PETER MATULAVICH / SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY PETER MATULAVICH / SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY
Vietnamese or Annam stick insect (Medauroidea extradentata) feeding on plant leaves. These herbivores have bizarre mouthparts distinguished by massive jaws and wriggling, finger-like palps which are used to manipulate food and for tasting. Annam sticks can reach 12 cm mm in length and are found in tropical forests in Southeast Asia. They are masters of disguise and rely on camouflage for defense. Their bodies are covered in short spines which are thought to mimic thorns found on plants but have no known function other than camouflage.
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