Marmessoidea sp. "Cat Tien"

(by Thies Büscher)

General Notes

• this culture was formerly known as Necrosciinae sp. "Cat Tien"
• Joachim Bresseel does taxonomical work on this species and genus
• there are various similar Necrosciinae species which are part of this new genus and are going to be described by Joachim Bresseel
• their appearance is very similar to Necrosciinae sp. “Con Dao”, thus they might be related

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Origin

• Cat Tien National Park, Vietnam

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Females

• approx. 80mm (body length)
• short winged (hind wings reach to 1/3 of the abdomen, approx. 20mm)
• colorful; head and wings in different brown shades
• body dorsal brown with a yellow stripe and ventral green
• membranous part of the hind wings is dark brown
• long antennae
• legs are turquoise and have dark stripes

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Males

• approx. 70mm (body length)
• wings reach 1/3 of the Abdomen
• colorful; head and wings in different brown shades
• body dorsal brown with a yellow stripe and ventral green
• membranous part of the hind wings is dark brown
• long antennae
• legs are turquoise and have dark stripes

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Nymphs

• often accept crack willow (Salix fragilis) better than Laurus nobilis

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Eggs

• hatch after 3-4 months
• short posterior spine
• about 5 x 1,5 mm (including spine)
• elongated
• grey, with elongated micropylar plate
• often placed in clusters

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Food Plants

• Bay laurel (Laurus nobilis) 
  is accepted well
• many willow species (Salix sp.) are accepted well; especially crack willow (Salix fragilis)
• bramble (Rubus spp.) is well accepted   (Info Reto Bonfiglioli, Andreas Rolke)
• I tried some different plants, but I did not find any further accepted foodplants
• probably Salal (Gaultheria shallon) coated with Laurel also might work
• privet (Ligustrum) is well accepted (Info von Philippe van der Schoor)

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Behaviour

• both, nymphs and adults, are rather active during the day
• mostly active during the night
• if small nymphs are touched, they use thanatosis
• older nymphs and adults (especially adult males) try to drop to the ground or crawl away, if being touched.
• an odorous defense spray is used
• mating and deposition of eggs occurs during the night

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Developement

• incubation time (HH-incubation on slightly damp sand at 20 - 23 °C) is approx. 3 months
• high hatching ratio
• I spread some dry moss over the eggs to support the process of hatching
• females start laying eggs after about 2 – 3 weeks
• eggs are sticked into different substrates
• I offer floral foam for the deposition of eggs and it is accepted very well
• lay about 10-15 Eggs per week
• male and female live several months (5-7)

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Breeding Notes

• keep them  in good ventilation with moderate humidity (60%+ rH).
• I have never sprayed nymphs or adults with water, but I have watered  the soil once a week
• a wet towel paper could also be enough to keep up the humidity
• keep the nymphs in a cage that offers no chance to escape; for example a prepared  faunabox works
• when the nymphs grow bigger, move them into cages of appropriate size
• I generally keep species separately to avoid cross-breeding and overcrowding
• choose cages which are high enough to avoid mistakes at moult and ensure that individuals have no chance to moult in places that would lead to miss-moult