Australia's Recently Discovered Stick Insect Weighs More Than Any Previously Logged Insect in the Country
Rare Stick Insect Discovered in Queensland's High-altitude Rainforests
In the lush, verdant canopy of the Atherton Tablelands, two researchers made an extraordinary discovery that could shed light on the mysterious world of stick insects.
The species in question is the Acrophylla alta, a rare stick insect that stretches up to 40 centimeters and weighs around 44 grams. The discovery was made by Ross M. Coupland and Angus J. Emmott, an adjunct professor at James Cook University, who are not professional scientists or entomologists.
The researchers stumbled upon the insect while searching the high-altitude rainforest ecosystems, a region under threat from invasive species, habitat loss, and climate change. The discovery was initially made through a photograph shared on the iNaturalist platform.
In the world of stick insects, eggs are unique to each species and can be used to confirm identity. However, males in this family are usually smaller and look different from females, making it difficult to identify them without a mating pair or matching eggs. As of now, no male of Acrophylla alta has been identified.
The two females of Acrophylla alta are lodged in the entomology collection at the Queensland Museum in Brisbane. Another female of the same species was discovered in a friend's garden, also weighing 44 grams.
The study authors suggest that the insect's large body mass may be an adaptation to the cool, wet highland climate. The team spent several nights searching for the insect in the forest.
The study on Acrophylla alta is published in the journal Zootaxa. Peter Valentine, an expert on environmental science, suggests that there could be countless species living in the rainforest canopy that are still unknown to us. In Australia alone, as many as 70 percent of insect species are still undescribed.
Ross Coupland found the initial photograph and collected the Holotype for the species. Coupland and Emmot hope to soon locate a male A. alta and learn more about its population size and role in the ecosystem.
Without long-term research and protection, many species could vanish before they are found. The discovery of Acrophylla alta is now documented in digital archives such as iNaturalist and the Atlas of Living Australia for preservation and study.
