Giant Spiny Leaf Insect
Heteropteryx dilatata

In this sexually dimorphic species, the female is green or yellow and leaf-shaped, while the male is brown and looks like a dead curled leaf. Both have sharp body spines and can painfully clamp nosy predators with their spiny hind legs. Eggs are laid in the ground and take about a year to hatch.

Fact File

Ecological Role: Herbivore

Habitat: Tropical rainforest

Adult Lifespan: 4 mos

Diet: Guava leaves