Formidable Pygmy Grasshopper vs Weta

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Formidable Pygmy Grasshopper Weta
Scientific Name Notocerus formidabilis Deinacrida heteracantha
Order Orthoptera Orthoptera
Family Tetrigidae Anostostomatidae
Size 8-12 mm 70-100 mm (body only)
Habitat Forests Caves
Diet Omnivores Fruit Feeders
Regions Africa Oceania
Conservation Data Deficient Vulnerable

Formidable Pygmy Grasshopper

An extremely rare Madagascan grasshopper not observed since its original description in 1974. Its true coloration was only recently documented from photographs.

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Did You Know?

This species went unobserved for nearly 50 years after its original description — making it one of the most mysterious grasshoppers known to science.

Weta

Giant insects endemic to New Zealand, some of the heaviest in the world. Wetapunga can weigh up to 70 grams. Living fossils that have remained virtually unchanged for 190 million years.

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Did You Know?

The giant weta is so heavy it cannot jump — weighing up to 70 grams (heavier than a mouse), it is one of the heaviest insects on Earth and a living fossil from the age of dinosaurs.