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A new stickbug has been discovered and documented in Australia and as far as stick insects go this one is a behemoth.
As of now, this newly discovered stickbug is believed to be the heaviest insect in all of Australia, weighing more than the giant burrowing cockroach which previously held that title.
New Stickbug Discovery Is Largest Insect In Australia, How Did It Elude Us Until Now?
How exactly does the largest insect in a country notorious for fascinating ecology elude everyone until now? Well, the answer is obvious: it lived in a region that was both extremely remote and difficult to reach.
The new stick insect species, Acrophylla alta, was found living in the high altitudes of the Atherton tablelands in North Queensland, Australia.
For context, the closest city to this area is Cairns and it is hundreds of miles away. The massive region also has a total population of just 26,244 (via Wiki) so it is sparsely populated.
Entomologists around the world are celebrating this discovery as it marks the finding a gigantic specimen.
A Stick Bug, Mothman, Alien Hybrid-Looking Creature
Footage of the massive insect has gone viral. It has been picked up by ABC News, The Guardian, Reuters, and other global media outlets.
The stones on that man for holding the 15.75-inche stick bug are impressive. To know virtually nothing about that insect but handle it like that shows either a deep understanding of stick insects in general or a reckless disregard for safety. We’ll assume the former and not the latter!
The rain forest in the Atherton tablelands in North Queensland where this massive stick bug was found are teeming with life. It is home to venomous snakes, spiders, and all other creatures that would be expected to live in a rain forest.
Identifying The New Species
Angus Emmott of James Cook University in nearby Cairns shed some light on how this creature might have eluded identification until now.
In a press release, he 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” So while that doesn’t explain how it has gone unseen, it does shed some light on the massive size.
Emmott added “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.”
That is a good thing. Sadly, when a new species is discovered there is often a flurry of activity from people looking to see it for themselves. The Acrophylla alta will likely remain undisturbed due to being so remote.
Content shared from brobible.com.