Exploding Ant vs Hooded Leaf Katydid
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Exploding Ant | Hooded Leaf Katydid |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Colobopsis explodens | Phyllophorella queenslandica |
| Order | Hymenoptera | Orthoptera |
| Family | Formicidae | Tettigoniidae |
| Size | 4-6 mm | 30-45 mm |
| Habitat | Forests | Forests |
| Diet | Fungus Feeders | Herbivores |
| Regions | Asia | Queensland, Australia |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Exploding Ant
Minor workers can deliberately rupture their own bodies in an act of self-sacrifice, releasing a toxic sticky yellow secretion that entangles and kills attackers. Described new in 2018.
Did You Know?
When threatened, these ants literally explode — minor workers contract their abdominal muscles so violently they burst open, spraying toxic glue on attackers in a suicidal defense.
Hooded Leaf Katydid
An Australian katydid with a dramatically expanded pronotum that covers its head like a hood. The entire body mimics a curled or overlapping set of leaves.
Did You Know?
Its oversized hood-shaped pronotum is one of the most extreme examples of leaf mimicry in katydids.