Understanding the material basis of adaptive evolution has been a central goal in biology dating back to at least the time of Darwin. One focus of current debates is whether adaptive evolution relies ...

Stick insects make a certain amount of sense, evolutionarily speaking. They look like sticks, or twigs, or leaves; thus camouflaged, they presumably have a better chance of avoiding predators, ...

A long-standing debate among evolutionary scientists goes something like this: Does evolution happen in a predictable pattern or does it depend on chance events and contingency? That is, if you could ...

Biologists discuss findings from an investigation of genetic mutations in seven species of North American stick insects (Timema) resulting in cryptic coloration. Traits that form an organism's ...

Most stick insect species blend into their surroundings to avoid predators. But the males of two newly described species from madagascar, Achrioptera manga and Achrioptera maroloko, are brightly ...

Known for exceptional mimicry, stick insects have evolved a range of egg-laying techniques to maximize egg survival while maintaining their disguise – including dropping eggs to the ground, skewering ...

The newly described stick insect Phryganistria heusii yentuensis is over a foot long (32cm), or 21 inches (54 cm) with its front legs stretched out. It's the second biggest living insect that has been ...