Indian Walking Leaf vs Mueller's Thorny Stick Insect

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Indian Walking Leaf Mueller's Thorny Stick Insect
Scientific Name Pulchriphyllium bioculatum Haaniella muelleri
Order Phasmatodea Phasmatodea
Family Phylliidae Heteropterygidae
Size 55-80 mm (females) 7-11 cm
Habitat Grasslands Mountains
Diet Herbivores Herbivores
Regions South Asia (India, Sri Lanka) Malaysia (Borneo)
Conservation Least Concern Data Deficient

Indian Walking Leaf

An extraordinary leaf-mimicking insect with a broad, flattened green body that closely resembles a leaf complete with veining patterns and irregular edges. It sways gently when walking to mimic a leaf in the breeze.

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Did You Know?

Female walking leaves reproduce parthenogenetically and can produce viable offspring without mating, though males do exist.

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.