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   kho (kho@shitposter.club)'s status on Saturday, 16-Mar-2024 10:02:58 JST kho

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   🚨 ARTHROPOD OF THE DAY 🚨
   
   Pulchriphyllium bioculatum, Seychelles leaf insect, Javanese leaf insect, or Gray's leaf insect, is a leaf insect of the family Phylliidae native to tropical Asia as well as Madagascar, Mauritius and the Seychelles. It was first described by George Robert Gray in 1832 and was the first phasmid he discovered. Leaf insects have extremely flattened, irregularly shaped bodies, wings, and legs. They are usually about 5–10 cm long (2–4 in long). They are called leaf insects because their large, leathery forewings have veins that look similar to the veins on the particular type of leaves they inhabit. Its scientific name bioculatum means "two-eyed" and refers to the two dots located on the abdomen just in this species.
   
   Both females and males occur in shades of green, yellow, and orange. Males range from 2.6 to 3.7 inches (66 to 94 mm). The organism's forewings and camouflage are used for defense. The species also has hind wings which are used for flying by males, but are unused by females. Young Pulchriphyllium bioculatum are about 2 cm (0.79 in) long, dark red in colour and have reflex immobility. The species molts 5–6 times in a lifetime.
   
   They are slow-moving herbivores and rely on their camouflage and fore wings for defense from predators including birds, amphibians and reptiles. The females live from 4 to 7 months and males from 3 weeks to 1 month.