Scientists recently discovered the fossil of stick and leaf insect that lived 126 million years ago, according to a recently released study.
The fossilized remains of an ancient stick insect were discovered in China.
Researchers have confirmed the insect is a member of a species that exhibited leaf mimicry some 126 million years ago.
The ancient insect lived during the early Cretaceous period and experts now believe that it was one of the early descendants of modern stick insects.
The insect, named Cretophasmomima melanogramma, was found in Liaoning province in northeastern China.
In the past, researchers have found fossils of creatures like early birds and feathered dinosaurs in the same location.
Their findings were published in the online journal PLOS ONE.
"Fossil species that can be conclusively identified as stem-relatives of stick- and leaf-insects (Phasmatodea) are extremely rare, especially for the Mesozoic era," the study reads. "This dearth in the paleontological record makes assessments on the origin and age of the group problematic and impedes investigations of evolutionary key aspects, such as wing development, sexual size dimorphism and plant mimicry."
The recently discovered fossil showed wings with parallel dark lines that likely produced a tongue-like shape to allow the insect to hide its abdomen, according to the study.
Released photographs showed that the plant had similar shaped leaves marked with multiple lines.
"As early as in the Early Cretaceous, some stem-Phasmatodea achieved effective leaf mimicry," the study says. "The diversification of small-sized arboreal insectivore birds and mammals might have triggered the acquisition of such primary defenses."
Female Cretophasmomima melanogramma were estimated to be around 5.5cm long and the males were a little smaller, according to the study.
"Cretophasmomima melanogramma is one of the grand-cousins of today's stick and leaf insects," said paleontologist and one of the study's researchers Olivier Bethoux of the Center for Research on Paleobiodiversity and Paleoenvironments (CR2P).
There are approximately 3,200 known species of stick and leaf insects, which are all members of the Phasmatodea order, according to the study.
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