Land Lobster
Dryococelus australis
Critically endangeredPhoto: CC BY-SA 3.0
Insectherbivore
The land lobster is a thick-bodied stick insect that clings to life on a single rocky island off Australia. Once thought lost forever, a handful of these nocturnal insects were found clinging to shrubs on a steep sea stack. They're sometimes called tree lobsters for their sturdy legs and slow, deliberate movements.
- Survives only on Ball's Pyramid after disappearing from Lord Howe Island
- Rediscovered in 2001 with just 24 individuals remaining
- Considered by some to be the world's rarest insect
ForestAustralia
Read more on WikipediaAt a glance
- Classification
- Insect
- Scientific name
- Dryococelus australis
- Habitat
- Forest
- Regions in this directory
- Australia
- Diet
- herbivore
- Relative size
- large
- IUCN Red List
- Critically Endangered (CR)