NevermoreScoutTeam

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