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Life

Master mimic insect is indistinguishable from a leaf on forest floor

By Chris Simms

8 August 2018

leaf-mimic katydid

Clay Bolt claybolt.photoshelter.com

YOU never know what you will find in the rainforests of . Nestled in a thin forest corridor that connects habitats in North and South America, it is a crucial pit stop for migratory species and holds a huge array of wildlife, including jaguars, snakes and hummingbirds. It also hosts this master of disguise: a leaf-mimic katydid (Cycloptera sp.).

This insect is just 5 centimetres from its head to the tip of its abdomen, but a bit over double that if you include the long antennae, says photographer .

Katydids don’t stop at…

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