Australian Entomologists have discovered a giant new specie in a wet tropical forest on July 31, 2025. The new addition into insects family, Acrophylla alta, weighs 44 grams and is 15.75 inches long.
James Cook University of Australia announced the unique and historic discovery by turning to official X: “A new species of stick insect, suspected to be the heaviest insect in Australia, has been discovered in high altitudes of the Atherton Tablelands, North Queensland.”
“There are longer stick insects out there in the region, but they're fairly light bodied.” lead identifier in research Professor Angus Emmott shared.
“Having body mass like this helps them survive the colder conditions and this is the reason behind developing into this large insect over millions of years,” Emmott revealed.
Acrophylla alta got different surfaces and different textures and pitted on eggs. JCU researchers found this hidden creature in tough environmental conditions.
Insect taxonomists consider the discovery to be late because of wet and remote rainforest which is hard to explore and access by any previous scientist.
A sample from a newly found bug has been extracted and placed into Queensland Museum for further identification and learning of the eco system of gold ball size insects.
