Blue Mountains Glowworm vs Crowned Stick Insect

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Blue Mountains Glowworm Crowned Stick Insect
Scientific Name Arachnocampa richardsae Onchestus rentzi
Order Diptera Phasmatodea
Family Mycetophilidae Phasmatidae
Size 3-5 mm 80-120 mm
Habitat Forests Forests
Diet Fungus Feeders Herbivores
Regions Australia Oceania
Conservation Least Concern Data Deficient

Blue Mountains Glowworm

An Australian bioluminescent fungus gnat closely related to the New Zealand glowworm. Its larvae hang from cave ceilings and rainforest overhangs, emitting a blue-green glow.

💡

Did You Know?

Different Arachnocampa species emit slightly different colors of light, from blue-green to green-yellow.

Crowned Stick Insect

An Australian stick insect with distinctive crown-like structures on its head. It inhabits rainforests in tropical Queensland and is rarely encountered.

💡

Did You Know?

The function of the bizarre crown-like head structures in this species remains unclear, though they may play a role in species recognition or camouflage disruption.