Native to New Zealand, the giant wētāpunga (Deinacrida heteracantha) is named after the Māori god of ugly things (Punga). The largest of New Zealand's 11 giant wētā species and one of the heaviest insects in the world, this ancient, wingless, cricket-like creature can weigh up to 71 grams—making it heavier than a house sparrow. The wētā lineage is over 190 million years old.
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