Lopaphus sp. "Cuc Phuong"

(by Bruno Kneubuehler)

General Notes

• 2011 – taxonomical aspects of this species are being examined by
           Joachim Bresseel (Belgium), and he will also describe this species
• 2012 - first successful culture by Bruno Kneubuehler
• 2012 - this species has been distributed as Lopaphus sp. "Cuc Phuong"

_________________

Origin

• Cuc Phuong, Vietnam 

_________________

Females

• very nice, medium sized phasmids
• about 9.5 – 10.5 cm long
• there are two very different color morphs amongst the females
• first morph has a blue meso- and metathorax, brown legs, head, prothorax, abdomen (dorally), black areas and a green abdomen (ventrally)
• second morph has a olive-green meso- metathorax, abdomen; reddish-brown head, prothorax, legs
• both color morphs have numerous light or white dots on the thorax and abdomen (dorsally)
• antennae are longer than the forelegs
• no wings (apterous)

_________________

Males

• very beautiful, thin phasmids
• coloration is consistent amongst males
• about 7.5 – 8.5 cm long
• strongly blue meso- and metathorax
• thorax and abdomen (dorsally) with numerous, fine light or white dots
• legs and abdomen are reddish-brown
• antennae much longer than the forelegs
• no wings (apterous)

_________________

Nymphs

• about 14 mm (L1)
• green (L1)
• as soon as the nymphs start to feed, they become darker green in color
• by L3, most nymphs are brown-green with many white dots
• rather hairy legs and antennae
• antennae already longer than forelegs
• by L3 it is quite easy to draw a distinction between ♀♂ (by the naked eye)

_________________

Eggs

• small
• about 2 x 1.5 mm
• elongate-oval
• brown
• matt
• surface is net-like structured
• capitulum is distinctly raised from the egg lid (operculum)
• micropylar plate is well visible

_________________

Food Plants

• bramble (Rubus sp.)
  is very well accepted by freshly hatched nymphs, older nymphs and adults
• bramble (Rubus sp.) - fresh leaves in spring
  is very well accepted by adults (not tested on nymphs)
• firethorn (Pyracantha sp.) 
  is very well accepted by freshly hatched nymphs (not tested with older nymphs and adults)
• hazelnut (Corylus avellana) 
  is very well accepted by adults (not tested with nymphs)
• beech (Fagus sylvatica) 
  is well accepted by adults and older nymphs (not tested with young nymphs)
• Hypericum
  preferred over bramble    (info: Andreas Rolke)

_________________

Behaviour

• nymphs as well as adults behave VERY frantically when tthey feel threatened. Often many will fall to the ground and wriggle about frantically when one is changing the food plants
• thus it is best to avoid touching them – as far as possible
• rather active also during the day – thus this species is also great for displays
• matings are frequent – day and night
• males do not stay with the same female for a prolonged time

_________________

Developement

• incubation time (HH-incubation on slightly damp sand at 20 - 23 °C) is about 5 months  (F1)
• spread some dried (!) moss over the eggs - this will make it much easier for the nymphs to hatch unscathed and it also reduces mould growth to some extend
• hatching ratio in F1 was very high (> 50%)
• males will be adult after about 3.5 months (at 20 – 23°C), females after about 4 months
• females start laying eggs after about 2 – 3 weeks
• eggs are flinged away with a swing of the abodmen
• about 35 – 45 eggs per female and week
• adults can live for several months

_________________

Breeding Notes

• my general notes on how to breed phasmids are a integral part of this care sheet ...
• it is very easy to breed this species
• keep the nymphs in a cage with good ventilation, but take care that the humidity does not drop too low
• a constantly wet paper towel on the floor of the cage helps raising humidity
• a humidity level of about 65 % rH seems to be sufficient (no problem if higher)
• nymphs can be kept in a Faunabox (or similar cages)
• move nymphs to a bigger cage as they grow bigger
• a cage of at least 30 x 30 x 30 cm should be provided for 3 - 4 couples of this species (or considerably larger if the cage also contains other species !)
• generally I advise to keep different phasmid species seperately (unfortunately, overcrowed cages are still very common ...)
• I have never sprayed nymphs or adults (or their cage) with water
• make shure that nymphs, which are about to undergo their adult moult, do not find places in the cage which would not offer them enough space beneath to moult successfully