Toxic and rainbows aren’t two words you would normally associate with each other. Actually, if you were listening to Britney Spears’ tune and eating lucky charms or something, then it might apply. But in everyday life these two words don’t normally go hand in hand – until now: Meet the Rainbow Milkweed Locust (Phymateus saxosus).
- OMURA CONGRUA WALKER, 1870
Brief Description
still courtesy to : www.saltatoria.info/english/species-a-z/omura-congrua/
Description:slender green or brown species
Distribution:South America
Stock from: Ecuador
General Care:25-32°C, 60-80% rel. humidity
Feeding: bramble, Caprifoliaceae
Breeding: oviposition into substrate (humus-sand-soil), hatching after 3-5 month
Advice/Specifics: keep the glass terrarium clean and do not use plastic to water the food plants, there might be losses from “moldy air” and if the plants are kept in dirty water that will be eaten via the food plants by the animals.
- CF. PARAPETASIA FEMORATA BOLÍVAR, 1884
Brief Description
Distribution: Cameroon, Gabon, Western Africa
Stock from: Cameroon
Size: ♂: ca 35 mm, ♀: ca 50 mm
General care: 25-30°C, 60-70% rLf
Feeding: bramble, Asclepias spp., carotte, kohlrabi and its leaves
Breeding: Oviposition into the substrate. We do not have further experiences with this species.
Taxonomy: Adult males and females are apterous (no wings are visible). The female that was described by Bolivar 1884 from Gabon do not have wings (Elytris minutissimissubpronoto obtectis..). The description of Bolivar fits well with our stock from Cameroon.
Parapetasia femorata rammei Sjöstedt, 1923 that was synonymised with Parapetasia femorata has wings in both males and females. They cover about one third of the abdomen. Similar specimens were imported from Cameroon as well.
- PERINGUEYELLA JOCOSA SAUSSURE, 1888
- PHYMATEUS species :
- PHYMATEUS (PHYMATEUS) AEGROTUS (GERSTAECKER, 1869)
Brief Description
Distribution: Africa
Stock from: Tanzania (Arusha)
Size: ♂: 80-100 mm ♀: 60-80 mm
General Care: 25-35°C, 60-70% rel. humidity
Feeding: bramble, Asclepias, bittersweet nightshade, Cestrum nocturnum
Breeding: oviposition into the substrate (humus-sand-soil), hatch after 12 month
- Phymateus is a genus of Orthoptera from the family pyrgomorphidae . The scientific name of this genus was first published in 1815 by valid Thunberg.
From : nl.wikipedia.
Types :
The genus phymateus includes the following types:
-Phymateus baccatus Stål, 1876
-Phymateus leprosus Fabricius, 1793
-Phymateus aegrotus Gerstaecker, 1869
-Phymateus bolivari Kirby, 1910
-Phymateus cinctus Fabricius, 1793
-Phymateus iris Bolívar, 1882
-Phymateus karschi Bolívar, 1904
-Phymateus madagassus Karsch, 1888
-Phymateus morbillosus Linnaeus, 1758
-Phymateus pulcherrimus Bolívar, 1904
-Phymateus saxosus Coquerel, 1861
-Phymateus viridipes Stål, 1873
phymateus saxosus
Phymateus viridipes
Article :
RAINBOW MILKWEED LOCUST: A REAL TOXIC BEAUTY
courtesy to : featuredcreature.com/rainbow-milkweed-locust-real-toxic-beauty/
Phymateus aegrotus
- PHYMATEUS (PHYMATEUS) SAXOSUS COQUEREL, 1861
still courtesy and proud from : www.saltatoria.info/english/species-a-z/phymateus-saxosus/
Brief Description
Distribution: Madagascar
Stock from: southern Madagascar (stock lost)
Size: ♂: 80-100 mm ♀: ca 60-80 mm
General Care: 20-35°C, 60-70% rel. humidity
Feeding: bramble, Asclepias, bittersweet nightshade
Breeding: oviposition into substrate (humus-sand-soil), hatching after approx. 12 month
Macula Doc grasshoppers Phymateus saxosus
- PHYMATEUS (PHYMATEUS) VIRIDIPES STÅL, 1873
Brief Description
Distribution: Africa (south of the Sahara)
Stock from: several stocks from South Africa
Size: ♂: 80-100 mm ♀: ca 60-80 mm
General Care: 20-35°C, 60-70% rel. humidity
Feeding: bramble, Asclepias, kale and kohlrabi leaves, bittersweet nightshade
Breeding: oviposition into substrate (humus-sand-soil), hatching after 12-18 month
- PHYTEUMAS PURPURASCENS (KARSCH, 1896)
Brief Description
Distribution: Ost-Afrika
Stock from: lost
Size: ♂: ca. 40 mm ♀: ca. 60-80 mm
General Care: 25-35°C, 60-70% rel. humidity
Feeding: bramble, Asclepias, bittersweet nightshade
Breeding: oviposition into the substrate (humus-sand-soil)
Habitat: Madagascar
Status: Not Evaluated
These absolutely stunning creatures, which reach about 10 cm or so, feature every color of the rainbow; and for good reason. They want to alarm predators (bright colors are bad remember?) by alerting them that they’ve got a whole lotta toxin flowin’ through those grasshopper veins and they should probably keep their hungry appetites looking elsewhere. That’s because, like its common name suggests, it feeds on the Milkweed plant, in addition to other toxic vegetation.
The local people call these brilliant bugs ‘tumateus’ and if anyone knows what the exact translation for that word is, please let me know in the comments. Google is being so unhelpful right now.
Due to the large quantity of grasshoppers species and the new yearly discoveries we will shortlisted the famous and most colorful and strange shape of these creatures . yet this hobby is challenging for the most of hobbyists ..
GRASSHOPPER : Introduction and general keeping information
GRASSHOPPER SPECIES : Page One - Page two - Page Three - Page Four
GRASSHOPPER : Introduction and general keeping information
GRASSHOPPER SPECIES : Page One - Page two - Page Three - Page Four