Chan's megastick

Chan's megastick
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Arthropoda
Class:
Insecta
Order:
Phasmatodea
Family:
Phasmatidae
Genus:
Phobaeticus
Binomial name
Phobaeticus chani

Chan's megastick (Phobaeticus chani) is a species of stick insect. It is the longest insect in the world. One specimen in the London Natural History Museum measures 567 mm (22.3 in).[1] This is with the front legs fully extended. The body is 357 mm (14.1 in) long.[2]

Named after amateur Malaysian naturalist, Datuk Chan Chew Lun,[2][3] only six specimens are known, all from the state of Sabah in Borneo.[2][4] Very little is known about its biology, but it may live in the canopy of the rainforest, making it especially hard to find.[4] However, there is no evidence, and the related Phobaeticus kirbyi is found on low growing vegetation alongside rainforest paths.[2]

Phobaeticus chani was selected as one of "The Top 10 New Species" described in 2008 by the International Institute for Species Exploration at Arizona State University and an international committee of taxonomists.[5] The species was also listed as one of the top ten discoveries of the decade in a BBC television documentary (broadcast in either 2010 or 2011).[6]

References

  1. ↑ "World's longest insect revealed". Natural History Museum. 2008. Archived from the original on 2008-10-19. Retrieved 2008-10-16.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Hennemann, Frank H.; Conle, Oskar V. (2008). "Revision of Oriental Phasmatodea: The tribe Pharnaciini Günther, 1953, including the description of the world's longest insect, and a survey of the family Phasmatidae Gray, 1835 with keys to the subfamilies and tribes (Phasmatodea: "Anareolatae": Phasmatidae)" (PDF). Zootaxa. Auckland, New Zealand: Magnolia Press. 1906: 1–316 pp. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.1906.1.1. ISSN 1175-5326. Retrieved 2008-10-16.
  3. ↑ "World's longest insect named after KK naturalist". The Star (Malaysia). 2008. Archived from the original on 2008-10-21. Retrieved 2008-10-18.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 David Derbyshire (2008). "Introducing Chan's megastick: The record-breaking insect as long as your arm". Mail Online. Retrieved 2008-10-16.
  5. ↑ "Scientists announce top 10 new species | ASU News". Archived from the original on 2009-05-28. Retrieved 2012-09-11.
  6. ↑ BBC Nature wildlife: Chan's megastick. [1] Archived 2011-07-22 at Archive-It

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