• the original specimens were found on Piperaceae, and plants of this family were also accepted as food plant in Ecuador - along with plum leaves. This indicates that Oreophoetes are not strict fern feeders in the wild

females

• typical wingless stick insects - about 5,5 – 6 cm long
• beautifully coloured insects. Basically they are coloured very similar like females of O. peruana. (Females of O. peruana were also yellow-black in colour back in the late 1980's [when they were first cultivated] -  and not reddish-black like it can be seen commonly nowadays

males

• typical wingless stick insects - about 4,5 – 5 cm long
• the colouration of male Oreophoetes sp. "Rio Topo, Ecuador" differs a lot from males of O. peruana. They are black all over the body, with some vivid red spot on the head and at the leg joints
• just after the adult moult, the males do still have yellow spots like the females. It takes some days until the red colour develops

eggs

• lenticular shaped, dimensions about 2,5 x 2 mm
• dark brown with some ligher brown and even somewhat translucent spots. The outer rim is light brown
• they darken as the embryo inside grows older
• incubation at room temperatures (18 – 25°C) on a damp, but not wet substrate. Incubation time is about 3 – 4 months

food plants

• nymphs and adults readily accept fern from the forest
• I have not found any other food plant for them here

breeding notes

• cultivation of this species is easy - if you have access to enough fern which is their food plant
• freshly hatched nymphs are already almost black with yellow spots
• keep nymphs as well as adults in a fairly airy cage and keep the humidity high with wet paper towels on the cage bottom
• I am spraying neither nymphs nor adults with water
• they grow up quite fast - males mature in about 3 months, females in about 4 months (at room temperatures)
• some 2 weeks after their final moult, females start laying eggs, about 2-3 a day. They just let them drop to the ground
• mating takes place at night, males do not stay with a female for a long time
• they can be seen active during the day too
• from the prothoracic glands they can produce a milk-white defensive secretion when they feel threatened. This secretion smells like old tires and probably causes a (non-permanent ?) burning sensation when it comes in contact with the mucous membranes in the mouth or in the eyes. Thus one should be careful when handle them