A supersized stick insect is potentially the heaviest bug in Australia. (Credit: Professor Angus Emmott via Storyful)
Researchers found a huge bug was found in a rainforest, and it's considered the heaviest insect in Australia.
The insect named Acrophylla alta weighs 44 grams, which is less than the size of a golf ball. Researchers told the social news platform Storyful that the rare bug possibly went undiscovered for a while because its habitat is hard to access.
James Cook University researcher Angus Emmott told Storyful that the insects' eggs helped identify the bug as a new species.
"There are longer stick insects out there [in the region], but they’re fairly light bodied," Emmott said. "From what we know to date, this is Australia’s heaviest insect."
Storyful noted that two specimens of the species are now in a collection at Queensland Museum in Brisbane, Australia.
The Source: Information for this story was provided by Storyful, which cites comments from researchers about the insect. This story was reported from Washington, D.C.