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Panoploscelis specularis (Spiny Lobster Katydid) - head, Finca Heimatlos, Ecuador Honestly, I was intimidated when meeting this absolutely massive insect. It&#039;s lengthy, about 8cm, but above all massively thick. It&#039;s not something I would want jumping at my face. <br /> <br /> It&#039;s a species in the Panoploscelis genus, also known as &quot;Giant lobster crickets&quot;. <br /> <br /> They are cryptic and poorly studied as they are nocturnal and only found in the understory of remote forests. I&#039;m thinking we got extremely lucky for spotting it in such a high and standout position.<br /> <figure class="photo"><a href="https://www.jungledragon.com/image/129235/panoploscelis_specularis_spiny_lobster_katydid_finca_heimatlos_ecuador.html" title="Panoploscelis specularis (Spiny Lobster Katydid), Finca Heimatlos, Ecuador"><img src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/media.jungledragon.com/images/2/129235_thumb.jpg?AWSAccessKeyId=05GMT0V3GWVNE7GGM1R2&Expires=1759968010&Signature=AV6xhfmme7xcaNcBSillEnwlTek%3D" width="200" height="134" alt="Panoploscelis specularis (Spiny Lobster Katydid), Finca Heimatlos, Ecuador Honestly, I was intimidated when meeting this absolutely massive insect. It&#039;s lengthy, about 8cm, but above all massively thick. It&#039;s not something I would want jumping at my face. <br /> <br /> It&#039;s a species in the Panoploscelis genus, also known as &quot;Giant lobster crickets&quot;. <br /> <br /> They are cryptic and poorly studied as they are nocturnal and only found in the understory of remote forests. I&#039;m thinking we got extremely lucky for spotting it in such a high and standout position.<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/129233/panoploscelis_specularis_spiny_lobster_katydid_-_side_view_finca_heimatlos_ecuador.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/129234/panoploscelis_specularis_spiny_lobster_katydid_-_frontal_finca_heimatlos_ecuador.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/129232/panoploscelis_specularis_spiny_lobster_katydid_-_head_finca_heimatlos_ecuador.html<br /> Here&#039;s a video (non-english) to get a reference of their size.<br /> <br /> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTNRWkn-H8U Ecuador,Ecuador 2021,Finca Heimatlos,Geotagged,Panoploscelis specularis,South America,Spring,World" /></a></figure><br /> <figure class="photo"><a href="https://www.jungledragon.com/image/129233/panoploscelis_specularis_spiny_lobster_katydid_-_side_view_finca_heimatlos_ecuador.html" title="Panoploscelis specularis (Spiny Lobster Katydid) - side view, Finca Heimatlos, Ecuador"><img src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/media.jungledragon.com/images/2/129233_thumb.jpg?AWSAccessKeyId=05GMT0V3GWVNE7GGM1R2&Expires=1759968010&Signature=3QW%2B7WCTQ1TwFV7jwqq4w86MGO8%3D" width="200" height="134" alt="Panoploscelis specularis (Spiny Lobster Katydid) - side view, Finca Heimatlos, Ecuador Honestly, I was intimidated when meeting this absolutely massive insect. It&#039;s lengthy, about 8cm, but above all massively thick. It&#039;s not something I would want jumping at my face. <br /> <br /> It&#039;s a species in the Panoploscelis genus, also known as &quot;Giant lobster crickets&quot;. <br /> <br /> They are cryptic and poorly studied as they are nocturnal and only found in the understory of remote forests. I&#039;m thinking we got extremely lucky for spotting it in such a high and standout position.<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/129235/panoploscelis_specularis_spiny_lobster_katydid_finca_heimatlos_ecuador.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/129234/panoploscelis_specularis_spiny_lobster_katydid_-_frontal_finca_heimatlos_ecuador.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/129232/panoploscelis_specularis_spiny_lobster_katydid_-_head_finca_heimatlos_ecuador.html<br /> Here&#039;s a video (non-english) to get a reference of their size.<br /> <br /> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTNRWkn-H8U Ecuador,Ecuador 2021,Finca Heimatlos,Geotagged,Panoploscelis specularis,South America,Spring,World" /></a></figure><br /> <figure class="photo"><a href="https://www.jungledragon.com/image/129234/panoploscelis_specularis_spiny_lobster_katydid_-_frontal_finca_heimatlos_ecuador.html" title="Panoploscelis specularis (Spiny Lobster Katydid) - frontal, Finca Heimatlos, Ecuador"><img src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/media.jungledragon.com/images/2/129234_thumb.jpg?AWSAccessKeyId=05GMT0V3GWVNE7GGM1R2&Expires=1759968010&Signature=SgBmP5PcPf5LzkXJGfkuGRDYBDk%3D" width="200" height="172" alt="Panoploscelis specularis (Spiny Lobster Katydid) - frontal, Finca Heimatlos, Ecuador Honestly, I was intimidated when meeting this absolutely massive insect. It&#039;s lengthy, about 8cm, but above all massively thick. It&#039;s not something I would want jumping at my face. <br /> <br /> It&#039;s a species in the Panoploscelis genus, also known as &quot;Giant lobster crickets&quot;. <br /> <br /> They are cryptic and poorly studied as they are nocturnal and only found in the understory of remote forests. I&#039;m thinking we got extremely lucky for spotting it in such a high and standout position.<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/129235/panoploscelis_specularis_spiny_lobster_katydid_finca_heimatlos_ecuador.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/129233/panoploscelis_specularis_spiny_lobster_katydid_-_side_view_finca_heimatlos_ecuador.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/129232/panoploscelis_specularis_spiny_lobster_katydid_-_head_finca_heimatlos_ecuador.html<br /> Here&#039;s a video (non-english) to get a reference of their size.<br /> <br /> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTNRWkn-H8U Ecuador,Ecuador 2021,Finca Heimatlos,Geotagged,Panoploscelis specularis,South America,Spring,World" /></a></figure><br /> Here&#039;s a video (non-english) to get a reference of their size.<br /> <br /> <section class="video"><iframe width="448" height="282" src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/gTNRWkn-H8U?hd=1&autoplay=0&rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></section> Ecuador,Ecuador 2021,Finca Heimatlos,Geotagged,Panoploscelis specularis,South America,Spring,World Click/tap to enlarge PromotedSpecies introCountry intro

Panoploscelis specularis (Spiny Lobster Katydid) - head, Finca Heimatlos, Ecuador

Honestly, I was intimidated when meeting this absolutely massive insect. It's lengthy, about 8cm, but above all massively thick. It's not something I would want jumping at my face.

It's a species in the Panoploscelis genus, also known as "Giant lobster crickets".

They are cryptic and poorly studied as they are nocturnal and only found in the understory of remote forests. I'm thinking we got extremely lucky for spotting it in such a high and standout position.

Panoploscelis specularis (Spiny Lobster Katydid), Finca Heimatlos, Ecuador Honestly, I was intimidated when meeting this absolutely massive insect. It's lengthy, about 8cm, but above all massively thick. It's not something I would want jumping at my face. <br /> <br /> It's a species in the Panoploscelis genus, also known as "Giant lobster crickets". <br /> <br /> They are cryptic and poorly studied as they are nocturnal and only found in the understory of remote forests. I'm thinking we got extremely lucky for spotting it in such a high and standout position.<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/129233/panoploscelis_specularis_spiny_lobster_katydid_-_side_view_finca_heimatlos_ecuador.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/129234/panoploscelis_specularis_spiny_lobster_katydid_-_frontal_finca_heimatlos_ecuador.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/129232/panoploscelis_specularis_spiny_lobster_katydid_-_head_finca_heimatlos_ecuador.html<br /> Here's a video (non-english) to get a reference of their size.<br /> <br /> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTNRWkn-H8U Ecuador,Ecuador 2021,Finca Heimatlos,Geotagged,Panoploscelis specularis,South America,Spring,World

Panoploscelis specularis (Spiny Lobster Katydid) - side view, Finca Heimatlos, Ecuador Honestly, I was intimidated when meeting this absolutely massive insect. It's lengthy, about 8cm, but above all massively thick. It's not something I would want jumping at my face. <br /> <br /> It's a species in the Panoploscelis genus, also known as "Giant lobster crickets". <br /> <br /> They are cryptic and poorly studied as they are nocturnal and only found in the understory of remote forests. I'm thinking we got extremely lucky for spotting it in such a high and standout position.<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/129235/panoploscelis_specularis_spiny_lobster_katydid_finca_heimatlos_ecuador.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/129234/panoploscelis_specularis_spiny_lobster_katydid_-_frontal_finca_heimatlos_ecuador.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/129232/panoploscelis_specularis_spiny_lobster_katydid_-_head_finca_heimatlos_ecuador.html<br /> Here's a video (non-english) to get a reference of their size.<br /> <br /> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTNRWkn-H8U Ecuador,Ecuador 2021,Finca Heimatlos,Geotagged,Panoploscelis specularis,South America,Spring,World

Panoploscelis specularis (Spiny Lobster Katydid) - frontal, Finca Heimatlos, Ecuador Honestly, I was intimidated when meeting this absolutely massive insect. It's lengthy, about 8cm, but above all massively thick. It's not something I would want jumping at my face. <br /> <br /> It's a species in the Panoploscelis genus, also known as "Giant lobster crickets". <br /> <br /> They are cryptic and poorly studied as they are nocturnal and only found in the understory of remote forests. I'm thinking we got extremely lucky for spotting it in such a high and standout position.<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/129235/panoploscelis_specularis_spiny_lobster_katydid_finca_heimatlos_ecuador.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/129233/panoploscelis_specularis_spiny_lobster_katydid_-_side_view_finca_heimatlos_ecuador.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/129232/panoploscelis_specularis_spiny_lobster_katydid_-_head_finca_heimatlos_ecuador.html<br /> Here's a video (non-english) to get a reference of their size.<br /> <br /> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTNRWkn-H8U Ecuador,Ecuador 2021,Finca Heimatlos,Geotagged,Panoploscelis specularis,South America,Spring,World

Here's a video (non-english) to get a reference of their size.

    comments (4)

  1. View William Bodine's profile
    William Bodine
    Lion
    View Lion class
    If I was the videographer I would have been screaming like a little girl. This is ONE BIG Insect.
    Extraordinary capture.     Posted 3 years ago, modified 3 years ago
    1. View Ferdy Christant's profile
      Ferdy Christant
      Lion
      View Lion class
      Haha yes the footage freaked me out too. Posted 3 years ago
  3. View Patomarazul's profile
    Patomarazul
    Lion
    View Lion class
    Very nice close up! Posted 3 years ago
    1. View Ferdy Christant's profile
      Ferdy Christant
      Lion
      View Lion class
      Thanks :) Posted 3 years ago

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The Panoploscelis specularis

Panoploscelis specularis is a "spiny lobster katydid" from the Panoploscelis genus.

Info 7 1
Similar species: Grasshoppers And Crickets
Species identified by Ferdy Christant
View Ferdy Christant's profile

By Ferdy Christant

All rights reserved
Uploaded Feb 5, 2022. Captured Nov 11, 2021 20:05 in 95J5+WP Parroquia Tarqui, Ecuador.
country flag of Ecuador Explore Ecuador 1,787 846 0
  • NIKON D850
  • f/11.0
  • 1/250s
  • ISO64
  • 105mm

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