Australia presents!
Goliath’s Stick!
The Eurycnema Goliath.
The goliath or regal stick insect is a large species of stick insect in the family Phasmatidae, endemic to Australia.
These beauties are widespread throughout Australia’s east coast, New South Wales, Southern Queensland & Tasmania.
We see them within the bushland, rainforest, & in parks & gardens.
In 1834, the English zoologist George Robert Gray placed the species in the genus phasma, and in 1904 the entomologist William Kirby placed the insect in the present genus Eurycnema.
The male adult body length is 105 -146 mm, while the female length is 155–204 mm. The body coloration is apple green with yellow banding across the upper body.
Bluish-green tubercles & spines are present on both the dorsal & ventral sides of the body. Its abdomen is thick & flexible.
Females have simple ovaries with around 200 ovarioles.
The phasmid has a large yellow head with three green bands running from the eyes to the back of the head. It has two brown compound eyes and two-segmented antennae.
The legs of the goliath are long and slender with mottled yellow & green coloration.
