Two new stick insect species discovered in Queensland, Australia

Entomologists have identified two new species of the Anchiale stick insect genus in tropical Queensland, Australia. The research, led by Dr. Braxton Jones of the University of Sydney, involved examining museum specimens, field collections, and mitochondrial DNA analysis.

One of the new species, Anchiale mabiensis, was discovered in the critically endangered Mabi forest on the Atherton Tableland. This species is characterized by unique eggs featuring two to three rings on the lid, a trait not previously recorded in the orthopteroid order. Due to the fragmentation of the Mabi forest, which consists of only about 1,050 hectares, the species is considered endemic to this specific ecosystem.

The second discovery, Anchiale robusta, involves the reclassification of a species that had been misidentified for decades. Previously thought to be part of another species, genetic and anatomical analysis confirmed it as a distinct, larger branch on the evolutionary tree. Researchers noted that these findings highlight the importance of documenting Australia's biodiversity before species are lost to habitat destruction.