Eriovixia gryffindori: A new species of leaf-mimicking Spider from from the Western Ghats of India.

Spiders of the genus Eriovixia are noted for their triangular, hair-covered abdomens, which have a curious tapering end. About 20 species are known, the majority from China, though the group is found from Papua New Guinea to the Philippines, across East and South Asia to East, Central and West Africa. To date four species have been described from India.

In a paper published in the Indian Journal of Arachnology on 1 December 2016, Javed Ahmed of the Panchavati Housing Society, Rajashree Khalap of Mumbai and Sumukha J. N. of Shivamogga describe a new species of Eriovixia from the Kans Sacred Forest of Shivamogga District in Karnataka State, India.

The new species is named Eriovixia gryffindori, in reference to the fictitious wizard Godric Gryffindor from the novels of JK Rowling, original owner of the magical Sorting Hat at Hogwarts school, which the Spider resembles. The species is described from a single female specimen.

Eriovixia gryffindori, female specimen in lateral view. Ahmed et al. (2016).

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Leaf mimicking Spiders from China and Southeast Asia.

Mimicry, camouflage that specifically resembles another object such as a plant or another animal in order to escape detection by potential predators or prey, is common in a variety of animals, and particularly common in Insects, with many species documented that resemble leaves, sticks or even bird droppings. Spiders have a similar size range to insects and occupy the same environments. However, while many Spiders exhibit cryptic colouration or behaviour (i.e. colouration or behaviour which enables them to hide or blend into the backgrund successfully) there are few known examples of direct mimickry in Spiders.

In a paper published in the Journal of Arachnology in November 2016, Matjǎz Kuntner of the Evolutionary Zoology Laboratory at the Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts, the National Museum of Natural History, and the College of Life Sciences at Hubei University, Matjǎz Gregorič and Ren-Chung Cheng, also of the Evolutionary Zoology Laboratory at the Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts, and Daiqin Li of the Department of Biological Sciences at the National University of Singapore, descibe leaf mimicry in two species of Orb-weaver Spiders, Araneidae, in the genus Poltys.

Kuntner et al. observed leaf-mimickry in two seperate species of Poltys, one from Xishuangbanna Prefecture in southewestern Yunnan Province and the other in Vietnam. The Vietnam Spider is believed to belong to the species Poltys mouhoti, which was first described in 1862, but which has not previously been identified as a leaf mimic. A DNA barcode for this specimen is made available on the BOLD online database for comparison by other researchers. The Yunnan Spider is thought to be a new species, though it is not yet formally described as such. In addition Kuntner et al. examined online images of a variety of other members of the genus Poltys from Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia, Borneo and Hong Kong, from which they conclude that leaf mimicry may be widespread in the genus in Southeast and Eas Asia.

The ultimate leaf masquerade in an orb web spider, an undescribed species of Poltys (Araneidae) from Yunnan. (A)–(C), A female had hung dead leaves from a twig that also included live leaves to masquerade itself from visual predators (A). Upon slight disturbance, she withdrew higher onto the twig (B), (C) where it remained motionless; (D), lateral view of female pose in nature, note her abdomen resembling a dead leaf ventrally and a live, green leaf dorsally, both parts extending into a long and straight, apical abdominal hairy pedicel; (E), female placed on a flat surface, showing her flexible abdominal pedicel, now curved; (F), same, dorsal close up, note ‘‘leaf venation’’ and long hairy pedicel. Kuntner et al. (2016).

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Ceratocaryum argenteum: A plant producing dung-mimicing seeds.

Ceratocaryum argenteum is a large Rush-like Grass native to Cape region in South Africa. It produces lage, hard seeds which Dung Beetles have been observed burrying, despite the fact that they do not appear to be a suitable food source for either the Beetles or their larvae, which has led to suggestions that the seeds somehow mimic the dung of a large Antelope, fooling the Beetles into burrying the seeds.

In a paper published in the South African Journal of Science on 26 July 2016, Jeremy Midgley and Joseph White of the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Cape Town describe the results of an investigation into the relationship between the seeds of Ceratocaryum argenteum and the Dung Beetles.

Midgley and White placed piles of Ceratocaryum argenteum seeds beside a sand road in the De Hoop Nature Reserve in early in the morning after heavy rain events in February 2016. They found that two species of Dung Beetle, Epirinus flagellatus and Scarabaeus spretus, arrived at the seed stations within a few minutes of placing the seeds, and immediately began rolling the seeds away and burrying them. One specimen of Scarabaeus spretus even flew into a bag containing the seeds before they could be placed. Flesh Flies, Sarcophagidae, and Lesser Dung Flies, Sphaeroceridae, were also attracted to the seeds.

(a) Epirinus flagellatus rolling a Ceratocaryum argenteum seed; (b) Scarabaeus spretus rolling a seed (the arrow indicates a Sphaerocerid Lesser Dung Fly); (c) the large hole made by Scarabaeus spretus for burying several seeds (the arrow indicates the location of the Dung Beetle); and (d) a female Sarcophagid Fly on a seed. Midgley & White (2016).

Two Antelope species present in the De Hoop Nature Reserve, the Eland, Taurotragus oryx, and the Bontebok, Damaliscus pygargus. The two species have different diets, with the Bontenok favouring Grasses and the Eland being a browser with a mixed diet. 

This is a useful difference, as many tropical Grases use a different photosynthetic method to most other plants (which enables them to use less water in the process), as a side affect of which they tend to fix more of the lighter carbon isotope Carbon 12 (¹²C) and less of the heavier isotope Carbon 13 (¹³C), which results in the  tissues of animals which eat these Grasses having a distinct isotope signature; useful to archaologists trying to understand the diets of ancient populations and ecologists trying to understand the diets of animals. 

The larvae of Dung Beetles feed on undigested plant tissues within dung balls burried by their parents. This means that a Dung Beetle should have a carbon isotope signature which matches the dung of the animal on which it fed. Midgley and White analysed dung from both the Antelope species as well as a number of individuals of both Dung Beetle. Both Beetles had a carbon isotope signature closely matching that of the Eland dung, suggesting that this is their natural diet. Since other large Dung Beetles are present in the De Hoop Nature Reserve which did not pay any attention to the Ceratocaryum argenteum seeds, Midgely & White suggest that the seeds must specifically be mimicing the Eland dung, presumably be emiting chemical signatures (scents) detectable by the Beetles.

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Ateuchus cujuchi: A new species of Scarab Beetle from Rodent burrows in Bolivia. Tuco-tucos, Ctenomys spp., are small South American Rodents which live their entire lives underground within underground burrow systems, never venturing to the surface. Studies of other Rodents with similar...

A new species of Scarab Beetle from Hardap Province, Namibia.                                    There are currently eight species of Scarab Beetles in the genus Scapanoclypeus, which is known from Namibia and western South Africa. They are... 

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Teinotarsina aurantiaca: A new species of Clear-winged Moth from Okinawa.

Clear-winged Moths, Sensiidae, are found across much of the globe, being particulalry numerous in the tropics. They lack the wing scales typical of Lepidopterans (Butterflies and Moths), instead having clear wings, combined with body-shapes and colouration resembling that of Wasps or Hornets. This is considered to be an example of Batesian Mimicry (a harmless organism evolving to resemble a harmful one) which enables the Moths to be active during daylight hours without suffering heavy predation. The larvae of Clear-winged Moths bore into wood or plant roots, with some species being considered agricultural pests.

In a paper published in the journal ZooKeys on 7 March 2016, Sadahisa Yagi and Toshiya Hirowatari of the Entomological Laboratory at Kyushu University, and Yutaka Arita of the Zoological laboratory at Meijo University, describe a new species of Clear-winged Moth from Okinawa Island, Japan.

The new species is placed in the genus Teinotarsina, and given the specific name aurantiaca, meaning 'orange'. Like other members of the genus Teinotarsina it is long-legged, and resembles an Ichneumon Wasp, but unlike any other member of the genus it has extensive orange markings. The species is described from a single male specimen found dead by a roadside. Nothing is known about the life habbits of the living Moth, and the females and larvae are unknown.

Teinotarsina aurantiaca, male specimen. Yagi et al. (2016).

The orange colouration of Teinotarsina aurantiaca is unique within the genus, but many Wasps on Okinawa do exhibit orange or red colouration not seen in close relatives on nearby landmasses, an example of Müllerian mimicry (harmful organisms coming to resemble one-another, to present would-be predators with a comon warning signal), a pattern which Teinotarsina aurantiaca also appears to have adopted.

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Micropterix gaudiella: A new species of Micropterigid Moth from the Italian Alps.       The Micropterigidae are considered to be the most primitive family of living Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths), retaining a number of archaic traits, such as functioning mandibles as adults (which are...

A new species of Grass Moth from Tibet.  Grass Moths, Crambidae, are generally small and inconspicuous, particularly when in a resting posture, with rolled wings on a Grass stem, though they are a variable group and some species are...

A new species of Giant Swallowtail Butterfly from North and Central America.          Swallowtails, Papilionidae, are among the most conspicuous of American Butterflies, due to their large size and conspicuous colouration. The group has been extensively studied by taxonomists and...

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Possible Wasp-mimcry in a Mexican Hangingfly.

Hangingflies, Bittacidae, are highly specialized Scorpionflies, Mecoptera, noted for their resemblance to Crane Flies (which are True Flies, Diptera, and only have a single pair of wings) and their tendency to hang upside down in wait for prey. Like other Scorpionflies they are a rellict group today, with only about 170 species known worldwide (and most of those extremely rare), but were an important part of Insect faunas in the Jurassic, before Angiosperms (Flowering Plants) and associated Insects came to dominate terrestrial ecosystems.

The genus Eremobittacus is known from two species, Eremobittacus spinulatus and Eremobittacus sodalium, both of which are known from single male specimens from Mexico. To date attempts to find further specimens of either species, particularly females and juveniles, have proved futile, despite some extensive searches in the areas from which they were first described.

In a paper published in the journal ZooKeys on 23 November 2015, Fernando Villagomez of the Laboratorio de Ecología y Sistemática de Microartrópodos at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Atilano Contreras-Ramos of the Departamento de Zoología at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México and Yesenia Marquez-López of the Maestría en Biología at the Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Iztapalapa describe a series of specimens of Eremobittacus spinulatus discovered in the collection of the National Collection of Insects of the Institute of Biology of the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. 

The series comprises six specimens, three male and three female, that were collected in Oaxaca State in 1998, close to the area where the species was discovered in 1997 and in an area where further specimens were being actively sought, though they were apparently not recognized at the time (this is not as surprising as it sounds; Hangingflies are rare insects that most entomologists are unlikely to be familiar with, and the original description of Eremobittacus spinulatus was published in an American journal in English, before it was possible to search journals quickly online).

Eremobittacus spinulatus (1) male and (2) female. Villagomez et al. (2015).

The specimens show marked sexual dimorphism, with enlarged upper hind legs on the males, which is very unusual in Hangingflies. In addition the species is extremely Wasp-like in appearance, which could possibly be an indicator of mimicry in the species. Although predatory themselves, Hangingflies are subject to predation by a variety of other animals, including Spiders, Damselflies, Robber Flies and Assassin Bugs, against which they have few defenses. This would make resembling a Wasp highly advantageous, as Wasps have powerful stings, strong mandibles and are generally aggressive, so that many predators tend to avoid them. However in order for such mimicry to be effective it would be necessary for the Hangingfly to exhibit Wasp-like behavior, such as actively foraging for prey, rather than hanging upside down in wait. Such behavior is known in some Hangingflies, so it is a possibility for Eremobittacus spinulatus, though observation of living specimens would be needed before this could be confirmed.

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Four new species of Hangingflies from the Middle Jurassic of Inner Mongolia.       Hangingflies, Bittacidae, are large members of the Scorpionfly order, Mecoptera, which resemble the more widespread Craneflies (members of the True Fly order, Diptera) both in morphology and lifestyle, although...

A Hangingfly from the Early Cretaceous Jehol Biota.

Hangingflies are long legged Scorpionflies (Mecoptera), a group of insects related to the True Flies. Scorpionflies get their name from the reproductive organs of the males of some species, which resemble the tails of Scorpions. Despite this fierce appearance most species are harmless herbivores, though it is thought that fleas are highly...

 A new species of Earwigfly from Brazil.

Earwigflies (Meropeidae) are a small group within the Mecoptera (Scorpionflies), known only from four fossil and two modern species. Three of the fossil species are from the Triassic of Kyrgyzstan, and the fourth from the Jurassic of Siberia, while the two modern species, Merope tuber and Austromerope poultoni are from North America and Australia respectively. Little is known of the biology of these Insects, the larvae having never...

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Leaf mimicry in a Jurassic Scorpionfly.

The Scorpionflies (Mecoptera) are a group of insects related to the True Flies. They get their name from the reproductive organs of the males of some species, which resemble the tails of Scorpions. Despite this fierce appearance most species are harmless herbivores, though it is thought that fleas are highly specialised members of the group, and the True Flies, Butterflies and Moths may have evolved from the group in the Mesozoic. The group has a fossil record dating back to the Permian, and it has been suggested that the Scorpionflies were the first Insects to pollinate plants, possibly pollinating gymnospermous plants in the Jurassic before the origin of true flowering plants.

In a paper published in the Proceedings  of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America on 26 November 2012, a team of scientists led by Yongjie Wang of the College of Life Sciences at Capital Normal University in Beijing describe a new species of Scorpionfly from the Middle Jurassic Jiulongshan Formation from Daohugou Village in Inner Mongolia, which they suggest may have been camouflaged to resemble the leaves of a Ginkgoalean Plant uppon which the Insect lived.

The new species is named Juracimbrophlebia ginkgofolia, where 'Juracimbrophlebia' means 'Jurassic Cimbrophlebia' (a modern genus of Scorpionfly to which Juracimbrophlebia is thought to be related) and 'ginkgofolia' means 'Ginko-leaf'. Juracimbrophlebia ginkgofolia is a ~38.5 mm Hangingfly (long-legged Scorpionfly superficially resembling a Cranefly).

Specimens of Juracimbrophlebia ginkgofolia from the Middle Jurassic Jiulongshan Formation of Inner Mongolia. Scale bars are 10 mm. Wang et al. (2012).

The specimens were found alongside preserved leaves of the Ginkgo Yimaia capituliformis, with the Insect and Plant fossils proving confusing to separate, both in the field and the lab. Wang et al. suggest that this is a result of mimicry on behalf of the Scorpionfly, which would have been camouflaged among the leaves of the Ginkgo in life.

 

 

Leaves of Yimaia capituliformis  from the Middle Jurassic Jiulongshan Formation of Inner Mongolia. Scale bars are 10 mm. Wang et al. (2012).

 Wings of Juracimbrophlebia ginkgofolia (H&I) and leaves of Yimaia capituliformis (J&K), illustrating the similarities. Scale bars are 10 mm. Wang et al. (2012).

Reconstruction of Juracimbrophlebia ginkgofolia in life. Wang et al. (2012).

See also Three new species of Scorpionfly from the early Eocene of British Columbia and Washington State, Choristopsychid Insects from the Middle Jurassic of Inner Mongolia and A new species of Scorpionfly from Baltic Amber.

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