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S.Routh
1/26/15
Location:32.0167N,81.1167W
Time:16:42:32
TodaywhilescoutinginthetropicalrainforestneartheequatorIdiscoveredaspeciesof
insectthattheteamhasnotencounteredbefore.ThroughcarefulobservationIwasableto
makethefollowingnotes:
TheinsectwhichfromhereonoutshallbereferredtoaWhirlWinghasabodyabout6cmin
length.Ithassixlegswhichareallattachedtoitsthorax.Alsoattachedtothethoraxonthe
backoftheinsectare2setsof2wings.Thesewingsareattachedinsuchamannerthatthe
insectisabletoflybyrotatingitsbodyrapidly.Whendoingthisthecreaturelookslikea
corkscrewinflight.TheWhirlWingdoesnotappeartohaveanabdomen,butaheadateach
endofitsthorax.Oneachheadthereare4compoundeyes,whichseemtoallowittosee
whatisbelowitaswellasaboveit.ThisalsoallowstheWhirlWingtoflipitselfineither
direction.Thisadaptationseemswellsuitedtohelpitlocatethepreywhichthispredator
insectconsumes.Itusesalargesetofmandiblesonbothheadstoripapartandconsumeits
prey.
Theinsecthasonlybeenfoundinthedensetropicalfoliagethatexistintherainforesthere
neartheequatorofNevermore.TheTroiliatreeshereproducehugedoubleseedpodsthat
spinasthefloattotheground.ThestructureandtheflightoftheWhirlWindmimicstheseed
podsexactly.ThiscamouflageallowsthetheWhirlWindtohideexpertlyfromitsprey.Allof
theseadaptationsseemtomakeitaperfectconsumerinitsnaturalhabitat.
ThisspeciesisahighlyeffectivepredatorandwearehesitanttobringasamplebacktoEarth
forfearthatitcouldescapeandbecomeaninvasivespeciesleadingtotheextinctionofmany
insectsinthetropicalrainforestofEarth.
Iwillcontinuetoinvestigatethisspeciesbycompletingindepthsketchesandproducinga3d
modeltobeemailedtoEarthforprintingandmorestudy.
S.Routh