Credit: PETER MATULAVICH/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY

Caption: Close-up of Vietnamese stick insect (Medauroidea extradentata) featuring its bizarre face, distinguished by four finger-like palps that are used for tasting and in food manipulation. Also noteworthy are the two horn-like appendages on its head which resemble thorns and contribute to its effective camouflage. These large stick insects can reach 110 mm in length. They are indigenous to Vietnam and are found in tropical forests there.

Release details: Model release not required. Property release not required.

Keywords: animal, arthropod, attack, camouflage, eating, feeding, forest, insect, insects, invertebrate, medauroidea extradentata, mouthparts, palps, rose, stick, tropical, vietnamese stick insect, walking, zoology