Tiger stripe hisser in black?

[macbrush]

I have a small group of Tiger Stripe Hisser (Princisia vanwerebeki), and one of the male reminds black after his last molt. He didn't molt for more than 1.5 month now, so I assume it was his last. Is that normal for a Princisia vanwerebeki male to remind black? Did I get another sp mixed in the lot?

How others look like in the same lot

The black male

Thanks in advance

Cheers

Kenneth

 

[Allpet Roaches]

Your male doesn't even appear to have the notch at the front of the pronotum which is the only feature that is supposed to be present on "princisia" and usually is not on Gromphadorhina. It looks like you got a mixed group, remember the various Gromphadorhina and "princisia" all crossbreed in captivity since they're not "really" different species.

 

[macbrush]

Thanks for the reply, I'll separate him from now.

 

[Zephyr]

Apparently this is also a morph that has been isolated and produced the "big black" strain. G. grandidieri (most likely synonymous with "Princisia vanwaerebeki") can have jet black individuals, as can most any other "gromphadorhina" species.

 

[macbrush]

Funny thing is that he is the only male that I have never seen hissing, even if I handle him roughly, other 2 males hiss a lot, sometimes even if my hand come close. However, the big black one is the biggest bully, he'll chase every male around the tank like others owe him some money or something.

 

[Allpet Roaches]

Apparently this is also a morph that has been isolated and produced the "big black" strain. G. grandidieri (most likely synonymous with "Princisia vanwaerebeki") can have jet black individuals, as can most any other "gromphadorhina" species.

Look at the pronotum on the male pictured, from that angle at least it does not look like it's a black form but rather a mixed culture. "princisia" is in quotes because there is no such thing. Gromphadorhina should never be in quotes.

There are distinct geographic races of Gromphadorhina hissers but since they readily interbreed the way they're being labeled and traded in captivity is leading to mixed cultures so it's getting harder and harder to find quality stock.

 

[Zephyr]

Look at the pronotum on the male pictured, from that angle at least it does not look like it's a black form but rather a mixed culture. "princisia" is in quotes because there is no such thing. Gromphadorhina should never be in quotes.

Supposedly G. grandidieri are "Princisia vanwaerebeki" yet I've seen very few with even a slight notch in the pronotum. I think it's just as difficult to distinguish the various "species" based on individuals' pronotum shapes as it is to do so by their colors.

I put Gromphadorhina in quotes because I'm not sure which of the two names was validated first. If Princisia is the senior of the two and "Princisia vanwaerebeki" and G. portentosa are combined (assuming G. portentosa hasn't achieved nomen protectum status), then G. portentosa could become P. portentosa.

 

[Allpet Roaches]

I think it's just as difficult to distinguish the various "species" based on individuals' pronotum shapes as it is to do so by their colors.

Then you may not have what you think you have. Gromphadorhina is 108 years the senior of "princisia".

 

[macbrush]

Another female just molted, and she's also all black. Incidentally, she's also one of those never hiss. So that means both all black hissers in the group don't hiss, and i wonder why? Genetic thing? Sorry for all these newbie questions.

 

[Ralph]

I have quite a few all-black individuals that hiss. I'm thinking it's a coincidence and you have a couple calm ones that turned out black. He'll hiss when he wants to mate though.

 

[Allpet Roaches]

I have quite a few all-black individuals that hiss. I'm thinking it's a coincidence and you have a couple calm ones that turned out black. He'll hiss when he wants to mate though.

It's not that pure stock can't throw black it's that the pronotum shape is wrong that makes the above hissers look like impure/crossed stock.

 

[Zephyr]

It's not that pure stock can't throw black it's that the pronotum shape is wrong that makes the above hissers look like impure/crossed stock.

Could these be the "Princisia vanwaerebeki 'Big black'" strain? My G. grandidieri "black" throw some individuals with some patterning like the normal stock but otherwise the coloration is fairly consistent.

Maybe it's the camera angle too? To the extent of my knowledge only three strains have nymphs with that kind of coloration; G. grandidieri, "P. vanwaerebeki", and "P. vanwaerebeki 'Big black'". I'd imagine if the stock was tainted there'd be a much higher amount of color variation.

 

[Keith]

I have raised Princicia all offspring had the striping except one that is pure black of all siblings. So yes its possible to get a black morph. Mine is also male and I never heard him hiss, I wonder if this color mutation affects hissing ability ?