Insects · Orthoptera · Anostostomatidae
Wetapunga
Deinacrida heteracantha
It faces a high risk of extinction in the wild over the medium term. See full glossary
Weight
up to 71 g
Size
up to 7.5 cm
Diet
Herbivore
Feeds mainly on plants.
Activity
Nocturnal
Active mainly at night.
Social structure
Solitary
Lives and hunts alone, joining others only to breed.
Sighting difficulty
Moderate
Fun facts
- GeneralOne of the heaviest insects in the world: a gravid female reaches 70 grams.
- récordIt can outweigh a sparrow, making it one of the heaviest insects known, and in New Zealand's ecosystems it fills the niche small rodents occupy elsewhere.
- It is the largest insect in New Zealand and can weigh up to 71 g, more than a sparrow.
- It survived only on Hauturu island, free of mammalian predators; after the Pacific rat was eradicated in 2004 the population began to recover.
- It has been translocated to other predator-free islands: in 2018, 300 individuals bred at Auckland Zoo were released, and by then 4,300 had already been freed in the Hauraki Gulf.
- It cannot fly, and as an adult it lives a nomadic life, moving about without settling anywhere.
- It makes defensive sounds by rubbing pegs on the femur against ridges on the abdomen, with peaks of up to 40-50 kHz.
Life cycle & biology
- Skeleton type
- Invertebrate - chitin exoskeleton (insect)
- Habitat & environment
- Island temperate forest
Sources consulted: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deinacrida_heteracantha
Where to watch it
Parks and dive sites where this species has been documented.
Related species
Other species in the catalogue with the most in common with Wetapunga — same habitat, park, country, tags or family.
North Island Brown Kiwi
Apteryx mantelli
Southern Brown Kiwi
Apteryx australis
Great Spotted Kiwi
Apteryx haastii
Common Brush-tailed Possum
Trichosurus vulpecula
Fungus Gnat
Arachnocampa luminosa
VulnerableWeka
Gallirallus australis
How to help
The wetapunga is classified as vulnerable. Organizations such as UICN, WWF y Wildlife Conservation Society work specifically on its conservation and that of its habitat; looking into their programs is a good starting point if you want to get involved.
It's documented in 9 real protected areas — part of why protecting these places matters for its conservation.
Keep exploring
Based on what we already know about wetapunga.
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