Carausius morosus

Carausius morosus
Carausius morosus from India
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Phasmatodea
Suborder:	Verophasmatodea
Family:	Diapheromeridae
Genus:	Carausius
Species:	C. morosus
Binomial name
Carausius morosus Sinety, 1901

Carausius morosus (the 'common', 'Indian' or 'laboratory' stick insect) is a species of Phasmatodea (phasmid) that is often kept by schools and individuals as pets. Culture stocks originate from an original collection from Tamil Nadu, India. Like the majority of the Phasmatodea, they are nocturnal. Culture stocks are parthenogenetic females that can reproduce without mating. There are no reports of males, although in captivity, gynandromorphs (individuals with both female and male characteristics) are sometimes reared.

Description

Females are elongated and about 80–100 mm in length, ranging from a light green to a darkish brown in colour. The front legs have red patches at the base of the forelegs, and similar but yellow patches on the mid-legs. Eggs are ovoid and brown, with a beige plug at one end. When the eggs hatch, the plug opens and dark, tiny, string-like young crawl out of the opening. The eggs are haploid.

Behaviour

When disturbed, the major defence method is feigning death, the body becoming rigid, and the legs held along the line of the body. Other times, they may be found swaying to mimick the movement of foliage in wind.

Feeding occurs at night, when the insects are active. During the day, they rest (often with legs in line with the body) on their food plants.

Care in captivity

This is an easy species to rear, feeding on fresh privet, ivy or bramble. They need to be kept in a cage around 25 cm in height to allow for successful moulting. Females will lay eggs shortly after reaching adulthood, at the rate of several per night. These can be hatched by keeping them on dry paper towel, or in a dry dish. Eggs can take four months to hatch, depending on many factors, including temperature. This is species number one on the Phasmid Study Group Culture List.

Accidental introductions

C. morosus in Pennsylvania

Accidental introductions have been recorded around the world, including South Africa, Great Britain and the USA; where in some cases they have become a pest.

External links

• The Phasmid Study Group: Carausius morosus
• Indian Stick Insect Care Sheet