Phryganistria tamdaoensis

Description

Phryganistria tamdaoensis is a species of stick insect belonging to the family of giant sticks. It was described in 2014 based on specimens from the Tam Đảo National Park in Vietnam, hence, the specific name tamdaoensis. It was described by Joachim Bresseel and Jérôme Constant, biologists of the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences (RBINS). In the same paper they also reported the discovery of another new subspecies, Phryganistria heusii yentuensis, which – measuring 32 cm long – is the second biggest insect known to date. In contrast, P. tamdaoensis, measuring only 23 cm long, is one of the smallest species under giant sticks. In 2015, the International Institute for Species Exploration names it as one of the "Top 10 New Species" for new species discovered in 2014. They were included in the list because of their body shape and colour, making them "masters of camouflage".