澳大利亚研究人员在昆士兰州北部发现了两个新的大型竹节虫物种，相关研究已发表在《澳洲昆虫学》期刊上1。悉尼大学的Braxton Jones博士领导的研究团队通过DNA分析、博物馆馆藏和公民科学数据的结合，成功鉴定了这些物种1。
这两个新物种分别为Anchiale robusta和Anchiale mabiensis1。其中Anchiale robusta体型较大，雌性体长12-16厘米，雄性体长9-10厘米1；Anchiale mabiensis体型略小，雌性体长约11-12厘米，生活在昆士兰州阿瑟顿高地的濒危Mabi雨林中1。特别是Anchiale robusta曾被长期误认，直到本次研究才被正式确认为新物种1。
这项研究还显示，原本认为是两个物种的竹节虫实际上是五个物种，其分布范围比之前认为的更小，主要分布于新南威尔士州北部至昆士兰热带地区1。此外，研究人员在约克角还发现了另一个可能的新物种，但需要更多标本才能确认1。
Australian researchers have identified two previously unknown large stick insect species in North Queensland, with findings published in the Australian Journal of Entomology 1. The discovery stems from research led by Dr. Braxton Jones at the University of Sydney, who used DNA analysis combined with museum collections and citizen science data to distinguish these species 1.
One of the newly identified species, Anchiale robusta, had been mistakenly classified for years before being confirmed as a separate species through this research 1. Females of this species measure 12–16 centimeters in length, while males are 9–10 centimeters long 1. The other newly described species, Anchiale mabiensis, is approximately 11–12 centimeters in females and inhabits the endangered Mabi rainforest of the Atherton Tableland in Queensland 1.
The research reveals that what scientists had previously believed to be just two stick insect species actually comprises five distinct species distributed across a smaller geographic range than initially thought, extending from northern New South Wales to tropical Queensland 1. Additionally, researchers have identified a possible sixth species in the Cape York region, though more specimens are needed for confirmation 1.
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