Three new species of praying mantis have been discovered in Australia and Papua New Guinea, and they do something unusual: they flatten their bodies against tree bark like a plank. The insects belong to the genus Kongobatha and were found in tropical rainforests of northern Queensland and the island of New Guinea.
A bizarre hiding trick that looks like a plank
These mantises press their long, slender bodies flat against tree trunks and branches. Their legs also lie flush against the bark. The pose makes them nearly invisible. Scientists call this behavior planking. It is a rare form of camouflage among mantises, most of which rely on looking like leaves or sticks.
The three new species are named Kongobatha planking, Kongobatha papua, and Kongobatha spinosistyla. The first name was chosen because of the insect's distinctive posture. The researchers described them in a study published in the journal Zootaxa.
Where the insects were found and who identified them
Australian biologist Matthew Connors led the research. He collected specimens during field trips in Queensland and Papua New Guinea. The mantises live in lowland and montane rainforests. Local people in these regions have likely encountered the insects but their planking behavior had not been formally documented until now.
Connors and his team examined museum specimens and new field samples. They used physical traits such as body shape and genital structure to distinguish the species. The work took several years because the mantises are small and hard to spot.
Why this discovery matters for the region
For residents of northern Australia and Papua New Guinea, the new species add to the known biodiversity of their rainforests. These forests are among the most ancient on Earth. Finding a new type of camouflage behavior also helps scientists understand how insects evolve to avoid predators.
The mantises are part of a group that has received little scientific attention. Connors said the discovery shows how much remains unknown in tropical ecosystems. The three new species bring the total number of described Kongobatha mantises to five.
