Fri Aug 01 19:20:00 UTC 2025: Here’s a summary and a rewritten news article based on the provided text:
**Summary:**
Scientists have discovered a new, extremely heavy species of stick insect, *Acrophylla alta*, in the remote rainforests of Far North Queensland, Australia. Weighing 44 grams and measuring 40 cm long, it is believed to be the heaviest stick insect ever found in Australia. Its large size is likely an adaptation to the cool, wet, high-altitude habitat it occupies. Its secluded location in the rainforest canopy likely contributed to it remaining undiscovered until now. The unique characteristics of the insect’s eggs aided in its identification as a new species.
**News Article:**
**Giant Stick Insect, Possibly Australia’s Heaviest, Discovered in Remote Rainforest**
**FAR NORTH QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA –** In the dense, often perilous rainforests of Far North Queensland, scientists have unearthed a new species of stick insect that could be the heaviest ever recorded in Australia. Weighing in at a hefty 44 grams (1.55 oz) – roughly the size of a golf ball – and stretching a remarkable 40 centimeters (15.75 inches) in length, the *Acrophylla alta* has taken the insect world by storm.
The discovery was made in the mountainous Wet Tropics region, a remote area known for its challenging terrain and diverse, sometimes dangerous, wildlife. According to James Cook University’s Angus Emmott, who helped identify the new species, its substantial size is likely an evolutionary adaptation to its cool, wet, high-altitude habitat.
“Their body mass likely helps them survive the colder conditions,” Emmott explained. “And that’s why they’ve developed into this large insect over millions of years. From what we know to date, this is Australia’s heaviest insect.”
The stick insect’s preference for the rainforest canopy, coupled with its secluded location, has likely contributed to its elusiveness. “It’s restricted to a small area of high-altitude rainforest, and it lives high in the canopy,” Emmott said. “So, unless you get a cyclone or a bird bringing one down, very few people get to see them.”
Scientists were able to confirm the insect as a new species thanks to the distinct characteristics of its eggs. “Every species of stick insect has their own distinct egg style,” Emmott noted. “They’ve all got different surfaces and different textures and pitting, and they can be different shapes. Even the caps on them are all very unique.”
Two specimens of the *Acrophylla alta* have been added to the Queensland Museum’s collection to facilitate further research and understanding of this remarkable new addition to Australia’s biodiversity.
First Piper 