Short-winged Green Stick Insect vs Westwood's Leaf Insect

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Short-winged Green Stick Insect Westwood's Leaf Insect
Scientific Name Acanthoxyla inermis Cryptophyllium westwoodii
Order Phasmatodea Phasmatodea
Family Phasmatidae Phylliidae
Size 80-110mm 8-10 cm
Habitat Underground Forests
Diet Herbivores Herbivores
Regions Oceania Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Short-winged Green Stick Insect

A smooth bright green stick insect native to New Zealand. All known individuals are female. It has tiny vestigial wings that are useless for flight. It feeds on a wide variety of native plants.

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Did You Know?

No males have ever been found for this species; the entire population reproduces through obligate parthenogenesis.

Westwood's Leaf Insect

A large leaf insect named after the entomologist John Obadiah Westwood. Females are broad and bright green, mimicking fresh leaves.

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Did You Know?

Nymphs are reddish-brown when they hatch, mimicking dead leaves before turning green as they mature.