World's Longest Insect Found

The world's longest insect, a 22-inch long stick-insect from Borneo, was revealed at the U.K. Natural History Museum.

This species is new to science and has recently been named Phobaeticus chani (Chan's Megastick is the common name). Only three specimens of the new insect have been found so far, all from the Malaysian State of Sabah on the island of Borneo.

This specimen is more than 1cm longer than the previous record holder for overall length, which was a stick-insect called Phobaeticus serratipes found in Malaysia and Indonesia.

Although virtually nothing is known about the biology and ecology of this super-sized insect, it is thought that it probably lives in the canopy of the rainforest, making it especially hard to find. In addition to its size, its eggs may also be unique in the insect world. Each egg capsule has wing-like extensions on either side like a miniature golden snitch, allowing them to drift in the wind when the female drops them, thereby helping the species to spread.

Original article here.