A recently discovered insect, which saves almost a bay ball (46 grams), could be the hardest insect in Australia, say scientists.
The new species, with a length of 40 cm, called ACrophylla another, was discovered at high altitudes in the Atherton plate
A study that documents the discovery, published in Zotaxa magazine, mentions that “stick” insect is probably heavier than Gîdacul-Rinocer, which is often found in Queensland and is currently considered the hardest insect in Australia, writes news.ro.
Professor Angus Emmott, a researcher at James Cook University, said that a post on social networks has contributed to this discovery. His colleague Ross Coupland, co -author of the study, received a photo of the insect and “immediately thought it could be something new.”
After many searches, Emmott and Coupland found a big female between Millaa Millaa and Mount Hypipamee. The insect was so high that he had to use a long stick to descend. As soon as Coupland saw the female close, it was sure it is a new species of insect. The two took her to Emmott’s house in Atherton Tablelands for further studies. They kept the female in a box, fed it and then collected her eggs. “In the Băţ insects, the eggs are very good for diagnosis, because each species has slightly different eggs,” explained Emmott.
He believes that the species was not discovered earlier, because his habitat was too difficult to access. “He lives up, in the crown of trees. So if a cyclone or a bird does not come, very few people have the opportunity to see them,” Emmott said. But the habitat could also explain why the insect is so great, he explained. The body mass could help them survive the conditions in the “cold and wet environment in which they live,” says the specialist.
The next step in identifying more information about this species is to find a male, which proves to be difficult, and not just because they are thin as a stick. Male-bull insects tend to be significantly smaller and visibly different from females, so much, in other cases, the pairs have been described not only as different species, but as belonging to a completely different genre. “You have to find the male even when it is mating with the female.
Then you know what it is, you collect the eggs and you can determine with certainty that they are of the same species, “explained the teacher. Nicole Gunter, an expert in entomology at the Queensland Museum, says that the discovery complements a gap in the knowledge of Australia.
She also stressed that there is much to learn about some of the largest insect species in Australia. “Australia hosts a huge biodiversity, which has not yet been classified and which has not been given a scientific name,” says Gunter. It estimated that up to 70% of Australian insect species are currently indescribable.
“The recognition of this species as distinct is important for its preservation. We cannot preserve a species if we do not know that it exists or where it is,” explained the expert. She said that this species of insect-Băţ has so far been recorded only in a small number of forest localities in the wet tropical region of Queensland.
Future studies could contribute to improving scientific knowledge about the spread of the insect and the potential threats to the species.
