All fly insect look more or less the same : a main thorax that ’s split into three segment , two legs on each section , and four wings . But there ’s one exception , and it ’s spectacularly eldritch . Meet the massive “ helmets ” of treehopper louse .
In normal fly louse , those four wing are found on the rear two segments of the thorax . With treehoppers , the “ helmet ” – which can often be big than the entire residuum of the insect ’s body – is ground on the first section of the thorax . Discovered by Benjamin Prud’homme and his research team at the National Center of Scientific Research in Marseilles , France , these helmets are really extremely specialised wing , basically fall in these insects an extra couple .
There ’s an awing picture gallery of these weird louse over at New Scientist , whichwe definitely commend checking out . but I wanted to give a particular reference to the insect you see up top . Most of the other worm have helmet that look like jumbo fivesome , but Cyphonia has something very dissimilar .
In one of the most laughably awesome examples of evolutionary mimicry , its helmet has evolve to attend just like an aggressive ant species , which imply anyone looking at it from above will see not a harmless treehopper but alternatively a seriously pass water off ant . For Cyphonia , it ’s more than a worthwhile barter - off for having to drop your full life look like you ’re headed to an insect costume company .
NatureviaNew Scientist .
BiologyHelmetInsectsScienceWings
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