Two new large stick insect species discovered in Australia's backyards and rainforests - Biology Plants & Animals - Ecology

A representative of Anchiale: A. mabiensis sp. nov. female, in situ (photo by Angus J. Emmott). Credit: Austral Entomology (2026). DOI: 10.1111/aen.70096

Insect "detectives" have discovered two new types of large stick insects, showing scientists are still uncovering new species in some of Australia's most well-studied landscapes. Researchers at the University of Sydney have revised the Australian representatives of the stick insect genus Anchiale, identifying two new species, one with unique "lidded" eggs. They also reinstated a third species that had been hidden in plain sight for decades.

The findings reveal that what were considered two species are five distinct species ranging from northern New South Wales through coastal Queensland and into the tropical north. The work is published in the journal Austral Entomology.

Despite more than 1,000 citizen science observations of stick insects through iNaturalist and the Atlas of Living Australia, plus decades of scientific study, the researchers say Australia is still only scratching the surface of its insect diversity.

Lead author Dr. Braxton Jones from the School of Life and Environmental Sciences said the discovery highlights how much remains unknown about Australia's insect biodiversity.

"Taxonomy is often a bit like detective work. Even among some of Australia's most photographed and frequently reported insects, we're still finding species that have escaped scientific recognition," said Jones, a postdoctoral research associate at the Aola Richards Sydney Insect Hub and the Molecular Ecology, Evolution and Phylogenomics Laboratory.

One of the biggest surprises involved a large stick insect long known to scientists and insect enthusiasts. After combining DNA analysis, museum collections, surveys, citizen science records and studies of captive populations, researchers discovered the insect had been misidentified for decades. It is now recognized as an entirely new species, Anchiale robusta.

The team also described Anchiale mabiensis, a new species found in Queensland's critically endangered Mabi rainforest on the Atherton Tablelands. Its eggs contain a structural lid unlike anything previously recorded in stick insects or their closest relatives.

The research also has practical implications. A stick insect known for forming plague-like population outbreaks that can strip foliage from trees was found to consist of more than one species. Untangling those species relationships will help improve future management of impacts on forestry and agriculture.

The study even identified a likely additional undescribed species from Cape York, but more specimens are needed before its identity can be confirmed.

Jones said, "These findings demonstrate the importance of protecting threatened ecosystems and documenting Australia's extraordinary biodiversity before we lose species without us having even discovered them." 

Provided by University of Sydney 

by University of Sydney

edited by Lisa Lock, reviewed by Andrew Zinin 

Source: Two new large stick insect species discovered in Australia's backyards and rainforests