‘Cryptic’ woodland creature seen eating its young in Australia. It’s a new species
In the forests of northeastern Australia, a “slender” creature laid its eggs in the tree bark and went about its day. For years, the “cryptic” animal has gone largely unnoticed or, when captured, regularly misidentified. Not anymore.
Researchers ventured into the woodland forests of Queensland several times in 2022 and 2023, according to a study published Nov. 30 in the journal Zootaxa. They were searching for mantises.
Researchers suspected that a common type of praying mantis, the paperbark mantis, was actually two species grouped together, the study said. They captured seven mantises and found over a dozen more similar-looking insects in archive collections.
Taking a closer look at the animals, researchers realized they’d discovered a “cryptic” new species: Ima corymbia, or the Corymbia mantis.
The Corymbia mantis is “slender” and “delicate,” reaching just under an inch in length, researchers said. It has “very large” and “bulbous” eyes. Its body is covered in a delicate brown pattern, a photo shows.
The Corymbia mantis is very similar to the paperbark mantis and was identified by the genitalia of male mantises, the study said.
Female Corymbia mantises lay several eggs in “extremely cryptic” oval-shaped cases, researchers said. The females deposit these egg cases between layers of tree bark, making them “well-hidden from potential threats.” One of these threats might be ants since the new species showed a strong aversion to these insects.
Researchers said they saw adult Corymbia mantises eating their young, a behavior that has not been observed in other related species and is similar to sexual cannibalism.
The Corymbia mantis has a strong preference for a specific type of tree, Corymbia leichhardtii or Leichhardt’s Rustyjackets, the study said. Researchers named the new species after its preferred tree.
Researchers found the new species in several dry forests and woodlands in northern Queensland, the study said. This region is about 900 miles northwest of Sydney.
The research team included Matthew Connors, Peter Yeeles, Lori Lach and David Rentz.
Researchers also studied a second new species of mantis that was initially discovered by wildlife enthusiasts.
This story was originally published December 12, 2023 at 8:49 AM with the headline "‘Cryptic’ woodland creature seen eating its young in Australia. It’s a new species."
