The new species, named Acrophylla alta, was found in the high altitudes of the Atherton tablelands in North Queensland – and scientists said the habitat could be part of the reason for its large size. A peer-reviewed study about the discovery, published in Zootaxa journal, noted the stick insect was likely heavier than the giant burrowing cockroach which is considered one of the heaviest insects in the world

A researcher at an Australian university has discovered a new "supersized" species of stick insect in a remote rainforest in Queensland, Australia.

Professor Angus Emmott identified the new Acrophylla alta species in the canopies of the mountainous wet tropics region in the northeast of the country.

The insects are roughly 40cm long. This specimen weighs 44g, which is "slightly less than a golf ball", James Cook University said in a statement.

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