Trachyaretaon negrosanon "Negros"

(by Bruno Kneubuehler)

General Notes

• the taxonomical position of this species is not yet clarified. Currently reserach is being done on this, and results should be available soon. As soon as there will be more information on this I will leave the information here
• therefore this species should be distributed for the timebeing with the addition "Negros" to avoid confusion in the future
• 2009 - first successful culture of this species by Bruno Kneubühler
• 2009 - this species has been distributed unter the name Trachyareaton sp. "Negros"

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Origin

• Mt. Kanlaon and Mt. Mandalagan (two volcanic mountains in North-Negros, Philippines)

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Females

• very pretty phasmids - about 8 cm long
• body covered with many spines and humps
• antennae are longer than the forelegs
• coloration are different strong green shades, with few black markings

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Males

• small phasmids - about 4,5 to 5 cm long
• many males have a dirty-green stripe on their back, but this one can also be brown in some specimens

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Eggs

• about 4 x 2 mm
• brown (when dry), one pole of the egg is almost black
• surface is slightly rough

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Food Plants

• nymphs as well as adults feed very nicely on bramble (Rubus sp.)
• they also feed on Rhododendron, ivy (Hedera helix) and beech (Fagus sp.), though they like bramble better
• but it seems that they do not at all like the very fresh bramble leaves in spring. Therefore during sping one should collect for some time bramble leaves from the previous year for this species. Such leaves can be found in places deeper into the forests, especially in nothern hillside forests !

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Breeding Notes

• breeding of this speices is almost the same as for Trachyaretaon sp. "North-Luzon"
• a very easy yet beautiful new 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) is about 3 months
• hatching ratio of my first generation was about 80%
• nymphs as well as adults can be kept in Faunaboxes (or similar cages)
• I do not spray my culture, a constantly wet paper towel on the cage floor provides enough humidity
• nevertheless arrange for good ventilation in their cage
• females will be adult after about 6 months, males after about 5 months
• about 5-6 weeks later females start to lay eggs
• they want to stick the eggs into soil, so it is necessary to provide them with humid soil/peat (at least about 3 cm deep) in a container
• alternatively one can also use dry sand. This makes is very easy to collect the eggs, as one just has to sieve them out of the sand. But do not leave the eggs for more than one week in the dry sand, otherwise the eggs might dehydrate too much
• females will stick the eggs only about 1-2 cm deep