Phyllium gantungense
Female Phyllium gantungense The Phyllium gantungense, also known locally as the Gantung's Leaf Insect, is endemic to Palawan. It was formally described as a new species in 2009, the description was based on a single female holotype specimen collected from Mount Gantung in Brooke’s Point, Palawan. This species is the most common of the three species of leaf insects occurring in the Greater Palawan Faunal Region. Recent explorations have revealed that Phyllium gantungense can also be found on the slopes of Mount Aborlan and Mount Mantalingahan in the south, as well as on Mount Salakot, Mount Stavely, and Mount Beaufort in central Palawan. Male Phyllium gantungense Like all leaf insects, Phyllium gantungense exhibits remarkable adaptations for camouflage through leaf mimicry that allows it to blend seamlessly into its forested environment. Adults of this species exhibit a flattened body structure and irregular, vein-like patt...
