Madagascar Tortoise Beetle vs New Guinea Spiny Stick Insect

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Madagascar Tortoise Beetle New Guinea Spiny Stick Insect
Scientific Name Aspidimorpha furcata Eurycantha horrida
Order Coleoptera Phasmatodea
Family Chrysomelidae Phasmatidae
Size 8-12 mm 100-140 mm
Habitat Forests Woodlands
Diet Herbivores Herbivores
Regions Madagascar Oceania
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Madagascar Tortoise Beetle

A rounded, dome-shaped beetle with transparent margins around the elytra that make it look like a tiny tortoise shell. The center of the shell often displays metallic gold or green coloration.

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Did You Know?

The golden coloration fades after death, as it depends on a thin layer of moisture beneath the cuticle that dries out in preserved specimens.

New Guinea Spiny Stick Insect

A robust, dark-colored stick insect densely covered in sharp tubercles and spines. It is nocturnal and hides in communal groups in crevices during the day.

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Did You Know?

Groups of up to 20 individuals shelter together in the same crevice during the day, making them one of the most social stick insect species known.