Overview

• Acrophylla alta was formally described in the journal Zootaxa this week based on two female specimens and diagnostic egg morphology
• The species measures around 40 centimetres in length and weighs 44 grams, surpassing the giant burrowing cockroach as Australia’s heaviest insect
• Researchers have only encountered females in high-altitude rainforest canopies above 900 metres near Millaa Millaa and Mount Hypipamee
• No male individual has yet been documented, delaying a full taxonomic pairing and driving ongoing nocturnal canopy expeditions
• Scientists stress that protecting its remote Wet Tropics habitat will be vital for mapping its range and informing conservation efforts