Lichen spiny leaf insect

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Lichen spiny leaf insect
This insect lives on lichen
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Arthropoda Class: Insecta Order: Phasmatodea Family: Phasmatidae Subfamily: Tropidoderinae Genus: Extatosoma Species: E. tiaratum
Binomial name
Extatosoma tiaratum (Macleay, 1826)

Contents 1 Lichen spiny stick insect 2 Description 3 Taxonomy 4 Subspecies 5 Behaviour 5.1 Rearing in captivity

[edit] Lichen spiny stick insect

The lichen spiny stick insect is an E.tiaratum in disguise living on lichen growing on the side of a tree trunk feeding on the closest leaf at night.

[edit] Description

The lichen spiny stick insect is black and white with spines on the underside, the head, legs etc. E. tiaratum usually yellow shown here but when fed on different leaves the E. T will obviously change colour after a few moults.

[edit] Taxonomy

Related species:

• Spiny leaf insect
• Giant spiny
• Maclay's spectre

[edit] Subspecies

There are two species described at present.

[edit] Behaviour

This differental change in body shape is caused by food taken in for example. an E. tiaratum eats Eucalyptus therefore staying yellow but if fed on bramble etc it will turn green, although when fed leaves that grow closest to the lichen then a spiny leaf insect nymph will perch it self on the lichen with food only cm in front of it and after moults this resembelance will show lichen.

[edit] Rearing in captivity

Lichen spiny stick insect is Extremely hard to keep in captivity not because of the conditions but because of the leaf.......