Australian scientists have just discovered a new species of giant stick insect and it’s… well, really big. Dubbed Acrophylla alta, the alien-looking bug can apparently measure up to 15 inches long and weigh in at roughly the same as a golf ball. Researchers at North Queensland’s James Cook University, which was responsible for the recent find, say the insect has probably gone undiscovered for so long because of its remote and hard-to-access habitat. “It’s restricted to a small area of high-altitude rainforest, and it lives high in the canopy,” professor Angus Emmott said in a statement released by the university. “So unless you get a cyclone or a bird bringing one down, very few people get to see them.” He added that while there are longer stick insects to be found across the country, with some measuring in at up to two feet, Acrophylla alta would appear to be the heaviest known to date. “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,” Emmott said.
Read it at Guardian
