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ArtistDramatic museum-plate macro of a Lord Howe Island stick insect on native shrub with textured exoskeleton detail. Composition: tight vertical with insect occupying most of frame, leaf-curves echoing body shape. Lighting: soft museum-key with subtle rim and shadow to emphasize three-dimensionality. Palette: deep charcoal body tones, verdant leaf greens, pale wood highlights. Texture & detail: exoskeleton microtexture, leg articulation, tiny setae. Artist-mix: Audubon natural-history plate , modern macro clarity. Camera: macro 100mm, focus-stack recommended; output 4k. Variations: conservation success diptych (islet refuge , captive-rearing).
**Lord Howe Island Stick Insect (Tree Lobster) - Dryococelus australis
Short: A charismatic “living fossil” once presumed extinct on Lord Howe Island but surviving on a small offshore islet; tiny range makes it vulnerable.
Facts:
Status: Critically Endangered / conservation success in captivity.
Range: Lord Howe Island group (Phillip Island refuge).
Habitat: Forest remnants and shrubland on offshore islet.
Diet: Foliage of native trees.
Lifespan: Several years.
Reproduction: Eggs laid in leaf litter; slow growth.
Role: Ecological heritage species, contributes to leaf litter dynamics.
Threats: Invasive rats, habitat loss, small population vulnerability.
2025 October 16