Creature with metallic, ‘olive green’ coloring discovered in Texas. It’s a new species

In the urban sprawl of Houston lived a tiny creature that fascinated Texas researchers.

Offering “distinct” characteristics, the insect that’s just 10 to 13 millimeters long is one researchers at Rice University had never before seen.

And neither had other scientists, marking the discovery of a new species.

The tiger beetle, deemed Eunota houstoniana in honor of the region where it was found, was identified by a team of biologists using “cutting-edge genetic sequencing technology,” according to a March 27 news release from the Houston university.

“It is amazing that within the city limits of Houston, we still don’t know all the species of insects or plants we share our region with,” Rice University evolutionary biologist Scott Egan said in a statement. “I’m always interested in learning more about the biodiversity of the Gulf Coast.”

Researchers published their findings in Nature Scientific Reports, where they went into detail about the unique characteristics of the beetle.

They described the “metallic” coloring of the new species, commenting on its “dark olive green to brown” coloring on its head.

A flat extension of the head, called the labrum, features six to eight setae. These stiff structures, which resemble hair or bristles, are yellow with a dark brown to black border, researchers said.

Appendages called palpi are mostly yellow, but also feature notes of metallic green to purple, according to the study.

“Eunota houstoniana exhibits distinct genetic and physical characteristics,” researchers said in the news release. “It is slightly smaller in size, its metallic coloring is more subdued, and it has unique behavior and habitat preferences.”

The new tiger beetle species gravitates toward “saline soils often found near salt domes and oil extraction sites,” the university said.

Because of the location where it was found — which has been urbanized — it’s believed some populations of the species have gone extinct.

“Others have been hiding right out our back door,” Egan said in the news release.

Eunota houstoniana is the 17th new species discovered by Egan and his collaborators, the university said. He has worked at Rice University since 2013.

This story was originally published March 28, 2024 at 11:33 AM with the headline "Creature with metallic, ‘olive green’ coloring discovered in Texas. It’s a new species."