Walking Leaves : Unknown Species Of Leaf Insects
An international research team recently described seven previously unknown species of leaf insects, also known as walking leaves.
- Walking Leaves also called leaf insects, are insects that look very similar to leaves.
- They are any of more than 50 species of flat, usually green insects (order Phasmida or Phasmatodea) that are known for their striking leaflike appearance.
- They feed on plants and typically inhabit densely vegetated areas.
- Their natural range extends from islands in the Indian Ocean, across parts of mainland South Asia and Southeast Asia, to Papua New Guinea and Australia in the western Pacific.
- They measure roughly 28 to 100 mm (1.1 to 3.9 inches) in body length.
- They are mostly brown or green, some slightly speckled or have serrated edges like nibbled leaves.
- They sway and rock back and forth, imitating the motion of leaves in the breeze.
- Female walking leaves cannot fly. Males can fly short distances thanks to their well-developed hind wings.
- The arms and legs of walking leaves can regenerate.
- These insects reproduce sexually, with females laying eggs.
- The eggs often resemble seeds or plant structures, adding to their camouflage.
