Science Illustrated

One of these leaves is a grasshoppe­r

- Photo // Pete Oxford

Panama’s rain forest is the home of an extremely discrete creature that prefers to blend into the surroundin­gs. The insect with the Latin name of Cycloptera speculate lives in trees, where it is difficult to distinguis­h from leaves. Its body is shaped like a leaf with life-like veins, and the master of disguise can even develop holes and discolorat­ion to pretend it has insect bites or is affected by fungus attacks. It feeds on leaves, which it consumes at night. In the daytime, it is immobile, only fluttering weakly in the wind.

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