Leaf Insect: pictures, information, classification and more

Leaf Insect

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Leaf Insect, also walking leaf, common name for any of several insects that bear enlargements of the legs and abdomen that make them resemble leaves. The insects are found in southern Asia and Australia. The females have large leaflike wings. The insects are green or brown and feed on vegetation; their color and form serve to camouflage them in their native surroundings. They lay hard-shelled, seedlike eggs, the form of which is also deceiving to predators. A typical species is about 9 cm (about 3.5 in) long.

Scientific classification: Leaf insects belong to the family Phyllidae, of the order Phasmatodea. A common species is classified as Phyllium siccifolium.