A newly described Malaysian stick insect, named after the local naturalist who brought it to science's attention,has set a record for the longest living insect species. Phobaticus chani (Chan’s megastick), was named by Britain's Philip Bragg in honor of naturalist Datuk Chan Chew Lun. Chan, an avid collector of insects who sought species from farmers and others, recalled, “One day in 1989, I met a farmer who handed over this huge stick insect he found somewhere at Ulu Moyog in Penampang district and I realised that it could be a totally new species." The species was named 19 years later, an unusually long but hardly unknown time lapse between collection of a type specimen and its final identification and description. The insect's body is some 35cm (14 inches) long, and the animal can stretch out to 56 cm if its long skinny legs are extended for and aft.
.
2 comments:
Kuala Lumpur - Measuring over 30 centimetres in length, a new stick insect species found in a village in the eastern state of Sabah has been named after a Malaysian man, reports said.Officially named Phobaticus Chani, or Chan's Megastick, in the October's issue of the scientific journal Zootaxa by British scientist Philip Bragg, the insect was discovered and sent to the British Museum of Natural History to be studied by Chan Chew Lun, an amateur naturalist.
--------------
Adlai
Guaranteed ROI
Thanks for the added data.
Regards,
Matt
Post a Comment