Cairns Birdwing vs Mueller's Thorny Stick Insect

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Cairns Birdwing Mueller's Thorny Stick Insect
Scientific Name Ornithoptera euphorion Haaniella muelleri
Order Lepidoptera Phasmatodea
Family Papilionidae Heteropterygidae
Size Wingspan 120-150mm 7-11 cm
Habitat Underground Mountains
Diet Herbivores Herbivores
Regions Oceania Malaysia (Borneo)
Conservation Least Concern Data Deficient

Cairns Birdwing

Australias largest endemic butterfly with males displaying vivid green and black wings. Females are larger and brown with white markings.

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Did You Know?

It is the largest butterfly in Australia and was nearly driven to extinction by introduced Dutchmans pipe vines which are toxic to its larvae.

Mueller's Thorny Stick Insect

A robust Bornean thorny stick insect with strong sexual dimorphism. It is one of five recently revised Haaniella species.

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Did You Know?

A 2016 taxonomic revision described five new Haaniella species, highlighting how much diversity remains to be catalogued.