China bug Chan's Megastick declared world's longest insect

The Insect Museum of West China on 5 May 2016 announced that a stick insect measuring 62.4 centimeters has broken the record for length among the world’s 807625 known insects. The insect, named Phobaeticus chani or Chan's megastick was discovered two years ago in the southern province of Guangxi, China. The previous record-holder was a Malaysian 56.7-centimeter-long stick insect discovered in 2008. One of its specimen is on display in London’s Natural History Museum. About Chan's megastick • Phobaeticus chani or Chan's megastick is species of stick insects. • The bug is named after amateur Malaysian naturalist, Datuk Chan Chew Lun. • Very little is known about its biology. However, it is speculated that it may live in the canopy of the rainforest, making it especially hard to find. • It was selected as one of The Top 10 New Species described in 2008 by the International Institute for Species Exploration at Arizona State University and an international committee of taxonomists. • The species was also listed as one of the top 10 discoveries of the decade in the BBC television documentary Decade of Discovery.