Nui Chua stick insect
(Nuichua rabaeyae)
The Nui Chua Stick Insect shows a strong sexual dimorphism, with the male almost 50% smaller than the female. As soon as they are adult, males occupy the larger female nymphs and stay with the same female for the rest of their life. Even moulting takes place with the males still attached to the old skin.
The Nui Chua Stick Insect is supposed to be micro-endemic, meaning it only occurs in the Nui Chua forest and is thus threatened. Further monitoring is needed in order to clarify and then bring the insect on the Vietnam Red Data Book and IUCN Red List. Conservation breeding, which already has started successfully in some European Zoos, should also be built up in Vietnam.
The extensive factsheet for this species can be downloaded below.
