Mohan planthopper (Metaurus mohanensis), new species based on mitochondrial genome and geographic distribution

NEWS - A new species, Mohan planthopper (Metaurus mohanensis) from Yunnan, China, was distinguished from the species Metaurus Stål, 1866 (Hemiptera, Fulgoromorpha, Dictyopharidae) based on analysis of geographical distribution and mitochondrial genome data.

Metaurus Oriental shows a continental distribution in Southeast Asia, restricted to Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and southwest China. M. ramusitis Song & Liang 2012 is known from Laos and was found by only one female from Yunnan, China. The new species in this study was also collected from Yunnan.

Global distribution 748 species in 160 genera, family Dictyopharidae Spinola 1839 is a medium-sized taxon within Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha. Dictyopharidae are herbivorous insects known to feed on more than 25 families. Several dictyopharid species are known to be economically significant agricultural pests.

Dictyopharidae is classified into 19 tribes, plus two fossils divided between Dictyopharinae Spinola 1839 and Orgeriinae Fieber 1872. The genus Metaurus Stål 1866 was originally placed in Dictyopharini Spinola 1838, but was moved to Orthopagini Emeljanov 1983 by Emeljanov (2011) and later revised by Song and Liang (2012).

The species of Metaurus are externally similar to the species of Centromeria Stål 1870, a more diverse genus of Orthopagini with 14 species known to date, but with a wider Southeast Asian distribution consistent with the Oriental zoogeographic region.

This study describes M. mohanensis based on morphology and mitogenome. The new species in males has BL 17.3-17.1 mm, HL 3.6-3.7 mm, HW 1.7-1.8 mm, FWL 12-12.1 mm. The epithet “mohanensis” refers to the collection site in Mohan town.

The new species resembles M. ramusitis Song & Liang, but differs by the shape of the base of the base and segment X. The dorsal apical lobe of the base is formed in a pair of long lobes, directed posteriorly in lateral view and two lobes above it, the base extending forward to form a leaf-like projection in dorsal view (vs. not in M. ramusitis).

Segment X in dorsal view is relatively narrow with a maximum length to width ratio near the base of about 2.3:1. The ventral margin projects ventrally into a large rounded process at the base in lateral view and is slightly concave, not incised medially (vs. segment X is relatively wider in dorsal view and with irregular incisions medially in lateral view in M. ramusitis).

Original research

Zheng Y-L, Bourgoin T, Yang L, Chen X-S (2024). A new species of Metaurus Stål, 1866 (Hemiptera, Fulgoromorpha, Dictyopharidae), supplemented with mitogenome data from China. ZooKeys 1215: 53-64, DOI:10.3897/zookeys.1215.128976

Dlium theDlium

Humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) manufacture bubble-nets as tools to increase prey intake

NEWS - Humpback whales ( Megaptera novaeangliae ) create bubble net tools while foraging, consisting of internal tangential rings, and actively control the number of rings, their size, depth and horizontal spacing between the surrounding bubbles. These structural elements of the net increase prey intake sevenfold. Researchers have known that humpback whales create “bubble nets” for hunting, but the new report shows that the animals also manipulate them in a variety of ways to maximize catches. The behavior places humpbacks among the rare animals that make and use their own tools. “Many animals use tools to help them find food, but very few actually make or modify these tools themselves,” said Lars Bejder, director of the Marine Mammal Research Program (MMRP), University of Hawaii at Manoa. “Humpback whales in southeast Alaska create elaborate bubble nets to catch krill. They skillfully blow bubbles in patterns that form a web with internal rings. They actively control details such ...

Yellow garden spider (Argiope appensa)

Yellow garden spider ( Argiope appensa ) is a species of spider in Araneidae that lives on the coast to forests on islands in the western Pacific Ocean. Black and yellow females are striking and have a length of 5.1-6.4 cm including long legs, while males are brown and have a length of about 1.9 cm. A. appensa lives on cliffs in the hills at 600 m above sea level in Kewu plain to rice fields in the lowlands. They make nests at a height of 1.5 meters from the ground between teak ( Tectona grandis ), sonokeling ( Dalbergia latifolia ), sonosiso ( Dalbergia sissoo ), crown flower ( Calotropis gigantea ) and various grasses. Yellow garden spiders grow in large sizes, but are not toxic to humans. Advanced builds ball-shaped nets and most of them make stabilizers which are zigzag-shaped lines in nets made of thicker bands. This species spends more time in stationary and sits in the middle of the net with its head down to wait for insects to be entangled in fine silk thread. Unli...

Cockspur coral tree (Erythrina crista-galli)

Velvet coral tree or cockspur coral tree ( Erythrina crista-galli ) is a species of plant in the Fabaceae family. It is a small tree, 5-8 meters tall, with a trunk circumference of about 50 cm, irregular branches, light wood, and fissured, soft, and light brown bark. The taproot is white. The leaves are ovate, with three strands, dark green and glossy on the upper surface, and pale green on the underside. The central lobe is up to 17 cm long and up to 11 cm wide. The left and right lobes are up to 15 cm long and up to 10 cm wide. The flowers are red, arranged in racemes, at the apex, pentameric, complete, and bilaterally symmetrical. The flowers are up to 6 cm long and 4 cm wide. The pods are long, containing about 8 seeds, green when young and turning brown as they mature. The seeds are ovate, flat, and brown. It grows well in lowlands up to an elevation of 1,500 meters, with an annual rainfall of 800-1,500 mm/year, and a temperature of 20-32°C. It thrives in well-drained soils, but...

Dlium