Fresh from BoingBoing

[trompelol]

The rich man's stick insect, better known as the various leaf-mimicking arthropods and frogs, have adapted to their natural leaf and leaf-litter habitats in a really awesome way. Their exoskeletons - or skin, for the frogs - resemble fresh, fallen, and dead leaves, winning them the gold medal in the Camouflage Olympics.

Original article is HERE.

Comments

[riotous_prole]

Whoa.

[drunkontea]

I don't know...I keep looking at the frog photo and it looks so photoshopped to me. Sweet insects though.

[drunkontea]

I mean I don't doubt frogs have skin that can look like dead leaves, it's just that photo looks fake.

[maui_dolphin]

http://www.commercialps.vic.edu.au/Science/Slideshow/Images/images/Megophrys/megophrys_nasuta_ebinuma.jpg

[drunkontea]

That looks pretty awesome. Like I said, it's just that particular photo that looks shopped. It's the denseness of the black spots on its back and the outlines around them that make it look 2d and photoshopped on.

[moonvoice]

One of my favourite DA photographers takes photos of these sorts of mantises, and does amazing mantis photography (and general stuff) - this is one of his 'portrait shots' of the Violin Mantis:

http://blepharopsis.deviantart.com/art/Gongylodes-52247932

Some others I love from him:

http://blepharopsis.deviantart.com/art/giddy-up-94516607 (Macleay's Stick Insect) Looks like lichen.

And a Camouflaged Vietnamese Moss Frog - http://blepharopsis.deviantart.com/art/camofuzz-57131577

Man I love these sorts of critters. :D

[morgan303]

That frog is so beautiful!

[mutantkitty]

I LOVE blepharopsis, been watching him for ages :D

[kickuintheb0x]

If you're ever in the Denver area, they have several of these types of insects at the Butterfly Pavillion. It's really neat to see in person.

[griffith]

The mimicry of the leaf venation is the most impressive to me. And how that katydid is two-toned.

I love these photos, thanks for sharing.