Overview

• Scientists published a formal description of Acrophylla alta in the peer-reviewed journal Zootaxa this week.
• Measured specimens reached about 40 cm in length and weighed up to 44 g, surpassing the giant burrowing cockroach as Australia’s heaviest insect.
• Both female individuals were collected from rainforest canopies above 900 m on mountain ranges near Millaa Millaa and Mount Hypipamee in Far North Queensland.
• Researchers relied on the stick insect’s distinctive egg morphology to confirm its status as a new species in the absence of male specimens.
• Locating a male Acrophylla alta has become a priority to finalise its taxonomic profile and guide conservation strategies for the underexplored Wet Tropics canopy.