‘Supersized' stick insect that may be Australia's heaviest creepy crawly discovered in Queensland
The stick insect is about 40cm long but the 'most surprising feature' is its weight.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE:
It hits the scales at about 44g, or slightly less than a golf ball, and while that may not seem like a lot, researchers say it is significant.
'There are longer stick insects out there, but they're fairly light bodied,' said James Cook University professor Angus Emmott, who helped identify the new Acrophylla alta species.
'From what we know to date, this is Australia's heaviest insect.'
It was found in the high altitudes of the Atherton Tablelands in North Queensland, and its large body size is thought to be an evolutionary response to its habitat.
'It's a cool, wet environment where they live,' Emmott said.
'Their body mass likely helps them survive the colder conditions, and that's why they've developed into this large insect over millions of years.'
Researchers suspect its habitat, which is difficult to access, is among the reasons it has taken this long to discover the 'supersized' insect.
'It's restricted to a small area of high-altitude rainforest, and it lives high in the canopy. So, unless you get a cyclone or a bird bringing one down, very few people get to see them,' Emmott said.
He said stick insects all have a 'distinctive egg style', which is important when confirming it as a new species.
'They've all got different surfaces and different textures and pitting, and they can be different shapes. Even the caps on them are all very unique,' Emmott said.
The insect, which some have likened to something out of horror film The Mist, is proving to be nightmare fuel for people on social media.
'That ain't a stick bug, that's a branch bug,' one person wrote, while another said: 'Cool, can we undiscover it?'
A third said: 'In Australia — unsurprising.'
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7NEWS
3 days ago
- 7NEWS
‘Supersized' stick insect that may be Australia's heaviest creepy crawly discovered in Queensland
A new species of creepy crawly suspected to be the heaviest insect in Australia has just been discovered — and it will do little to change our reputation as a dangerous place to visit. The stick insect is about 40cm long but the 'most surprising feature' is its weight. WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: It hits the scales at about 44g, or slightly less than a golf ball, and while that may not seem like a lot, researchers say it is significant. 'There are longer stick insects out there, but they're fairly light bodied,' said James Cook University professor Angus Emmott, who helped identify the new Acrophylla alta species. 'From what we know to date, this is Australia's heaviest insect.' It was found in the high altitudes of the Atherton Tablelands in North Queensland, and its large body size is thought to be an evolutionary response to its habitat. 'It's a cool, wet environment where they live,' Emmott said. 'Their body mass likely helps them survive the colder conditions, and that's why they've developed into this large insect over millions of years.' Researchers suspect its habitat, which is difficult to access, is among the reasons it has taken this long to discover the 'supersized' insect. 'It's restricted to a small area of high-altitude rainforest, and it lives high in the canopy. So, unless you get a cyclone or a bird bringing one down, very few people get to see them,' Emmott said. He said stick insects all have a 'distinctive egg style', which is important when confirming it as a new species. 'They've all got different surfaces and different textures and pitting, and they can be different shapes. Even the caps on them are all very unique,' Emmott said. The insect, which some have likened to something out of horror film The Mist, is proving to be nightmare fuel for people on social media. 'That ain't a stick bug, that's a branch bug,' one person wrote, while another said: 'Cool, can we undiscover it?' A third said: 'In Australia — unsurprising.'
News.com.au
4 days ago
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New ‘super-sized' insect species discovered in Qld rainforest
A giant new species of 'super-sized' stick insect has been discovered in a remote rainforest in North Queensland. The insect, weighing around 44g and measuring 40cm long, is believed to be the heaviest ever found in the country. Footage captured of the incredible insect shows its large wingspan displayed across someone's arm, measuring similar to the length of a small bird. The new species has been named Acrophylla alta – a nod to its high-altitude habitat in the Atherton Tablelands. It's roughly the same size as a small barn owl or a wood pigeon, and is 14g heavier than Australia's heaviest insect; the giant wood moth. James Cook University's Angus Emmott and south-east Queensland scientist Ross Coupland searched for the stick insect after they received a photograph of what they believed was an unknown species. Despite its elusive nature, the pair managed to find a female at an elevation above 900 metres in the Wet Tropics Wold Heritage Area. Professor Emmott said the creature's large size could be an evolutionary response to its cool, wet habitat. 'Their body mass likely helps them survive the colder conditions, and that's why they've developed into this large insect over millions of years,' said Professor Emmott. 'The remote habitat was probably also why it had remained undiscovered for so long.' It's restricted to a small area of high-altitude rainforest, and it lives high in the canopy. So, unless you get a cyclone or a bird bringing one down, very few people get to see them,' he said. The stick insect's distinctive eggs also helped scientists identify it as a new species, as no two species' eggs are the same. 'Every species of stick insect has their own distinct egg style,' said Professor Emmott. 'They've all got different surfaces and different textures and pitting, and they can be different shapes.' Two specimens are now being kept at the Queensland Museum in hopes they can aid future research. Currently, the insect's life span is still unknown.
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6 days ago
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Elusive giant stick insect species discovered in rainforests of far north Queensland
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