It Looks Like a Frog, but It’s a Bug: Scientist Discovers 7 Unusual New Insect Species.An entomologist at Anglia Ruskin University has discovered seven new species of leafhopper.
A researcher at Anglia Ruskin University , England has identified seven previously unknown species of a frog-like insect.
The newly described insects are leafhoppers belonging to the genus Batracomorphus and were discovered by Dr. Alvin Helden during field research in Uganda’s tropical rainforest.
The name Batracomorphus comes from Greek meaning “frog-shaped”, a reference to the insects’ appearance and movement. These leafhoppers are typically green, have large eyes, and propel themselves by jumping with long hind legs that rest along their bodies in a frog-like posture.
Dr. Helden’s findings have been formally reported in the scientific journal Zootaxa and mark the first time new species of Batracomorphus have been documented in Africa since 1981.
Rarity, location, and methods of discovery
Before this work, scientists recognized only 375 species of Batracomorphus worldwide, with just two recorded in the UK. All seven of the newly identified species were collected using light traps set in rainforest at elevations above 1,500m within Kibale National Park in Uganda.
A major challenge of the research was verifying that the insects represented new species. Members of this genus are visually very similar, and reliable identification depends on detailed examination of their genital structures.
