Asystata sp. "Quezon"

(by Bruno Kneubühler)

General Notes

• the taxonomic position of this species is not yet fully clarifed. The name given might be just preliminary. As soon as there will be more conclusive news on the species' name I will inform here !
• therefore pass on this info when you distribute this species under this name!
• 2008 - first succesful culture of this species by Thierry Heitzmann (Philippines), but he distributed them as Sosibia cf morio
• 2009 - first successful culture in Europe by Bruno Kneubühler
• 2009 - this species has been distributed under the preliminary name Namen Asystata sp. "Quezon National Parc"

_________________

Origin

• Quezon National Park (Atimonan, Quezon Province, South-West Luzon)

_________________

Females

• thin phasmids, about 8,5 - 9 cm long
• wings are well developed, but they have seen flying (so far)
• the coloration is very variable, it ranges from almost white to dark brown with random whitish spots
• antennae are long

_________________

Males

• even thinner than the females
• about 6,5 cm long
• wings are very well developed, and they are capable of flying swiftly and for a longer distance (at least some meter)
• antennae are longer than the forelegs
• coloration of the males is also very variable - though the tendency is that they are darker than the females

_________________

Eggs

• about 2 x 1,5 mm
• dark with a whitish net-like structure
• roundish

_________________

Food Plants

• nymphs feed very well on Hypericum (e.g. the ones used as ground coverers in gardens)
• they also like raspberry (Rubus sp.)

_________________

Breeding notes

• an easy to breed and interesting species
• incubation of the eggs on damp (not too wet) sand, with springtails to reduce mould growth
• incubation time at room temperatures (20-23°C) about 6 weeks
• hatching ratio was here more than 50%
• nymphs and adults can easily be kept in a Faunabox (or a similar cage)
• I do not spray my culture, a constantly wet paper towel on the cage floor provides enough humidity
• nymphs as well as adults wriggle about frantically when being touched by hand. This looks like a fish that wriggels on land or as if they have an epileptic seizure
• males will be adult after about 2 months, females after about 2,5 months
• females start to lay eggs after about 2 weeks
• eggs are just being droped to the ground
• matings can be seen frequently

_________________

References

• Phasmida Species Files  (www.phasmida.orthoptera.org)