큰나뭇잎벌레는 말레이시아의 서부 열대 우림에 서식하는 큰 몸집의 곤충입니다. 특히 자신을 위장하는 능력이 탁월하여, 이름 그대로 생활하고 있는 나무의 나뭇잎 사이로 숨어들 수 있도록 진화를 거듭해 왔습니다. 암컷은 길이가 12cm고 몸체는 넓고 납작하며 날개의 흔적 정도만 남아 있어 날지는 못합니다. 반면에 수컷은 대략 9cm 정도로 몸이 훨씬 홀쭉하기 때문에 긴 날개를 이용한 비행이 가능합니다.

Latin Name
Phyllium giganteum
Slug
giant-leaf-insect
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Conservation Status
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Animal Facts
The giant Malaysian leaf insect is very docile and spends most of its time still and unreactive, which further improves its camouflage.
The giant Malaysian leaf insect lives in the Taman Negara rainforest which is 130million years old and one of the oldest rainforests in the world.
While moulting, the giant Malaysian leaf insect is very vulnerable and can easily die if the temperature or humidity of the environment are not ideal, or if they are touched while their bodies are still soft.
Females do not require males to reproduce and can breed asexually, but all the offspring will be female in this case.
The first male giant Malaysian leaf insect was not discovered until 1994, therefore comparatively little is known about the males of this species.