Walking Leaf Species: Plant-Looking New Insects Found With Cryptic Appearance

Seven new and unknown species of insect leaf were found with amazingly plant-looking and cryptic appearance, according to a recent report.

At first, people will not recognize the insects because it looks like a leaf hiding in plants. However, a closer look could show the new species of insects.

The discovery of new species has been essential to unearth animals or fauna unknown to experts and scientists.

Once scientists can identify, it can help to develop conservation plans, especially if they become threatened by population decline or brink of extinction.

According to the study published in Zookeys, advanced technology and molecular phylogenetics helped researchers to describe and find new species of leaf insects.

New species of leaf insects

(Photo : by Claire Greenway/Getty Images)
A stock photo of a leaf insect. Researchers discovered seven new species of leaf insects with plant-looking and cryptic appearance. Leaf insects can disguise themselves and evade possible attacks from predators

The discovery of leaf insects can become challenging because they are not active during the day, hiding in leaves or trees' branches from possible predators.

The leaf insects are also known as walking leaves.

International researchers, including from Göttingen University and City University New York, collaborated to discover new species of leaf insects.

Based on the reports, the elusive ability of leaf insects can be found in parts of the Pacific, Asia and Australasia.

Researchers explained that it is also difficult to determine the leaf insects. The study could identify the new species with fieldwork, observations, and genetic characteristics.

Globally, at least 900,000 species of current insects are already known, and scientists have been on the quest to uncover new types of insects.

Insects managed to live millions of years ago, even with dinosaurs' time before they went extinct.

Unlike other animals, insects are present in all habitats. In Antarctica, there are insects called the Belgica antarctica, adding that 10 million species of insects could live on Earth.

Meanwhile, about 91,000 species are already known or described in the U.S., while 73,000 are still undescribed. Insects significantly affect the planet's ecosystem, helping pollinate plants, trees and flowers.

The researchers explained that a new species of leaf insects was found in Southeast Asia.

At first, the report noted that it was part of the same known species, but later analysis found that they are unknown to science.

Also Read: Unique, Unknown Persian Gold Tarantula Discovered in Northwestern Iran

New species of Persian Gold Tarantula

Recently, researchers unearthed a new species of Persian Gold Tarantula with golden hairs in Northwestern Iran.

The study was also published in the Zookeys journal.

To confirm the discovery, they provided the first specimen of a female tarantula for analysis and study. They found that the Persian Gold Tarantula is new to science.

The new species of tarantula belongs to the Chaetopelma, named Chaetopelma persianum. The tarantula likes to burrow in mountains in Northern Zagros.