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Extatosoma popa
There are just two species in the genus Extatosoma. One lives in Australia and this one lives in New Guinea. This species looks like a cactus rather than a stick. It is a female because it is bigger (bulkier) and with more spines than a male. Its legs too are prickly and shaped and colored like the leaves of a desert plant.
Spotted in the central highlands of Papua, Indonesia (Mamit village).
This photo was taken by my daughter B. Frazier. She has given me permission to post it in my collection. :-)
Spotted on Feb 6, 2013
Submitted on Apr 22, 2013
28 Comments (1–25)
Thanks Maria & Jolly!
Nice Scott
Great spotting!
Thanks C.Sydes & Jason!
Amazing creature! Papua is beautiful!
What an interesting looking giant, great spot
Thanks very much António and Argy!
She? is truly beautiful. Nice job Frazier team.
Awesome S Frazier,give my congrats to you daugther(she follow her father steps:) and thanks for sharing such an amazing,rare and beautiful creature
Thanks Nuwan!
Amazing!
Stick insects (order Phasmatodea = Stick insects and leaf insects) contain several families including leaf insects; family = Phylliidae. The correct common name for all Extratosoma is "Spiny Leaf Insect" as you had it and my point was that it does not belong to the family Phylliidae (true leaf insects).
I do suspect Extatosoma popa carlbergi which is very variable but not confidently. I agree that you should leave the ID at species level.
Thank you Karen & Sandra!
Amazing spotting ..
Fabulous!
Thank Dan & Lauren and Martin! Martin, I saw the common name in use somewhere but I'll change it to stick insect. So do you mean Extatosoma popa carlbergi or Extatosoma popa popa? I saw similar images in my 3rd reference link but this one seemed in between so I left it at species level.
You have a great photo of this stick insect. It is a stick insect and not a leaf insect, so its name is a bit misleading. I think it imitates a compound leaf such as blackberries or rose with the leaflets corresponding to the leg flanges. I have a dried one in my collection, as live ones are not legal for me. I think your spotting is the mottled subspecies http://phasmid-study-group.org/content/E...
http://phasmid-study-group.org/content/E...
The smaller Australia E. tiaratum has two subspecies also. The mossy form is scarce. There is also a green form that is not a subspecies.
Very interesting...wish we could all go and look for them!
Wow! Amazing find Scott!
I don't think so. I wondered why myself, but I don't know what vegetation it was found on or prefers. I did read however that there are two subspecies for each of the two species in the genus. One subspecies (of each species) looks (mimics) like a succulent/cactus (like this one) and the other mimics lichens!
What a wonderful creature! Even though it was found in the highlands, does it live on cactus?
Thanks Gilma!
It is so big and scary!! but it is beautiful.
Thanks Ali!
WoW! So Sweet!