Cryptophyllium westwoodii "Tha Pla Duk"

(by Bruno Kneubuehler)

General Informations

• provenience: Tha Pla Duk (near Doi Khun Tan NP, Tha Pla Duk subdistrict, Mae Tha district, Lamphun, Thailand)
• ID and taxonomic evaluation by Joachim Bresseel (BE)
• F1 CB culture in 2015 by Suttah Ek-Amnuay (TH)
• first CB culture in Europe by Bruno Kneubuehler (CH)
• further taxonomical informations ➤ Phasmida Species Files
• this is a pure culture, and serious breeders are requested to avoid mixing this culture with similar populations from a different provenience. When spreading this culture to other breeders, then always use the full name with provenience
• this culture has the number CLP   (Online Phasma Culture List)

Females

• typical for the Ph. westwoodii species group
• body length ≈ 8.5 - 9 cm
• all females are green (so far)
• eye spots (ventrally) are very variable in size and color, some females even lack these spots
• long, thin hindwings

Males

• very typical for the Ph. westwoodii species group
• body length ≈ 6.5 -7 cm
• long antennae
• green
• eye spots (ventrally) are very variable in size and color, some males even lack these spots

Nymphs

• freshly hatched nymphs are reddish, with greenish-white spots
• about 12 mm
• on how to distinguish between male and female nymphs

Eggs

• ≈ 5 x 2.5 mm - frehly laid / before having been in contact with a humid / wet environment
• ≈ 6 x 3 mm - after being in contact with a humid / wet environment
• some structures and fringes on the egg expand /swell up when in contact with a humid / wet environment. This expansion is reversible so some degree, when the eggs is again exposed to a dry environment
• the function of this swelling-up is not (yet) known, but also wellknown from eggs of other Phyllium (Phyllium) species. A possibility could be that this allows to store some humidity, and offers thus a (short-term) protection against exsiccation
• orange-brown

Food Plants

• bramble (Rubus spp.)
  well accepted by nymphs and adults
• other possible food plants (not tested though):
  Salal (Gaultheria shallon)
  hazelnut (Corylus avellana)
  raspberry (Rubus idaeus)
  oak (Quercus spp.)
   

Breeding, Behaviour

• easy to breed
• young nymphs are active mainly during the day
• older nymphs and adults are mainly active during the night, although males are also often seen wandering about during the day
• males often drop to the ground when being touched, and they can tremble heavily
• a defensive spray has not (yet) been observed
• females fling the eggs away with a swift swing of their abdomen
• eggs just drop to the ground
• about 10 - 15 eggs per female and week
• incubation (Cup-Incubation-method, on medium damp vermiculite) about 3 - 4 months at 20 - 24 °C
• it is quite common that some nymphs will hatch weeks or even many months after the first nymphs - from the very same batch of eggs
• eggs can be covered with vermiculite (about 10 mm high), which makes it easier for the nymphs to hatch without getting stuck in the eggs shell
• eggs of this species are not prone to get mouldy
• nymphs hatch during daytime (around noon), which is normal for all Phyllium species
• a humidity of about 65 - 75 % rH seems to be good enough for nymphs and adult females
• but adult males do better if kept at a higher humidity (75 - 85 % rH)
• one can spray them regularly with chlorine-free water, but allow the water to dry up before spraying again
• it is best to keep young nymphs in an airy netting cage, a ventilator which provides regular air movement is very much recommended
• it is very common, that especially older female nymphs or adult females have their abdomen partially eaten by other individuals (especially by males). Therefore this species shall be kept in a big cage with a low population density
• provide a cage of about 30 x 30 x 40 (cm, L x B x H) for 2 adult couples
• males will be adult after 9 - 11 months (at 20 - 24°C), females after 10 - 13 months
• the Free-Standing-Setup is very much recommened to get freshly hatched nymphs starting to feed. Once the nymphs are in L3, the Free-Standing-Setup is no more necessary