Asprenas brunneri "Koghi"

Asprenas sp. "microwings, Koghi"
(by Bruno Kneubuehler)

General Informations

• formery this cultures was known as Asprenas sp. "microwings, Koghi"
• ID by Frank Hennemann (DE)
• provenience: Mt. Koghi (New Caledonia)
• different phasmid taxonomists suggest that this might be Asprenas effeminatus Carl, 1913, but a definite ID is not yet available
• F1 CB culture by Bruno Kneubuehler (2014)
• further taxonomical informations ➤ phasmida.speciesfile.org
• this is a pure culture, and serious breeders will avoid mixing it with cultures of a different provenience

Females

• medium-sized, long-legged, spiny species
• body length 10 cm
• green with brown patches and white dots
• black cheeks
• several long spines on the upper body
• long legs
• short hindwings
• inner side of hindwings red
• long secondary ovipositor

Males

• slender, spiny
• body length 6 - 7 cm
• several long spines on the upper body
• black cheeks
• short antennae
• verye short hindwings
• inner side of hindwings red

Nymphs

• freshly hatched nymphs are dark brown (legs, head, pro- and mesothorax) and red (metathorax, abdomen)
• coloration of these nymphs are distinctively different from nymphs of other Phyllium species
• on how to distinguish between male and female nymphs

Eggs

• 5 x 2.5 mm
• black
• shiny, smooth surface
• white micropylar plate

Food Plants

• bramble (Rubus spp.)
  very well accepted by nymphs and adults
• hazelnut (Corylus avellana)
  very well accepted by nymphs and adults
• Salal (Gaultheria shallon)
  very well accepted by nymphs and adults
• beech (Fagus sylvatica)
  very well accepted by nymphs and adults

Breeding, Behaviour

• active mainly during the night
• they often drop to the ground when being touched, and freeze up again after a just few steps