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Australian Wildlife

  Stick Insect (Ctenomorpha chronus)





Stick Insect | Ctenomorpha chronus photo
stick insect Ctenomorpha chronus

Image by Fir0002/Flagstaffotos - GNU Free Documentation License.    (view image details)

Stick Insect | Ctenomorpha chronus photo
stick insect Ctenomorpha chronus

Image by Fir0002/Flagstaffotos - GNU Free Documentation License.    (view image details)

Stick Insect | Ctenomorpha chronus photo
Eggs from Ctenomorpha chronus

Image by Marcus Kuntze - License: Public Domain.    (view image details)







STICK INSECT FACTS

Identification
Ctenomorpha chronus is a large stick insect. Males are fully winged and can fly, while females are much larger with reduced wings. The wings are small and black with green leading edge. The head, prothorax (first segment of the thorax) and legs are light pinkish brown. The mesothorax (middle section of thorax) and abdomen are blackish green. The mesothorax has small black tubercles. The abdomen has black spots at the tip of each segment. The cerci at the tip of the abdomen are prominent.

Size
length 18cm

Habitat
heath and woodland

Food
feeds on leaves from Eucalyptus and other tree species

Breeding
The female lays elliptical eggs about 3mm long and look like plant seeds. The eggs drop to the forest floor during summer and hatch later the same year. The male goes through six instars (seven for the female) before reaching maturity. Ctenomorpha chronus are parthenogenetic (capable of producing young from unfertilised egg).



Classification
Class:Insecta
Order:Phasmatodea
Family:Phasmatidae
Genus:Ctenomorpha
Species:chronus
Common Name:Stick Insect