If you hop on a plane from Missoula, fly 15 hours (with two layovers) to Lima, Peru, drive 20 hours up the coast, take a small ferry across the Rio Chinchipe, and drive another hour east, you will find yourself in Santa Rosa District, in the heart of the region of Cajamarca. Sitting at 4,760 feet above sea level in the high jungles of northern Peru, the district is home to some 10,000 people, and a wholly unique insect species that cannot be found outside its 12-acre range.
Draped in black velvet, the black beauty stick insect (Peruphasma schultei) stands out amongst its jungle habitat. Stick insects are usually known for their masterful camouflage and often display brilliant shades of greens and browns to effortlessly disappear into their surroundings. But these beauties’ bodies contrast sharply with their flashy red wings and golden eyes, making them more visible to predators, but with a dire warning: I don’t taste good. Many animal species utilize bright colors to warn predators of poison or distastefulness. This form of defense is known as aposematism.
Initially, The wings give the impression of being underdeveloped or damaged; we’re all somewhat familiar with the crumpled wings of a butterfly whose emergence didn’t go quite as planned. However, the black beauties’ red stubby wings are merely remnants from an ancestor with functional wings. Over time, their wings shrank as the insect lost the need to fly. Since the wings no longer serve their initial evolutionary purpose (flight), they are considered vestigial organs. Vestigial organs are common throughout the animal kingdom; many flightless birds retain their wings despite their loss of function. Even humans have several vestigial organs, the most well-known being wisdom teeth. As our ancestors shifted from tough, fibrous foods to a softer and more processed diet, the wisdom teeth became vestiges of their former use, and the high risk of impaction made removal a favorable option.
It likely comes as no surprise that humans are the greatest threat to biodiversity in the Peruvian Amazon. The black beauty stick insect inhabits a truly minuscule region in northern Peru. At merely 12 acres in size, the area faces considerable risk from human developments like farming and mining, particularly as gold prices continue to rise. However, parts of the region are protected to conserve other species of concern, and the protections trickle down to help the black beauties. At the same time, zoos have successfully bred these critically endangered stick insects to create a thriving captive population, leaving hope for the black beauties’ survival.