Overview

• Acrophylla alta measures up to 40 cm in length and weighs around 44 g, surpassing all previously recorded Australian insects by mass.
• The new species inhabits high-altitude rainforests above 900 m in the Wet Tropics, living deep in the canopy where access is extremely challenging.
• Identification was confirmed through detailed morphological study and analysis of its distinctive eggs in a peer-reviewed Zootaxa paper.
• Two female specimens are now preserved in the Queensland Museum’s collection, providing material for ongoing anatomical and genetic research.
• Field teams continue nocturnal expeditions to locate a male individual, which is essential for observing mating behavior and finalizing the species description.