Prisopus sacratus

Description

Prisopus sacratus, sometimes called the dragon of Amboina or Brazilian tree lobster, of the genus Prisopus is a stick insect belonging to the family Prisopodidae. Prisopus sacratus is primarily found in the southern part of the Atlantic Forest, in the Brazilian states of São Paulo, Paraná and Santa Catarina. One of approximately 14 recognized species of Prisopus, the insect is characterized by an elongated body, with spiny and hairy projections that enhance their mimicry of plant stems and branches. The genus was originally described by Amédée Louis Michel le Peletier, comte de Saint-Fargeau and Jean Guillaume Audinet-Serville in 1828, with the type species Prisopus sacratus from South America.