En annen fantastisk dyr fra Hawaii – a completely amphibious caterpillar (publisert i mars 22 PNAS). Mens det er noen vann Lepidoptera, alle av dem har gjeller som holder dem begrenset til vannet (tenke deg, vi snakker bare om larvestadiet). Hvis strømmen sin tørker opp, så gjør larven. The novel adaptation in these insects is the ability to live comfortably, and apparently indefinitely, on dry land eller submerged in fresh water – a trait distinctive to these 12 new species of Hyposmocoma (Cosmopterigidae). This is unique not only to Insects, but to all known animals. Det er, selvfølgelig, amphibians. But unlike these caterpillars they require moisture to survive and often desiccate rapidly. Hyposmocoma thrive in desert like conditions, or submerged for weeks. Not only were 12 different species discovered (that are also the first known caterpillars to eat snails), but it even appears as if this amphibious ability has evolved three separate times. Clearly the selective pressures on small lepidoptera in these areas are extreme.
The Lepidoptera as a whole have evolved a full range of adaptations, including species that are parasitic, detritivorous, fungivorous, endophagous, carnivorous (also on Hawaii), aquatic and now fully amphibious. Hummm, sounds like a bad song (to this music). Clearly, leps are cooler than any other order.
Perhaps if I were Rubinoff I may have named one moth Hyposmocoma aquamana. Selvfølgelig, Aquaman was pretty worthless on the land… so maybe it should have been H. potioaquamana (potio- coming from the Latin for superior or more effective).
