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Phyllium bioculatum
Probably one of the most remarkably masters of mimicry and camouflage in animal kingdom.It can stay immobile for several hours and can move in swaying motion like a leaf blown by a soft wind to evade predators or confuse prey. It feeds on divers young leaves of trees or bushes.
Tropical forest under trees canopies and bushes.
Mark Ridgeway
(vm.bharathiraja) Life experiences accidental variations and one of this animal's distant ancestors did not get eaten by a bird because it looked a little bit like a leaf. It's offspring looked like it (and therefore slightly like a leaf). The birds then found some of those children except for the ones that looked even more like a leaf. etc. etc. x100000 until today they all look very much like a leaf.
Mark,
Thanks for such a brief answer and your time.I feel your answer says separation from all.i.e.Survival of the fittest.
But I just want to go deep.Homo sapiens ,we are hiding ourself from enemies by wearing camouflage cloth (military).We are having reasoning sense.
But does the insect know that it is camouflaged.
I'm grateful too for your contributions guys. In fact I never thought there is this kind of insect in the area and there maybe more unrecorded species , its just bit difficult to explore the place because of the never ending armed conflicts in the area.
Thank you for your contributions on this spotting Mark and Albert! As the discussion goes on re. ID and the spotting is highly popular on our official page I'm leaving it in the spotlight for another day.
@Mark, visually, this one does not match Phyllium bioculatum too.
The lobes/appendages on the legs of P.bioculatum are much bigger.
The end of abdomen of P.bioculatum is flat or squarish, whereas this one is pointed.
Thanks Albert. I couldn't see anything wrong... glad to have an expert. :)
Sorry John I should have checked range properly.
@Mark, this is not Phyllium bioculatum which is not recorded from Philippines.
The nearest likely sp is Phyllium ericoriai known from south Luzon and nearby islands including Marinduque.
As this could be the first documentation of Phyllium from Panay Island, it is not possible to verify with certainty that it is Phyllium ericoriai.
Nice Spotting, Joahn Alaban. Would be a nice addition to this Mission :
http://www.projectnoah.org/missions/1222...
Yes Mark it might,since guava is a very common fruit tree in our country both in populated and forested area in fact there mountainous peaks here where almost 90 % of the surface is dominated by wild guavas.
Congratulations John, this amazing leaf insect is our Spotting of the Day! Nice to see you again on Project Noah!
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(vm.bharathiraja) Life experiences accidental variations and one of this animal's distant ancestors did not get eaten by a bird because it looked a little bit like a leaf. It's offspring looked like it (and therefore slightly like a leaf). The birds then found some of those children except for the ones that looked even more like a leaf. etc. etc. x100000 until today they all look very much like a leaf.
Spotted on May 15, 2017
Submitted on Jun 11, 2017
+1
