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Welcome Back -The Walking Leaf


Welcome Back -The Walking Leaf
Photo Information
Copyright: Foozi Saad (foozi) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 2791 W: 0 N: 6696] (25839)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2009-03-17
Categories: Insects
Exposure: f/5.1, 1/60 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2009-03-22 3:23
Viewed: 6640
Favorites: 4 [view]
Points: 30
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
When I was small I always see this extremely unique insect on my guava trees. There are times when a few of them. Initially you will not notice it. After sometimes you realise the leaf moves, so be it....the leaf insect or the walking leaf. how much I missed it, almost a few decades....only now i could see them again. This time this leaf appeared on the guava tree also.
This happened, when my small piece of land was not cleared for almost a year. This piece of land was given to me by my father. I hope to turn it to a small sanctuary ... should I able to.

From Wiki:
The family Phylliidae (often misspelled Phyllidae) contains the extant true leaf insects or walkingleaves, which include some of the most remarkable leaf mimics in the entire animal kingdom. They occur from South Asia through Southeast Asia to Australia. At present, there seems to be no consensus as to the preferred classification of this group; some sources treat Phylliidae as a much larger taxon, containing the members of what are presently considered to be several different families. It is used here in its most restricted sense.[1]

A 47 million year old fossil of Eophyllium messelensis, a prehistoric ancestor of Phylliidae, displays many of the same characteristics of modern leaf insects, indicating that this family has changed little over time.[2]

Leaf insects use camouflage to take on the appearance of a leaf. They do this so accurately that predators often aren't able to distinguish them from real leaves. In some species the edge of the leaf insect's body even has the appearance of bite marks. To further confuse predators, when the leaf insect walks, it rocks back and forth, to mimic a real leaf being blown by the wind. [3]

The scholar Antonio Pigafetta may have been the first to document the creature. Sailing with Ferdinand Magellan's circumnavigational expedition, he studied and chronicled the fauna on the island of Cimbonbon as the fleet hauled ashore for repairs. During this time he documented the Phyllium species with the following passage:[4]

In this island are also found certain trees, the leaves of which, when they fall, are animated, and walk. They are like the leaves of the mulberry tree, but not so long; they have the leaf stalk short and pointed, and near the leaf stalk they have on each side two feet. If they are touched they escape, but if crushed they do not give out blood. I kept one for nine days in a box. When I opened it the leaf went round the box. I believe they live upon air. [5]


[edit] References
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Phylliidae
^ Bradley, J.C., and Galil, B.S. (1977). The taxonomic arrangement of the Phasmatodea with keys to the subfamilies and tribes. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington, 79(2): 176-208.
^ Wedmann, Sonja; Bradler, Sven; Rust, Jes (9 January 2007). "The first fossil leaf insect: 47 million years of specialized cryptic morphology and behavior". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 104 (2): 565–9. doi:10.1073/pnas.0606937104. PMID 17197423. http://www.pnas.org/cgi/content/abstract/104/2/565. Retrieved on 2007-01-15.
^ Hidden Beauty
^ Bergreen, Laurence. Over the Edge of the World: Magellan's Terrifying Circumnavigation of the Globe. New York: HarperCollins Publishers Inc., 2003.
^ Pigafetta, Antonio. "Anthony Pigapheta, Patrician of Vincenza, and King of Rhodes, to the very illustrious and very excellent Lord Philip de Villers Lisleaden, the famous Grand Master of Rhodes, his most respected Lord." Alderley, Lord Stanley of. The First Voyage Round the World, by Magellan. New York: Burt Franklin, n.d. 35-163.
envisage, siggi, Argus, anel, vorpal, caspian, boreocypriensis, Noisette, Dis. Ac., Heaven, Hormon_Manyer has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

Hi Foozi,

Excellent photo. Great camouflage.

TFS,

Srey

  • Great 
  • siggi Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3097 W: 109 N: 12399] (52850)
  • [2009-03-22 3:54]

Hello Foozi,
wow! excellent macro shot and very good composition of this interesting insect .Very nice pov superb details presented.
Well done my friend!
Best regards Siggi

  • Great 
  • Argus Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5038 W: 260 N: 15594] (50626)
  • [2009-03-22 4:53]

Hello Foozi,
This is a great capture of a fantastic insect, the Walking Leaf, related to stick insects.
The POV, composition, sharpness and use of flash all contribute to show us this remarkable insect in a great way.
Thank you for this great contribution to TN and best wishes,
Ivan

  • Great 
  • anel Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 3053 W: 3 N: 8715] (40574)
  • [2009-03-22 5:21]

Hello Foozi,
Excellent picture of this amazing insect. You managed to show the Walking Leaf so well on the same colored vegetation. It's a grat shot, for sure. Thanks also for the interesting note. Nice to have a piece of land!
Best regards
Anne

  • Great 
  • zetu Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 967 W: 26 N: 3888] (16941)
  • [2009-03-22 6:17]

hello Foozi
Interesting capture. First I look to picture and I saw some leaves and then i saw the insect. Well done.
Regards
Razvan

What an Awesome find here Foozi! I've seen species like these in park display tanks and in museums but never had the chance to see one out in the open. Such Amazing creatures! Composition, DOF, focus and lighting are done nicely!

Hi Foozi,

Great foto.Fantastic capture. TFS

  • Great 
  • lousat Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 6595 W: 89 N: 15659] (65489)
  • [2009-03-22 14:48]

Hi Foozi,i wrote many times "every day a great surprise"..but today is over the top of great! You have great eyes to see that...and what a fantastic sharpness,we can see that perfectly in all the details! My best compliments,surely the most variuos and incredible gallery on TN..have a nice week,luciano

Hi MF Foozi, a spectacular capture of a parasitoid on guava leafs. This is also novelty for me. Excellent presentation with accompanying well prepared notes.
TFS and have a nice new week!
Cheers,
Bayram

Hello Foozi
What a great camouflage !
a superb shot of this walking leaf, crisp clear details on insect and environment
fantastic composition and colors
Have a good night
Jacqueline

Hi Foozi,

what a really nice picture and insect are this.
Beautiful differnt green colours.

Gert

  • Great 
  • Heaven Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 996 W: 123 N: 2341] (7912)
  • [2009-03-22 23:43]

Dear Foozi!

I like your green world more and more. This picture is as pleasant as surprising and amazing. Who would believe at a first glance that there is an insect on the picture! The very particular and subtle lighting in combination with a fine colour management make this picture an outstanding one. I also like the very detailed and interesting notes.

Kind regards

Markus

Hello Foozi,
This is a very special photo.
We hardly ever see these leaf insects on Trek Nature,and this one is perfect.
Great exposure,colour,sharpness and detail.
Wonderful work and a very good note.
Cheers & TFS
Steve

hello Foozi
very good picture
great details
good colours
i have at home insect in a terranium
also this walking leave i knowe this insect
i have nowe eggs of this insect
greeting lou

Hi Foozi,

The camouflage of this insect specie is as excellent as Your photo. Extremely interesting shot, great playing with lights and shadows - even the flash, which I in most of the cases don't like, worked brilliantly here. Bravo bravissimo. Not occasional You already got 2 little green stars to this pic - I give the 3rd.

I also know this special feeling - finding a living creature (in my case a fungus specie) which You didn't see from Your childhood. This makes the pic even more special and emotional.

Best regards, László

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