Golden-eyed stick insect

Description

Peruphasma schultei is a species of stick insect found in the Cordillera del Condor region of northern Peru.In the wild the insect feeds on Schinus plants,but will feed on privet and honeysuckle in captivity.In Peru they are only known to exist in a region of less than 5 hectares,but since their discovery they have become increasingly popular as pets worldwide due to their unusual colouration and they are now bred regularly in captivity.It is named after Rainer Schulte,who collected the original specimens.A large and compact species,females can reach 5.5 cm and are larger than males,which measure 3.8 to 4.3 cm.They have a black body,yellow eyes and red/brownish mouth parts,with adults having bright red vestigial wings.When disturbed,adults of this species are able to spray a defensive liquid from glands at the rear of the head which can be irritating to the skin and eyes.A large and compact species,females can reach 5.5 cm and are larger than males,which measure 3.8 to 4.3 cm.They have a black body,yellow eyes and red/brownish mouth parts,with adults having bright red vestigial wings.When disturbed,adults of this species are able to spray a defensive liquid from glands at the rear of the head which can be irritating to the skin and eyes.