Alpine Dark Bush-cricket vs Macleay's Spectre

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Alpine Dark Bush-cricket Macleay's Spectre
Scientific Name Pholidoptera aptera Extatosoma popa
Order Orthoptera Phasmatodea
Family Tettigoniidae Phasmatidae
Size 18-26 mm body length 10-14 cm
Habitat Mountains Forests
Diet Herbivores Herbivores
Regions Alps, Balkans Papua New Guinea
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Alpine Dark Bush-cricket

A large, dark bush-cricket found in alpine and subalpine scrublands. It is completely flightless with only vestigial wing stubs.

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Did You Know?

Despite being wingless, males can still produce sound using their tiny residual wing stubs.

Macleay's Spectre

A large, leaf-mimicking phasmid closely related to the giant prickly stick insect. Its body is covered in lobed projections resembling dried leaves.

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Did You Know?

Its lobed body appendages curl and resemble dead, decaying leaves to perfection.