Phyllium hausleithneri "Tapah Hills"
(by Olivier Salord)
| Order | Phasmatodea
| |
| Suborder | Verophasmatodea | |
| Infraorder | Areolatae | |
| Superfamily | Phyllioidea | Brunner v. Wattenwyl, 1893 |
| Family | Phylliidae | Brunner v. Wattenwyl, 1893 |
| Subfamily | Phylliinae | Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1893 |
| Tribe | Phylliini | Brunner v. Wattenwyl, 1893 |
| Genus | Phyllium | Illiger, 1798 |
| Subgenus | Phyllium | Illiger, 1798 |
| Species | Ph. hausleithneri | Brock & Seow-Choen, 1995 |
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General Notes
- this Phyllium species has been imported on several occasions and bred with more or less success over the past 15 years
- 2011: first successful culture by Olivier Salord (France)
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Origin
- eggs were collected by Sharon Cheong in Tapah Hills (Western Malaysia) in the Summer 2010
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Females
- green with reddish to brown spots on the whole body for most of the females
- some specimens are almost entirely green
- size is about 8 cm, with only very flimsy variations between the different specimens
- on the other hand, different females will show a variety of shapes. Some showing rather straight, spear-like abdomens. But others have more or less pronounced lobes along the edges of the final abdominal segments, making them look similar to Ph. jacobsoni and Ph. philippinicum
- a pair of fore wings cover the abdomen almost completly
- a pair of tiny vestigial, withered, elytrons, is visible under the wings
- antennae are about 3 mm long
- coxae (the membrane by which the legs are attached to the abdomen) are deep blue
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Males
- typically spear-like shaped
- with fully developped wings - making it possible for them to fly easily
- size is about 6 cm
- antennae are about 3.5 cm long
- coxae (the membranes by which the legs are attached to the abdomen) are deep blue
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Eggs
- about 5 x 3 m
- compact when fresly laid
- they get their typically hairy appearance when they remain for a few minutes in a moisty environment
- but once they are stored in a dry environment again, they tend to stick to any material that they had previously been in contact with when wet
- they show an amazing variety of colours, ranging from pink to dark brown
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Food Plants
- the following food plants have been tried successfully:
bramble (Rubus sp.)
oak (Quercus sp., summer green)
evegreen oak (Quercus ilex)
Salal (Gaultheria shallon)
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Behaviour
- young males and females as well as sub-adult specimens will spray an orange-like smelling substance when being handled
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Breeding Notes
- not an easy species to breed, as first-instar nymphs and some adult, egg-bound females sometimes die without any obvious reason
- incubation using the "on-a-net-over-wet sand" method
- incubation time is 3.5 to 4 months at 25° C
- high hatching ratio, close to 90%
- broad daylight and moisture tend to stimulate hatchings
- newly-hatched nymphs seem to enjoy daylight for their first week
- newly-born nymphs often die, if they hatch between October and April. To avoid that, supply them with a source of artificial lighting 12 hours/day (any type of bulb will do fine), and keep them at a constant temperature ranging between 23°C-25°C
- by L2-L3, they can be kept at room temperature (18°C-21°C), and the light will no longer be necessary
- they also like to drink out of small droplets
- males grow up in about 4 months, females in about 5 months
- the females' lifespan is about 5 - 6 months
- females start laying eggs after about 2 - 3 weeks
- they will lay hundreds of eggs
- eggs are just dropped to the ground
- males will live for 3 - 4 months, and mate easily
- adults must be kept in a roomy enclosure - to prevent them from gnawing each other
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References
- Phasmida Species Files (www.phasmida.orthoptera.org)
