See video of the heaviest stick insect ever discovered in Australia
The new Acrophylla alta species weighs about the same as a golf ball, according to scientists.
Scientists in Australia have discovered a new species of stick insect believed to be the heaviest in the country, weighing the same as a golf ball.
The remote rainforest in Far North Queensland, Australia, is home to spiders, deadly snakes and the newly found 15.75-inch-long stick insects.
Angus Emmott, a researcher and professor at James Cook University, helped identify the new Acrophylla alta species, Reuters reported. Emmott said the creature's large size could be an evolutionary response to its cool, wet habitat.
Video shows newly found giant stick bug
Emmott said in a July 31 news release that the insects' "body mass likely helps them survive the colder conditions, and that's why they've developed into this large insect over millions of years."
"From what we know to date, this is Australia's heaviest insect," Emmott said.
Emmott added that every species of stick insect has its own distinct egg style, including different textures, pittings, surfaces and even shapes.
Why did the insect previously go undiscovered?
Located in the Wet Tropics region of Far North Queensland, the insect stayed undiscovered for so long because of its remote habitat, Emmott said
"It's restricted to a small area of high-altitude rainforest, and it lives high in the canopy. So, unless you get a cyclone or a bird bringing one down, very few people get to see them," he added.
Two specimens of the Acrophylla alta were added to the Queensland Museum’s collection to aid future research, according to Reuters.
"To conserve any ecosystem, we actually need to know what's there and what makes it tick before we can think about the best ways to conserve it," Emmott said.
Contributing: Reuters