Researchers from the University of Sydney have reclassified the Australian members of the stick insect genus Anchiale, identifying two previously unknown species and restoring a third that had gone unrecognized for decades. Their findings indicate that insects previously grouped into just two species actually represent five distinct species, spanning from northern New South Wales through coastal Queensland and into tropical northern Australia.
The study, led by Dr. Braxton Jones of the Aola Richards Sydney Insect Hub, highlights the persistent gaps in scientific knowledge regarding insect biodiversity. Despite more than 1,000 citizen science observations recorded via iNaturalist and the Atlas of Living Australia, along with decades of prior scientific study, the team found significant undetected diversity.
“Taxonomy is often a bit like detective work. Even among some of Australia’s most photographed and frequently reported insects, we’re still finding species that have escaped scientific recognition,” said Dr. Jones, a postdoctoral research associate in the Molecular Ecology, Evolution and Phylogenomics Laboratory.
One of the study’s most notable surprises involved a large, familiar stick insect that had been incorrectly identified for years. By combining DNA analysis with museum specimens, field surveys, and observations of captive-bred insects, researchers confirmed the insect as a separate species, now designated Anchiale robusta. Additionally, the team formally described Anchiale mabiensis, a new species found in Queensland’s critically endangered Mabi rainforest on the Atherton Tablelands. Its eggs feature a unique lidlike structure never before documented in stick insects or their closest relatives.
The revised classification may yield practical benefits for forestry and agriculture. One species, known for occasionally reaching plague-like population levels and stripping foliage from trees, was found to comprise multiple species. Distinguishing between them could improve how land managers anticipate and mitigate future impacts on crops and forests.
The research also suggests the existence of another potential new species from Cape York, though the team requires additional specimens to confirm its identity. Dr. Jones emphasized the urgency of these discoveries, stating, “These findings demonstrate the importance of protecting threatened ecosystems and documenting Australia’s extraordinary biodiversity before we lose species without us having even discovered them.”
The work was funded by the Australian Biological Resources Study through the National Taxonomy Research Grant of the Commonwealth Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, as well as a CSIRO postgraduate scholarship. The findings are published in Austral Entomology.
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