Swamp Locust

Swamp Locusts (Latin: Stagnum acrididae) are creatures which appear in the Monsterverse prequel comic Skull Island: The Birth of Kong.

Description
An ambush predator extraordinaire, the Swamp Locust is not, as its name might suggest, actually an insect. It’s moniker instead comes from the hordes of these creatures which are suspected to dwell beneath the eastern swamplands of Skull Island, and although estimations of their numbers are not available at present, they are believed to infest nearly every inch of that forsaken landscape.

Swamp Locusts are in some ways similar to stick insects but on a much larger scale, in that their clawed limbs resemble the woody branches of dead trees. They submerge themselves in the marshes of Skull Island, but project these appendages above the surface, patiently waiting until a prey creature wanders too close. At this point, the Swamp Locust will strike in much the same way as a crocodilian, dragging their prey down beneath the murky water to be consumed.

An interesting point of note about the Swamp Locust is that it’s stomach extends for the full length of its body, in much the same way as an earthworm. This presumably aids in digestion, but indicates that despite its great size - reaching nearly thirty feet in length - the Swamp Locust is a fairly primitive lifeform.

In addition, the Swamp Locusts’ tough, armoured carapace has proven resistant to small-arms fire.