A group of scientists at James Cook University in northern Australia announced the discovery of a new species of giant insect, named after Acrophylla highconsidered the heaviest ever identified in the country. The specimen, found in a remote mountainous area of Queensland, weighs 44 grams, the equivalent of a golf ball, and measures about 40 centimeters long.
The insect was located on the Atherton Plateau, over 900 meters altitude and about 50 kilometers southwest of Cairns, within the area of the World Human Heritage area. It is a cold, humid and difficult ecosystem, which, according to Professor Angus Emmott, quoted by the American digital newspaper HuffPost, explains his ignorance so far. “They are restricted to a small area of high-altitude rainforest and live at the top of the treetops. Unless a cyclone or bird knocks them down, it’s very difficult to see them,” he said.
Discovery motivated by a photograph
The investigation began with an image that aroused the team’s interest and led to searches on the ground. The work culminated in the capture of two females, one of which put eggs that allowed it to confirm that it was a species never before documented.
The results were published in the scientific journal Zootaxa, and the specimens were integrated into the Queensland Museum collection for future studies. So far, no male has been found.
Adaptation to the environment
According to the investigators, cited by the same source, the unusual body mass of the Acrophylla high It may be an evolutionary adaptation to the cold and wet conditions of the habitat. “This probably helps them survive under these conditions. Over millions of years, they have reached this size by adaptive need,” Emmott explained.
It is not the heaviest in the world
Despite the national record, the world title continues to belong, according to Weta Gigante, an insect similar to a New Zealand, endemic grasshopper, which can reach 71 grams, according to the Guinness World Records.
Also read:
