Some more great bugs from PNG
April 30, 2010
There are so many awesome bugs here in Papua New Guinea, and I know we’ve only seen the tip of the proverbial iceberg. Here are a few we thought you would like to see.
The first is called, at least locally, a “Christmas spider.” Perhaps you can identify it? They’re rather small – the largest being only about an inch across. The second, some kind of leaf bug? It was about 3″ long, not including antennae. The third, a borer, also about 3″ long not including antennae, which had a spread of about 8″. The spider and leaf bug were photographed near Madang and the borer was photographed in Buka, Bougainville. Enjoy!!
Sharon
Papua New Guinea
Hi Sharon,
Your leaf bug is a Katydid and we are going to write to Katydid expert Piotr Naskrecki to see if he can assist in the species identification.
Piotr Naskrecki identifies the Sylvan Katydid
Hi Daniel,
This is a sylvan katydid (Pseudophyllinae: Phyllomimini), most likely the genus Heteraprium. This group of katydids of New Guinea is very poorly known, nearly all species of Pseudophyllinae I collected there were new to science, and it is possible that this one is also undescribed.
Cheers,
Piotr