女生小视频

Life

Odd bump on praying mantis chest is actually world鈥檚 weirdest tongue

A bristly bump on some mantises鈥 chests is a never-before-seen 鈥済ustifolium鈥, which may have evolved to help the insects with their highly specialised lifestyles

By Jake Buehler

1 May 2024

Certain mantis species, like Kongobatha diademata, flatten their bodies against leaves, a practice called leaf-planking

Ruth S (CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0)

Some mantises can taste leaves with a newly discovered sensory organ: a strange, bristly bump projecting from their chests.

This 鈥済ustifolium鈥 is unlike anything seen in mantises or any other predatory insects, say the researchers who made the discovery. It may have evolved to aid certain mantises鈥 extremely specialised lifestyles.

Some praying mantis species found in Asia and Australia engage in 鈥渓eaf-planking鈥, flattening their bodies against the underside of leaves as they cling, motionless.

Sign up to our weekly newsletter

Receive a weekly dose of discovery in your inbox. We'll also keep you up to date with New 女生小视频 events and special offers.

Sign up

To continue reading, today with our introductory offers

or

Existing subscribers

Sign in to your account
Piano Exit Overlay Banner Mobile Piano Exit Overlay Banner Desktop