Australian Stick Insects Were Five Species, Not Two — SkimNews
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- Dr Braxton Jones of the University of Sydney led the study, published in Austral Entomology, identifying two new species — Anchiale robusta and Anchiale mabiensis — both found in far north Queensland
- Anchiale robusta had been misidentified for decades, hiding in plain sight among scientists and enthusiasts until combined DNA, museum, and citizen science analysis revealed it as distinct
- Anchiale mabiensis lives in the critically endangered Mabi rainforest on Queensland's Atherton tablelands, with females growing to 11–12cm
- The research revealed that two previously recognised species are actually five, with habitat ranges smaller than previously thought — a finding Jones said carries direct conservation implications
- Female Anchiale robusta reach 12–16cm in body length with mostly black wings, while males grow to 9–10cm; females are so heavy with eggs that flight is rare
- The eggs carry an unusual structural "lid" that detaches when the insects hatch, Jones said
- A probable new species was also identified in Cape York, but the team needs more specimens before formally describing it
Why it matters: Because the five species occupy smaller habitat ranges than the two they were previously grouped into, individual species are likely more vulnerable to habitat loss than conservation plans assumed — reshaping how protection should be prioritised in Queensland's already-threatened rainforests, including the critically endangered Mabi.
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